For some reason inclusive home design doesn’t seem to be seen as a mainstream concept.
There’s a perception that accessibility is only for wheelchair users. House design is either ‘wheelchair friendly’ or it isn’t, and somehow the idea that inclusive design (or even better accessible or universal design) is of benefit to us all, hasn’t been embraced!?
One of my dreams is to see inclusive design become ‘everyday’.
For there no longer to be any need to differentiate inclusive design as a separate, niche, concept.
I want to see fantastic examples of accessible homes featured on TV makeover shows, and in the homestyle magazines, so that disabled people and their families are presented with inspirational examples of how fantastic their homes can be, and (perhaps more importantly) so that non disabled people see inclusive design as an interesting and exciting design approach for life-long happy homes!
We need to break the perception that accessibility is all ugly plastic grab rails and old fashioned stair lifts!
I want to see a celebration of design that is flexible for a variety of needs, design that not only works for you, your children and your grandchildren, but that is also stylish, and is Ideal Homes and RIBA House of the Year worthy!
Good inclusive design should allow everyone to be able to participate as fully with family life (as much they want to!) as naturally as possible – what can be more valuable than that?
You can read some of my blog posts on this HERE.