Home Improvement

Adapting a Home for Disabled Family Members

January 29, 2019 by Anne Sweet 1 Comment

When I moved into my home five years ago it already had most of the requirements for a disabled person because it was a newly built house. I had no idea that just two years later I would be so grateful for these. If my house had been older I may have had to make a lot of changes. This post is a guide to what changes may need to be made should a loved one become disabled.

Whether a disability is borne out of a chronic illness or unforeseen trauma, living with one isn’t easy. Many disabilities impair one’s capacity to get around, which is why it’s important for family members and loved ones to create an environment suitable for accommodating their unique needs. And although many new homes are designed to aid persons with disabilities, often, older homes need to be retrofit to do the same.

That said, if you have a loved one or family member with a disability, here are a few things you can do to make your house more comfortable and inviting for them:

Major Renovations

1. Change your flooring

photograph of a hallway with wooden floors and doors

If you have marble floors or a carpeted hallway, it might be good to replace them with hardwood floors or ceramic tiles. These different types of flooring provide traction for wheelchairs, not to mention being easy to clean.If you don’t have enough money to re-floor your property, The Spruce suggests covering it with linoleum instead. Aside from being resistant to water and stains, it doesn’t hold on to dust and is good for wheelchairs. We have wood effect linoleum in our hallway and people often believe it’s real wood. It’s great for my wheelchair and makes exiting the house easy.

2. Widen hallways and doors

photo of a white dining room with a table and chairs and a sliding doorway

Your home’s doors need to be at least 36 inches wide for standard-size wheelchairs to fit through. A carpenter can usually complete this job within a day, as it is pretty straightforward.

However, if you want to make the adjustments yourself, you can install doors with swing-away hinges. You can also opt for dividers and sliding doors, which not only make access easier, but they can also make your home look more open and spacious. From the selection of internal doors on Screwfix, it is evident that your choice can impact the overall look of an entire room or home. This is why when choosing new doors, you need to make sure they are functional, as well as beautiful.

3. Add a downstairs toilet

photograph of a bathroom with shower, toilet and sink unit

If you find installing wheelchair platforms, stair lifts, and wheelchair climbers too expensive, you can renovate your home to make another bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor for your disable relative to sleep. This way, you won’t need to worry about how they will get up and down the stairs regularly.

Minor Renovations

1. Change door and cabinet knobs

photograph of a door handle on a white door

Door knobs can be difficult to use if they have limited mobility in their wrists or hands. It’s better to use door handles that will allow your doors to be unlocked and opened using only one hand. Locks, bolts, chains, and peepholes should be placed between three to four feet from the floor, so they can easily reach it.

2. Add accessible accessories to your bathroom

Showering and sitting on the toilet can be challenging, especially if they have restricted in terms of their movement. Installing handy bathroom accessories like shower seats and sturdy handrails will be very helpful—and are easy to blend in with your bathroom’s overall design. If you have more resources, you can follow the designs featured on the Telegraph and overhaul your bathroom to turn it into a wet room. This means that it will have no moving parts or doors that need to be opened or closed. It’ll be turned into one seamless room that can easily be accessed even if your family member is in a wheelchair or walker.

3. Add sufficient lighting

photo of a living area with sofas and lots of lighting on the ceiling.

Whether they are using a walker or a wheelchair, it’s important to make sure every nook and cranny of your home — including the stairs, rooms, and hallways — is well-lit. An electrical technician can help you improve your home’s lighting and make sure you leave no dark corners. Long hallways should have light switches at both ends and the switches should be reachable from a wheelchair.

Don’t forget to pay attention to your driveway and garage, too. Garden paths need to be wide enough for wheelchair access and the paving should be wheelchair- and walker-friendly, Lushome notes that some of the most important considerations you need to look at when it comes to your driveway are safety, access, drainage, and aesthetics. Once you’ve crossed out all these off your list, your home will be ready for any family member with a disability.

Overall, minor and major home improvement projects for the benefit of a disabled person are a welcome change. And while you’re at it, why not take into account your loved one’s style and preferences? For ideas on choosing a theme, have a look at our guide here on Raisie Bay

Making Your Kids Bedroom Warm and Cosy

October 30, 2018 by Anne Sweet 2 Comments

Winter is quickly creeping in, and at this time of year we all feel the need to hibernate like the animals our children learn about at school; in fact, with darker nights and colder days, having a house that’s warm and cosy is imperative to creating a feeling of “home sweet home”.

