Looking to enhance her 96-year-old mother’s bathroom experience, the homeowner entrusted Chicago-based Jasmin Reese Interiors with creating a safe, accessible and serene aging-in-place environment for the ensuite space.
Working within the 9’4” x 5’6” footprint of the room, Reese maintained the location of the vanity, toilet and shower, which, once the old tub was removed, became a walk-/roll-in design that could accommodate the woman and her caregiver.
Above: An immersive decorative scheme lifts the spirit without compromising on the supportive functionality of the space. Photo: Michael Alan Kaskel
With the layout established, the designer focused on adapting the details of the room to respond to the physical needs of its user.
The vanity stands at a height that allows a wheelchair occupant to operate the widespread lever-handled faucet without stretching. Undercounter clearance was assured through the custom cabinet design. Decorative hardware, while knob-style rather than wire pulls, is oversized for easy grasping.
Arched panels topping the shower doors soften the appearance of the bathroom. While the customized biophilic handle doesn’t meet ADA standards, there’s always a caregiver to assist the bather whenever needed. Photo: Michael Alan Kaskel
In the 2’10” x 5’6” shower, grab bars on all three walls steady the bather, as does a sturdy accessory seat that’s also anchored to the wall. A handshower simplifies assisted washing and supplements the overhead fitting.
Pretty and Pink
Having resolved the accessibility issues in the bath, Reece turned to the aesthetic improvements, saying, “Just because you are old doesn’t mean you have to deny yourself pretty things.”
With base cabinet options limited because of wheelchair accessibility concerns, a countertop linen tower provides essential storage in the small bathroom. Photo: Michael Alan Kaskel
For the cabinetry and paint, she selected mood-boosting rosy colors that compliment a range of skin tones. The palette for tile and stone favors understated grays and whites, a combination that allows the mosaic motifs – stylized florals in the shower, with an abstracted leaf repeat on the floor – to stand out. A painterly mural wallcovering features large-scale magnolia blossoms.
The designer also treated the shower door as an artistic canvas. She sourced a leafy, branch-like handle from Etsy, and had a metalsmith adapt it so it could be attached to the glass panel. The same metal shop crafted an arched frame for the door, adding a graceful line to the narrow space.
The existing bathroom was quality construction, but lacked aging-in-place features as well as character.
Reece recognizes the impact of this project went well beyond the tangible transformation of the space. “It was such a pleasure for our client to be able to spoil her mom with this design for her last bathroom,” she said.
Sources for Artful Aging-in-Place Bathroom
Design: Jasmin Reese, Jasmin Reese Interiors Photography: Michael Alan Kaskel Balance Bar: Signature Hardware Cabinets: Custom Cabinet Hardware: Modern Matter Countertop: T&M Supply Faucets, Shower Fittings: Brizo Lighting: Visual Comfort Mirror: Anthropologie Paint: Benjamin Moore Shower Doors: Bader Art Metal Tile: Home Carpet One (walls), Materials Marketing (shower floor, marble trim), TileBar (floor) Toilet: Kohler Wallpaper: Phillip Jeffries
