INTERIOR DESIGN
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Ageing in your own place – Be prepared
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Gareth Griffiths
It’ s an often overlooked topic, but everyone will someday have a need for somewhere to spend their golden years. For those hoping to remain in their own homes for as long as possible, there are several features that can be incorporated or retrofitted to support safety and comfort.
Ageing-in-place design is not only for older people. It also helps a household cope with life’ s unplanned emergencies, including a teenager who slips and falls while playing indoor soccer.
Plan for easy movement
Planning ahead is one of the most important steps when incorporating ageing-in-place features. Many require thoughtful design and construction, so it’ s wise to start early and consult an interior design professional who understands the nuances. A professional can help you create a plan that meets current needs while anticipating future ones.
Allow sufficient space for wheelchair or walker use, with wide walkways and doorways and generous clearances around furniture and fixtures. This is not only practical for the kids’“ indoor athletics”, but makes it easier for everyone to move comfortably through the home.
Extra width provides easier access for those mobility aids mentioned, while hallways and transitions between rooms should be simple and direct. Using continuous flooring material throughout the home can also reduce tripping hazards caused by changes in height or texture between rooms.
Where drywall construction is specified, structural backing can be installed behind the wall finish in places where grab bars may eventually be needed.
Kitchens
Professional designers recommend at least 1.2m of clearance between countertops and an island to ensure a safe and accessible work zone.
Appliance placement and workflow are equally important. The kitchen work triangle remains a useful guide, helping to keep the space functional and limiting unnecessary movement.
Watch those steps
Many design and construction professionals agree that the safest homes are single-level, with minimal or no steps. Ideally, movement from the garage into the house and into showers should be step-free. If possible, position the garage close to the kitchen to make carrying heavy groceries or accepting deliveries easier.
In a multiple-storey home, reconfigure the ground floor to create a comfortable and accessible living space, reducing the need for frequent trips up and down stairs.
Install secure, easy-grip handrails and ensure the staircase is wide enough as built, to accommodate a stairlift at a later stage. Protruding door handles with sharp edges should also be avoided.
Budget-permitting, there is the option of retro-fitting a domestic lift from ground level, or even the garage, to the bedroom level. This is particularly relevant where originally the home was designed fo r the later years so retrofitting does not require major building work involving structural engineering.
40 spring 2026 | www. tobuild. co. za