There’s nothing less homely than being in a house that is cold and drafty, yet, there’s nothing more comforting than a warm and cosy bedroom that makes you feel all safe and snuggled up from the cold weather outside.

Indeed, winter can be a magical time, for as the snow begins to fall for the first time, the whole house will get excited about the prospect of building snowmen, going sledding and having the inevitable snowball fight. Of course, there’s the occasional Scrooge like character that fails to see the magic of this time of year and considers only the affect such adverse weather will have on traffic conditions… but for most people, and in particular, most children – the snow starting to fall signifies a time of magic and wonderment.

There’s nothing better, as a kid, than being wrapped up warm looking out at the snow falling from your bedroom; going to sleep, then waking up every now and then, peeking through the window to see if it’s still snowing and whether the snow has settled.

Child’s Bedroom

Now, in terms of making your child’s bedroom warm and cosy, the furniture in your kids bedroom is quite important. Cuckooland offer perhaps the coolest kids bedroom furniture to create a modern yet cosy atmosphere, though, a lot of making your kids bedroom more warm and cosy comes down to is related specifically to their bed and lighting.

Lighting is one of the most vital components when it comes to creating a warm and cosy space, and there are a number of things you can do to add to the feeling of warmth within your child’s bedroom, whilst also offering a safe “night light” glow that is conducive to sleep.
Many times, people put warm LED string lights into their child’s bedroom to emit a warm glow that is safe to stay on throughout the night (particularly if battery operated), whilst if you’re looking for something a little more fancy you could use a Himalayan salt lamp, as this will create a cosy glow in addition to providing numerous health benefits.

Then, when it comes to the warmth and coziness of your kid’s bed, it can be helpful to add a memory foam mattress topper to their bed, as this will provide much warmth and insulation whilst also making the bed feel more cloud like in that they will sink into it.

If your house is particularly cold, and electric blanket can work wonders in providing a constant supply of localised heat – or a hot water bottle provides a more specific heat source that can be nice to put in the bed prior to bedtime.

Disclosure: collaborative post

The Home Office

October 17, 2018 by Anne Sweet 4 Comments

I used to have a corner of the living room as my home office. I had everything I needed, a desk, chair, pc and complete filing system including my luxury branded ringbinders.

Then I got sick and rarely used my work station so it was passed on to Star. She now has everything in her bedroom and my living room ~~was reclaimed~~ became a dumping corner for toy boxes.

I’ve decided now that I’d like it back as a home office. It just felt different having a space to work in. I seemed to get so much more done, I was more productive without distractions.

The Little Man’s bedroom should really be a home office, it has so many plug sockets and it’s just the perfect size. But I’d have to kick him out and he’s only eight so I don’t think I’d get away with that. Maybe in the future there will be a bedroom shuffle, because I’m sure if one of the other bedrooms became free there would be a rush to move around. The Little Man is happy in his little room for the time being though, so I will have to settle for my living room.

My Ideal Office.

I’m lucky enough to have quite a large living room so I can easily spare a corner. I do think my needs have changed since the last time though. For one, I’d need a very comfortable chair to sit in. I would be using my laptop so the desk would not have to house a pc. I’d like lots of storage for all my paperwork.

But, it’s not just work, there is also play involved. I like to do a bit of papercraft, so it would be nice to have the desk to use for that. And I really love stationary and pretty things, so it would probably be less office like than before.

And when I’m not working, I’d love to be able to store everything neatly away.

Inspiration

It will be after Christmas before I can set up my new office because that’s when we’ll be re-decorating. But I’ve been looking on Pinterest for some inspiration. I’m a long way from making up my mind though.

a simple white desk and matching chair against a grey painted wall with a wire bookcase — Maybe if we went for grey, but I’d need more storage

a dark wooden bench beneath a large bookshelf full of books and plants — A bit too cluttered, but I do love bookshelves

An old wooden desk with a a floral chair topped with a painting and a lamp and set against a handpainted mural on the wall — I love the wooden desk

two white cabinets with a plank of wood across the top to make a desk — Or maybe I should have something made to suit. This is a plank of wood over two filing cabinets.

Do you have a home office?

How to make that perfect garden the whole family can enjoy

September 2, 2018 by Anne Sweet Leave a Comment

A garden should be enjoyable for those who tend to it, but also for the entire family to enjoy the ‘green’ outdoor space together. So, how can you create an inviting space for everyone to make use of this summer? Consider some of these simple tips.

