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July 30th, 2010 admin Leave a comment Go to comments

Moving Toward Universal Design And Interior Decorating

There has been a lot of talk about universal design in recent years. The first question people usually ask is ‘What is universal design? Universal design of products and environments has become a most important consideration in design circles.

Ron Mace states ‘Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.'

Most architects, interior designers, furniture and industrial designers now aim to design with these principles in mind. When a product or environment adheres to the principles it means anyone can use the space and products easily. No matter what the age or physical abilities of the person universal design can make life easier and simpler.

Why do we need universal design? We have an aging population, people are living longer, people are staying in their home longer and people are surviving accidents and illness with disabilities.

To make their life easier among other things:

Doors and hallways should be wider

Steps and stairs should be eliminated (if possible)

Electrical outlets should be placed higher on the wall instead of near the floor.

Universal design is a practical step forward. If every product and space for example; light fittings, entrance halls were designed with all people in mind then the cost of specialty designs would be eliminated. Many existing homes need to be altered to accommodate people who are elderly or disabled in some way. This can be very expensive.

If all space was designed with Universal Design principles in mind there would be no need for this expense or inconvenience.

You can find detail information on the topic at the Center for Universal Design

For example they advise:

Entrances should have no steps This would make it easier for wheelchairs, prams and bicycles. It would also allow greater access to bring in groceries and move furniture and appliances in and out.

Decorating ideas

When decorating with universal principles in mind avoid glossy surfaces

Use contrasting colours on the floor, skirting board and wall.

It is also best to use contrasting colours in the entrance hall, on the stair banisters, treads and risers.

In the kitchen:

Iit is best to use contrasting colours on the bench top, splashback and cabinet doors

It is also helpful to make the kitchen bench top as long as possible

Use lever handles instead of rounded handles as they can be difficult to grip and turn.

The popular gallery style kitchen works better than the U style kitchen in many ways. Corner cabinets are eliminated and large drawers instead of cupboards make it easier to get to the items.

Lighting

Lighting is very important:

Have very good lighting in entrances and hallways

Task lighting above benches in the kitchen and bathroom will be very useful

Full length mirrors are a good choice because this means a child, someone in a wheel chair or a person standing can all use the same mirror.

There are numerous things to be considered when working to achieve Universal Design. It is something we should all take an interest in. With many older people downsizing we need to take these design considerations seriously. I have been disappointed to note many villages designed for the over fifties appear not to have considered the all important Universal Design principles.

About the Author

Rosena works as an interior design, retail and visual merchandising tutor for Australian College QED. She I has also worked for the Retail Traders Association of Victoria as a Retail Trainer. Rosena has a Diploma in Interior Design, Post Graduate Diploma in Public and Community Health and is a qualified trainer. She also works as an interior design consultant, creates designer art work and is the Australian partner of Sample Board Online a new cool free interior design presentation tool.