Posts Tagged ‘concept’

Make Your Home Living Easy With Universal Design

October 25th, 2011

Home designing is pleasurable for most homeowners. Through design, self-expression can be accomplished by the arrangement, decoration and even remodeling of a home. The thoughtful design of a home can have a large influence on how well family members live inside the residential building. Careful planning and decision-making about a creative interior plan can achieve results that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

Most homeowners want an atmosphere in their residence that centers on family and friends. Such an atmosphere can be created through a variety of design concepts. Following are some tips to consider when integrating a universal concept to make a home more comfortable and functional.

Explaining a Universal Concept

The principle of applying a universal concept to a house is to reduce any physical stress on the occupants. Builders should carefully identify the details of the architecture and focus on accessories that can help relieve the occupants from any stress. For example, kitchen cabinets can be installed with a feature that allows shelves to be pulled out to facilitate reach for the contents contained inside of them. The overall space of the house and the accessories should emphasize comfort and convenience, since this is what ergonomic features should bring to all family members.

Design Characteristics

Those who understand the characteristics of a universal concept know that the way these concepts are fulfilled throughout an entire house is with architecture. This concept revolves around work efficiency. As an example, a kitchen layout can be created to allow for tasks to be accomplished more easily by eliminating unnecessary movement and steps within the kitchen.

In a living space with pre-existing great architecture and a welcoming atmosphere for family members and friends, the design focus should rest on accommodating the various needs of all household residents. The design should be receptive to changes over the years and be easily adaptable to lifestyle changes that occur as family members grow older; it is important that the family always feel a sense of togetherness regardless of age and ability.

Ergonomic Architecture

Cost efficiency, effectiveness and comfort are the major reasons why people consider incorporating ergonomic architecture into their next building or house renovation. The principle of this type of architecture includes balance and rhythm, with an emphasis on harmony, scale and proportion which are good tools for evaluating and identifying the positive energy or flow of any desired home plan.

When considering ergonomic architecture, it would be beneficial to become familiar with what this involves. Research should begin by looking at interior design books and magazines, evaluating the pictures using these principles and hunting for features that might work well with existing blueprints and personality. Attending seminars or informal classes to learn the various aspects of home blueprints using this type of architecture would be beneficial.

It is important to have detailed information about family requirements before selecting any blueprints for the intended project; this information would include the size and number of rooms needed, living and dining room styles, etc. It is also helpful to observe the architecture of other houses in the neighborhood and surrounding areas and make notes about any interesting details observed that might be included in the house design.

Universal design is a new concept for most people and will require a familiarization process before incorporating this plan for efficiency and simplicity into a home design. The main principle of this concept is to make any living space better for each family member and allow for easier living together under the same roof!

Benefits of a Universal Home Design

September 15th, 2011

A universal home design is a growing concept in house planning and construction that provides for changes that can occur in living such as disability issues, aging and general accessibility for everyone. Many homes today are built with the idea that no matter who the occupant is, the living spaces within as well as outside the home, should be readily used by just about anyone. A growing number of home designers, builders and contractors are embracing this concept as the baby boomer population ages and a new wave of disabled or elderly home occupants emerge.

Here are some of the best benefits of a universal home design:

Home values

If you decide to use a universal home design to build your new home, you can expect your house to be worth more at the outset than another home of similar square footage and amenities, but that is not built from a universal design. The reason is that a universally designed house is more appealing to all segments of the population because of its practicality and usability for everyone. Universally designed homes are easier to sell and acrue in value more readily.

Good planning for the future

For those who plan on living in their homes until they die, this type of house design is excellent because it will accommodate occupants in any change of life. If an occupant becomes suddenly disabled or eventually must have certain handicap amenities in areas like the bathroom due to aging issues, this design allows for changes in life that are bound to occur.

Important design elements

There are many elements of design that go into a universal home, but several of the most important are constructed into the bathroom area, kitchen, hallways and the construction level of the home. The bathroom is perhaps one of the most important areas of the home, as it is designed to be accessible by combining within the design some handicap requirements. Wider doorways for wheelchair accessiblity, nonslip flooring, wet room style spaciousness and open shower areas are just some of the common features for a handicap bath area that can be enjoyed by all.

Other important aspects include choosing a design that keeps the house on one ground level and that does not include stairs or other common obstacles to those who are less mobile. If you are interested in the useful aspects of a universal home design, there are more and more designers and contractors available who are experienced at creating houses that are accessible for everyone.