Add pop and colour

Choose flowers, plants, and arrangements which stand out. You don’t want a garden which is dull or is lacking something vibrant which sets it apart from your neighbour’s garden. So, consider a distinct floral arrangement, some fun garden ornaments, or other decorative pieces, so your garden will stand apart from the rest. If you are not a keen gardener and would like some assistance you could get a local gardener to come and help you. I would recommend looking on a trade directory like myjobquote.co.uk.

Add a spark of fun

Consider adding a swing set for the kids, a walking path, or even a jacuzzi or slip and slide area for them to play. If you have the space, add an attached deck or fire pit. The more interactive the space is, the more it is going to be enjoyed by the gardener, and the entire family. And, the easier it is going to be to bring everyone together, when you want to spend some quality time with family and friends.

Add a fountain

A water fountain or water pit, with surrounding gnomes or garden ornaments, will really stand apart from other gardens where you live. It is going to have a distinct look and feel, it is going to add a decorative flair to the space, and it can easily bring the entire garden area together, especially in a larger home, with large outdoor (or separate garden areas) space.

Photo by Alexandria Courtney on Unsplash

Your garden should bring enjoyment to everyone who sees and experiences it. These are some simple tips to incorporate to ensure it is enjoyed by yourself, as well as your family and friends who come to visit your home as well.

For further ideas on garden transformation please see my former post on how to make the garden a fun filled space for kids.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post

How to Pick a Theme for Home Designs

June 7, 2018 by Anne Sweet Leave a Comment

Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash

Trying to decide on a theme for your home? Whether it’s antique, modern or contemporary, coming up with a theme can make for a beautiful aspect to your home. Besides, a theme is the perfect way to bring together individual elements.

Coming up with a theme may be the hardest part of a home renovation because a theme is where the entire process will be aimed at. Finding the supplies you need is no longer that hard as there are several shops now providing home improvement supplies.

Below is a guide to applying a couple of basic principles of design to help bring your theme together.

Choosing A Theme

Of course, the first step is to pick a theme. You may already have one in mind based on a pattern or interest. Or, you may have no idea where to start. Try this:

Write down a list of your favourite interests, in order of importance.
Look online at themed rooms and list some of the themes that appeal to you.
Look for décor items and make a list of the ones that jump out at you.

By creating these lists, you may see patterns emerging. For example, your biggest interest could be country style and you find that you favour country home styles. You may even find that paintings of horses and fields stand out and you love a country feel. If you don’t notice a consistent pattern, pick a theme from the lists that seems to stick out the most.

Design By The Room

Once you have a theme or two, you can decide how much you want that theme to rule. Do you want the theme to run throughout your home, or just in a single room? Or, maybe you want a different theme for each room?

As a rule of thumb, try not to overload your home with too many themes. Rather have a few neutral rooms to give themes a rest.

As for bathrooms, you can check out the showers of Trading Depot to match an elegant theme. You can choose to mix the modern bathroom parts with bathroom accessories that match your chosen theme. You can also just focus the theme on the walls, the floor, the door, and even the windows, among others. Bathroom parts are a lot more efficient and convenient these days and they easily blend well with almost any theme a homeowner chooses.

Using Themed Décor

Now, let’s get down to specifics. The first thing to do is get a couple of décor elements that display the theme you’ve settled on. You don’t need to buy a bunch of new things, just find a couple of visual focal points, such as a decorative item or wall art.

But, if you’ve decided to base your theme on a strong and well-established interest, you may have plenty of décor items lying around. Gather them together and decide what you want to display. Aim to intersperse items throughout the room in a way that is balanced.

Be Subtle With Décor

If you’re not a big fan of collections or large pieces of art, there are plenty of other ways you can incorporate a theme in a more subtle and elegant way through these tips:

Order customised prints that detail a certain theme. Place them on pillows as accents.
Use a few small, more natural elements to place on tables or windowsills.
Don’t forget the lighting is a good way to accent a theme.
Consider textured accents.
Repurpose items to help camouflage the décor.
Window and upholstery treatments are a great way to add subtleness to a theme.

Don’t Forget Practicality

You may have to think about features that add comfort to your home. When the weather is too cold, you will appreciate that you didn’t forget that underfloor heating installation by Trading Depot in your home renovation plan.

Using these tips, you can effortlessly create the perfect theme for your home designs.