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Room Tour: An Accessible Bathroom With a Light, Fresh Feel
A design and build firm have created a family bathroom that’s both wheelchair friendly and a relaxing space
When these homeowners in Canada received news that their toddler daughter had a condition that could affect her mobility in the future, they sprang into action. To find local design pros that could get their ranch house wheelchair-ready, they looked to Houzz. They found Brittany Zazula and Ben Davis, a husband-and-wife design and build team, and hired them.
To get space for wheelchair clearances, the design professionals knew they’d have to expand the home’s one full bathroom. They borrowed some space from an adjacent bedroom and wardrobe, then carefully planned the layout to accommodate wheelchair access.
While the homeowners were dedicated to the functionality of the bathroom, Brittany as designer wanted to make the space beautiful and relaxing for them. She created a soothing neutral palette with touches of watery blue and added warmth with white oak and brass.
To get space for wheelchair clearances, the design professionals knew they’d have to expand the home’s one full bathroom. They borrowed some space from an adjacent bedroom and wardrobe, then carefully planned the layout to accommodate wheelchair access.
While the homeowners were dedicated to the functionality of the bathroom, Brittany as designer wanted to make the space beautiful and relaxing for them. She created a soothing neutral palette with touches of watery blue and added warmth with white oak and brass.
Before Photo
While the parents’ priority was their daughter and how she could use the room, Brittany wanted to give them a style that would make them happy. “They definitely like big [areas] of colour. And they love the water. We brought that in with the blue tiles,” she says.
Ben and Brittany used Houzz Pro software for this project. “We use Houzz from the start to end of every design project,” Brittany says. “The floor plans are user-friendly, which allows your client to see different views to ensure their understanding of the space.”
Ceramic tiles in Opal Sky, Elon Tile & Stone.
Ben and Brittany used Houzz Pro software for this project. “We use Houzz from the start to end of every design project,” Brittany says. “The floor plans are user-friendly, which allows your client to see different views to ensure their understanding of the space.”
Ceramic tiles in Opal Sky, Elon Tile & Stone.
Creating balance with the blue tiles as an accent meant using the right dose of them. “We wanted this colour to truly pop. But we also didn’t want the room to look broken up. So we took the marble-look flooring up the adjacent wall,” Brittany says. “It’s all about the balance.”
The marble-look tiles are 60cm x 120cm porcelain with a semigloss finish called Lappato that prevents slippage. “The large size minimises grout, which makes it much easier to keep clean,” Brittany says.
Find a local tile professional.
The marble-look tiles are 60cm x 120cm porcelain with a semigloss finish called Lappato that prevents slippage. “The large size minimises grout, which makes it much easier to keep clean,” Brittany says.
Find a local tile professional.
The shower is open on one side to allow for wheelchair access. A handheld wand attached to a slide bar will help their daughter shower in the future. “The husband is really tall, so we made the other shower head really high for him,” Brittany says.
The cubicle is also zero-threshold, meaning it does not have a kerb. To keep water contained, Ben sloped the floor towards the centre drain on all sides. “We had to cut into the existing floor joists to make the floor slope properly,” Brittany says.
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
The cubicle is also zero-threshold, meaning it does not have a kerb. To keep water contained, Ben sloped the floor towards the centre drain on all sides. “We had to cut into the existing floor joists to make the floor slope properly,” Brittany says.
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
The shower door is on hinges that swing both ways. “That way, if their daughter is in a wheelchair and needs the space to turn it around in front of the toilet, she can push the door into the shower to create enough space,” Brittany says.
While grab bars are part of the accessibility strategy for the future, the couple weren’t quite ready to install those yet. So the team fitted supports for grab bars in the walls and marked them for the homeowners.
While grab bars are part of the accessibility strategy for the future, the couple weren’t quite ready to install those yet. So the team fitted supports for grab bars in the walls and marked them for the homeowners.
Brittany repeated the accent tiles on this wall, bookending the room in blue. The couple hope to have more children, so a bath for bathing little ones was a must-have.
“We couldn’t use a built-in tub in this room and still have enough room for wheelchair access, so we chose a freestanding one,” Brittany says.
She found a smaller-than-average design that will be good for bathing children. This allowed her to fit a bath into the layout while leaving enough clearance for a wheelchair to enter the shower.
“We couldn’t use a built-in tub in this room and still have enough room for wheelchair access, so we chose a freestanding one,” Brittany says.
She found a smaller-than-average design that will be good for bathing children. This allowed her to fit a bath into the layout while leaving enough clearance for a wheelchair to enter the shower.
The vanity unit is semi-bespoke, in that Brittany was able to specify the wood (white oak), hardware (matt black) and worktop (quartz). The matt black continues on the mirror frames and light fixtures. The taps are brushed brass.
“When it comes to mixing metals, I have a rule of two. Then you can use different variations in tone within those finishes,” Brittany says.
She used the brass fixtures and white oak cabinet to add warmth. “Using a white vanity unit would have made this room feel very cold. You have to have warmth,” she says.
“When it comes to mixing metals, I have a rule of two. Then you can use different variations in tone within those finishes,” Brittany says.
She used the brass fixtures and white oak cabinet to add warmth. “Using a white vanity unit would have made this room feel very cold. You have to have warmth,” she says.
The homeowners opted not to install a wheelchair-accessible vanity unit at this point because of the limited space in the room. “With intentions of the family growing, and with it being the only full bathroom in the house, having two basins took priority in this case,” Brittany says. “Storage was also very important.”
This photo also shows the bathroom door. “We widened all the door openings throughout the house to [around 90cm],” Brittany says. “We also added wide clearances throughout the home, such as in the kitchen between the island and the cabinets.”
This photo also shows the bathroom door. “We widened all the door openings throughout the house to [around 90cm],” Brittany says. “We also added wide clearances throughout the home, such as in the kitchen between the island and the cabinets.”
Another important detail in the bathroom is a new, larger window that replaces the original glass blocks. The glass is frosted for privacy, but still lets in lots of natural light.
See more photos of this home.
Tell us…
What do you like about this thoughtful bathroom redesign? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
See more photos of this home.
Tell us…
What do you like about this thoughtful bathroom redesign? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A couple and their young daughter
Location London, Ontario, Canada
Size 6.8 sq m
Design and build firm Ben + Britt at Home
Photos by Saleme Fayad
The existing bathroom was tight and had a large glass-block window. To gain space, Brittany took about 1.2m of width from the main bedroom and wardrobe, which were located behind the vanity-unit wall. New wardrobes were part of the whole-house renovation, and those made up for the space sacrificed to the bathroom.
Find a local bathroom designer on Houzz.