Challenge: Instead of a roll-in closet, we are thinking about a roll-in dressing area between an accessible master bedroom and an accessible bathroom. What features should be included, and what design dimensions are critical for a wheelchair user?
Solutions: Dressing rooms, an idea originally incorporated in medieval manor houses, have become a distinguishing feature of modern, more expensive and spacious homes. Traditionally, separate dressing rooms for each spouse, adjoined the master's bedroom in order to separate the dressing activities. Traditional dressing rooms contained dressers, chests, and wardrobes or armoires. In America, heavy European wardrobes or armoires were replaced with built-in clothes closets with a hanging rod and shelf.
A traditional dressing room had a wash basin and a lady's room containing a dressing table or vanity. Modem dressing rooms typically provide a countertop with one or more lavatories and vanity cabinet for grooming and makeup storage. This arrangement frees the master bedroom of a dressing table and the bath of a vanity lavatory.
For a wheelchair user, the dressing room sink should be accessible and the space can include other features. For example, many wheelchair users dress on a bed. An option is to incorporate an accessible changing bench. A built-in bench with hinged top can also double as storage space for bulky items. A built-in ironing board which folds down at an accessible height for light touch-up ironing might be another dressing room feature.
An accessible master suite with a dressing room is not necessarily any larger than the combined space in an accessible master bedroom and bathroom. With a dressing room, the accessible master bedroom can actually be smaller but still feel more spacious. Because dressers and closets are located in a dressing room, the need to maneuver around the bed is minimized. A roll-in dressing area can sometimes make dressing easier. An accessible countertop lavatory in the dressing room is also a convenience. With an accessible vanity in the dressing room the bathroom lavatory could be wall-hung, saving additional space.
By separating the dressing area from the bathroom, all finishes in the accessible bath can be suitable for wet locations, such as ceramic tile, or plastic resin/fiberglass composite wall panels and wall coverings. By comparison, the dressing area finishes can include carpet and wood that are warmer and more comfortable.
From Paraplegia News, published by the Paralyzed Veterans of America
PVA accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information published herein and does not endorse any company or any of the products or services advertised on this web site.
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