Home Decor Tips to Make Your Home More Accessible

If you're part of the approximately 650 million people who are living with a disability, there may be some challenges faced in your home's decor. Whether your disability is something you will live with for your entire life or if it's a temporary disability caused by an accident, you may need to make some changes such as making your bathroom spacious or even installing bathroom radiators to your home to accommodate yourself.. Below are a few home renovation projects that may make your day to day life at home easier without sacrificing your personal style.

Tax Breaks For Medical Costs

If you are remodeling your home only because of your disability, you may qualify for a tax break. In the IRS' document with tax highlights for those with disabilities, it says that "improvements to a home that do not increase its value if the main purpose is medical care. An example is constructing entrance or exit ramps." The items on this list are all renovations that are all intended to increase accessibility, so it's possible they can qualify. Make sure to check with an accountant if you're unsure.

Think About Doorknobs

Something small that you may not consider when it comes to accessibility is the difficulty that can come from doorknobs. If you choose a knob instead of a handle, it can be hard for someone who problems with their hands to open doors. If you or someone in your household has this kind of issue, handles can be very useful. Someone who may struggle with a traditional knob will be able to open and close doors without having to firmly grip a knob, giving that person more freedom and better accessibility.

To make sure that your door handles fit with the decor of your home, you can look for colors or metals that fit with the theme of the room. For a more cohesive look, you can choose one type of handle that you can use on every door in the house.

Widen Doorways

If you or someone in your household uses a wheelchair, you'll probably need to widen doorways to make them more accessible. If you're doing this, you can also take the chance to try out a new style of door in your home. Try painting your new doors a fun, bright hue to bring a pop of color into your home. You can also restain the door to match your decor if you buy a door just because it's the right size without thought for your decor. The average doorframe is 28 inches, while accessible doorframes are 32 inches, so make sure to double-check the measurements of a door before buying it for a widened doorway.

Install a Ramp

A ramp is key to accessibility if you or someone in your home has mobility problems that require a wheelchair. Although you may think of a wheelchair ramp and envision a metal contraption with obvious gripping pads on it, your wheelchair ramp doesn't have to look that way. You can have a wheelchair ramp without negatively impacting the curb appeal of your home -- you will just need to be creative. The first step is to find a contractor who will work with you to design a ramp that blends seamlessly with your home's exterior. If your front door has a small stoop made with stone, you can look into adding a ramp to it that is made of the same stone so that your ramp blends easily into the existing porch. You can also install a wooden ramp that won't clash with the exterior of your home. Make sure that the grade of the ramp isn't too steep and that the ramp has some grip to it so that you or the person in your household doesn't have trouble with the ramp once the temperatures begin to drop.

Furniture Layout

If you are redesigning a room and you or someone in your home needs it to be more accessible, you will have to take a few factors into account. What types of accessibility changes do you need? Does there need to be a path wide enough for a wheelchair? Is someone visually impaired and needs things to be placed in a certain way so they can navigate?

When thinking of your furniture layout, start with what you can't or don't want to change, such as where a radiator is located. Although moving a radiator is possible, it may make more sense for your heating system to keep it where it is depending on the layout of your home. If you've had your furnace for more than 15-20 years, it may need replacing, which could be an opportunity to change up your entire heating system. However, if you don't want to move a radiator or other fixture, make sure you're designing around that as well as any specifications required by a person's disability.

Accessible Flooring

Slipping and falling are very common accidents. In fact, in 2015 there were more than 20,000 slip and fall injuries reported in workplaces in California alone. To avoid getting a slip and fall injury in your home, make sure you're thinking through your flooring choices. Although rugs can be anti-slip, they aren't as accessible for people in wheelchairs. There are countless options for flooring, and because of this, you can find a flooring choice that matches both your decor and your accessibility needs. If you do your research, you can definitely find the perfect flooring for you and those in your household.

Having a disability doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice style for accessibility. It's possible to keep your home's style intact no matter what kind of disability you have. Finding more stylish options may take more digging, but it's definitely possible.