Creating a Bedroom Oasis for the Disabled
You want your home to be your castle, your place to relax and unwind. One of the most important rooms in your home to design with functionality and style is your bedroom. You want tokeep it free of clutter; which is particularly important if you are handicapped. Clutter makes it harder to settle your thoughts and to move around easily. Here are a few tips to customize your bedroom to your physical needs and keep it stylish.
THE SPACE YOU ARE WORKING WITH
First things first. Examine the space you are working with. Bear in mind that the dimensions of your four walls do not determine the space you can create. The possibility of the size of your bedroom relies heavily on how many things you plan to put in it (furniture, accessories, equipment, etc.). Try to envision what areas you would like to keep accessible for the space you will need for your wheelchair or any other walking aid.
ENTRYWAY
The entry way should be welcoming and definitely not an obstacle for you to enter you sanctuary. A 36” door way would be especially accommodating if you use a wheelchair. If that isn’t the case for you, there are plenty of options to reconstruct it to be more accessible and stylish to boot. Pocket doors, barn doors or even no door with beautiful drapery. You can also, replace door knobs will pretty lever handles to make entering your bedroom much easier.
DRESS UP
Now on to my favorite part of the bedroom, the closet. Wheelchair accessible closets are a must design of a bedroom for someone who is disabled. Here are things you should think of including in your closet to allow you easy entry into your place of self expression. Lower closet rods or pull down closet rods and accessible shelving or storage will go a long way.
WALK ABOUT
Your flooring should be smooth and free of hazardous objects such as carpeting or area rugs. These style features can easily slow you down if you are in a wheelchair or trip you if you are using a walker or crutches. A better choice would wood, laminate, or tile.
ACCESSORIZE
As you have put thought into the space you decide to keep open and fill, you should apply the same method to the accessories you choose to fill your room with and where you should place them. Make sure the things you use most often are in close reach of your bed to make your daily routine as easy as possible. You can replace dressers with low shelving, or if you like the idea and look of a dresser, choose one that is long, not tall, to still be capable of holding everything you need within it. You should also consider installing a bed trapeze. You have a couple of options open to you with the bed trapeze, they can be free standing or can be attached to your bed to assist you in moving freely by yourself. Now, get to work on your oasis. Make your dream bedroom a reality with these helpful hints.
