About

As you can probably tell from the title, I am passionate about inclusive home design!

In my work as an architect I’ve always been aware of how important it is to consider accessibility in the design process.  However, becoming a mum to a daughter with a rare genetic condition (KAT6 Syndrome), has given me a new perspective on the need for more thoughtful inclusive design, and the need for greater awareness about the choices we have available to us to enable flexibility for our future needs. I’ve become far more aware of gaps in the current provision, particularly in home design and children’s playgrounds, and areas where I think there’s potential for the building and product design industries to make a real difference and hopefully stimulate some positive accessible change!

Inclusive design is design for everyone, it’s not only about wheelchair turning circles, grab rails or stair lifts.  It’s also about making life easier for the whole spectrum of access needs, from mobility and sensory impairments to neurodiverity, for parents with babies in prams, for crawlers, bum shufflers, toddlers, kids with bikes and scooters….. and good access needs to be viewed as a must have, not an added extra!

I’m interested in exploring all areas of inclusive and accessible design (places & spaces, products & tips) and particularly how these relate to sustainable design… and sometimes I’ll just be sharing some aspects (and challenges) of our everyday family life that may (or may not!) be of interest to anyone else!

InclusiveChic

Vicki from Wheel Chic Home and I both love browsing home design ideas online, and following the hashtags for home design and interior ideas on social media, but we found it was difficult to find great ideas for anyone with access needs or looking to adapt their home. 

So together we set up the hashtag #InclusiveChic and the @InclusiveChic Instagram account!

The idea being it’s a space for for people to exchange their ideas, tips and hacks, so it’s not just limited to our perspectives!

At heart we are both home design enthusiasts, but we also want to see, and share, inclusive and accessible products for making life easier at home, or out and about, and we love seeing posts about great inclusive venues or accessible travel too!

You don’t need to have a disability in your household to take part.  You might find a great hotel room or restaurant that has fantastic accessibility or inclusive design for all. Perhaps you might spot something that would brilliant for someone with sensory needs or is inclusive for multi-generations.

To join in, just add the hashtag #InclusiveChic to your posts and/or tag the @InclusiveChic account.  We run with a theme every couple of weeks and we share our favourites on our Instagram Grid – but you don’t have to stick to the theme, we want to see everything inclusive, so just share away!

And don’t forget to follow the account and the hashtag too, so you don’t miss out on the great tips and ideas shared by the rest of the community!