Oregon Home | 61 BEFORE Higher counter levels, walk-in showers, and better lighting help accommodate older residents. BEFORE creating flow by replacing a peninsula with an island in the kitchen and installing new cabinetry. She tied the range hood into the backsplash to make it feel seamless and provide a stunning backdrop for the kitchen. The designer also transformed the couple’s primary suite by adding a connection to the owner’s bathroom while keeping it accessible to a guest bedroom. For the older resident’s space, the clients wanted a warmer feel in the partial kitchen, as well as specific accommodations for older residents. Bellusci employed classic tenets of aging-in-place design while keeping the finishes beautiful. “Every aspect of the design prepares the space for what might happen down the road,” Bellusci says. “But you don’t want to put pieces in that will give you that hospital feel.” The plan called for widening the doorways and installing hard surfaces to ease movement between spaces. She added ample lighting, as well as grab bars in the shower. She also built structure into the walls so that a chair lift could be installed down the line, if necessary. When the family moved in, Bellusci could feel it all sing. “That’s my favorite part of the process,” she says, “when the clients bring in all of their personal things and it all comes together.” neilkelly.com A new position for the homeowner's bed creates a better view of the Portland cityscape.
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