When renovating or remodeling a home for a disabled individual it is important to look at all the details in the residence. There are many things that able bodied individuals overlook when remodeling for a wheel chair bound individual.
Doorways need to be widened to accommodate easy wheelchair movement through the door; counters need to be at a suitable height for easy access and usability. Kitchen islands need to be in smaller sizes and mobile as kitchen islands limit the mobility of the wheel chair in the kitchen. Consider using a light mobile kitchen island that can be easily moved and used. Replacing some of the door and cabinet hardware can make living more comfortable for the homeowner. Door handles should be replaced by handles that can be opened with a closed fist with little or no pressure. Cabinets are one of the furnishings that need to be renovated to suit the individual's needs. Start by modifying the cabinet height and then the cabinet door hardware in both the kitchen and bathroom.
Convert the cabinet doors to pocket doors. This allows the individual to have easy access to his/her cabinets without trying to maneuver out of the cabinet door's way. If replacing current cabinets, new cabinet doors and cabinet pocket door hardware can be purchased at any hardware store locally or on the internet. Follow the instructions that come with the hardware for cabinet door hardware placement. This is important to the functionality of the hardware. A poorly placed cabinet door can cause frustration by frequently running off track or getting stuck.
If there isn't room for cabinet pocket doors, consider installing cabinet sliding doors. Cabinet sliding door hardware is easy to install and easy to purchase. Most hardware stores carry this type of hardware. Sliding cabinet hardware is made of many different materials and comes in different styles that will suit any home owners décor.
No matter what door and cabinet hardware you purchase, try and purchase them from one manufacturer to maintain consistency throughout the house. Consider purchasing extra pieces and store then as backup incase some hardware needs to be replaced. If you purchase cabinet hardware on discount make sure replacements are available, this can save you in the long run if ever you need to replace a damaged cabinet pull. Discounted cabinet hardware is sometimes discontinued and there are no replacements.
Wheel chair accessible homes are becoming more common as a large portion of the population ages at home. If your are renovating your home now you might as well start installing door and cabinet hardware that will make life easier for you in the future. As manufacturers start tapping into this industry the availability and variety of products will increase. Homes that are handicap accessible will gain in value.
