To Table of Contents
Charmaine Werth
Creating Accessible Caribbean Outdoor Spaces
Charmaine Werth is an Interior Designer on the Caribbean island of Antigua & Barbuda where she lives with her architectural designer husband , Kerry . She has a comprehensive and diverse portfolio having managed design projects for hotels , restaurants , ambassadors , heads of state , ministers of government , banks , medical providers , private residences and retail outlets .
Caribbean design , she says , “ is like the people - a mix of cultures , a pepperpot , a potpourri , a mélange , if you will . We use bold colours and many materials . We have deep lazy balconies and patios , shutters for protection , shade and accents of colour and , we bring the outdoors in with many windows and doors .”
The uniqueness and diversity of that region has provided her with inspiration for the reinterpretation of contemporary Caribbean design .
For the past thirteen years , Charmaine has been living with Multiple Sclerosis and after her diagnosis , started “ thinking differently in terms of my designing ,” she said . Universal design and the creation of accessible , functional spaces became more important as her awareness grew .
On her island , it is difficult for wheelchair users to get around independently . In the capital of St . John ’ s , there are just a few buildings with ramps , and automatic doors for easy entry are also few . Someone will hold a door open for you , but entry without assistance is not possible in many cases for wheelchairs . Villages and communities in the outer parishes are not wheelchair friendly . Many of the hotels on the island may have accessible rooms but few can be considered fully accessible . Charmaine admits there is a lot to be done in the built environment on her island as it relates to accessible spaces , and she too had to make adjustments in her own home .
“ When I was diagnosed with MS ,
I had to renovate my bathroom for a walk-in shower . I wasn ' t using a wheelchair but I had difficulty walking and I needed to sit in the shower . I didn ' t want my bathtub to be in my shower space , so I had to separate them - I basically designed a wet room . I had grab bars installed - and it all looked beautiful , so an accessible bathroom can still be compliant while aesthetically pleasing if you ' re thoughtful enough about it ."