Bathroom of the Week: Accessibility and a Relaxing Vibe
A design-build firm found on Houzz uses universal design principles when expanding a family bath
When these Ontario, Canada, homeowners received news that their toddler daughter had a condition that could affect her mobility in the future, they sprang into action. To find local design pros that could get their ranch house wheelchair-ready, they looked to Houzz. They found Brittany Zazula and Ben Davis, a husband-and-wife design-build team, and hired them.
To get space for wheelchair clearances, the design professionals knew they’d have to expand the home’s one full bathroom. They borrowed some space from an adjacent bedroom and closet. Then they carefully planned the layout to accommodate wheelchair access. While the homeowners were dedicated to the functionality of the bathroom, Zazula as designer wanted to make the space beautiful and relaxing for them. She created a soothing neutral palette with pops of watery blue and added warmth with white oak and brass elements.
To get space for wheelchair clearances, the design professionals knew they’d have to expand the home’s one full bathroom. They borrowed some space from an adjacent bedroom and closet. Then they carefully planned the layout to accommodate wheelchair access. While the homeowners were dedicated to the functionality of the bathroom, Zazula as designer wanted to make the space beautiful and relaxing for them. She created a soothing neutral palette with pops of watery blue and added warmth with white oak and brass elements.
After: While the parents’ priority was dedication to their daughter and how she could use the room, Zazula wanted to give them a style that would make them happy. “They definitely like big pops of color. And they love the water. We brought that in with the blue tiles,” she says.
Davis and Zazula used Houzz Pro software for this project. “We use Houzz from the start to end of every design project,” Zazula says. “The floor plans are user-friendly, which allows your client to see different views to ensure their understanding of the space.”
Tile: Ceramic in Opal Sky, Elon Tile and Stone
Davis and Zazula used Houzz Pro software for this project. “We use Houzz from the start to end of every design project,” Zazula says. “The floor plans are user-friendly, which allows your client to see different views to ensure their understanding of the space.”
Tile: Ceramic in Opal Sky, Elon Tile and Stone
Creating balance in the room with the blue tile as an accent meant using the right dose of it. “We wanted this pop of color to truly pop. But we also didn’t want the room to look broken up. So we took the marble-look flooring up the adjacent wall,” Zazula says. “It’s all about the balance.”
The marble-look tiles are 24-by-48-inch porcelain with a semigloss finish called Lappato that prevents slippage. “The large size minimizes grout, which makes it much easier to keep clean,” the designer says.
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The marble-look tiles are 24-by-48-inch porcelain with a semigloss finish called Lappato that prevents slippage. “The large size minimizes grout, which makes it much easier to keep clean,” the designer says.
Find a local tile professional
The shower is open on one side to allow for wheelchair access. A handheld wand attached to a slide bar will help their daughter shower in the future. “The husband is really tall, so we made the other shower head really high for him,” Zazula says.
The stall is also zero-threshold, meaning it does not have a curb. To keep water contained, Davis sloped the floor toward the center drain on all sides. “We had to cut into the existing floor joists to make the floor slope properly,” Zazula says.
The stall is also zero-threshold, meaning it does not have a curb. To keep water contained, Davis sloped the floor toward the center drain on all sides. “We had to cut into the existing floor joists to make the floor slope properly,” Zazula says.
The shower door is on hinges that swing both ways. “That way, if their daughter is in a wheelchair and needs the space to turn it around in front of the toilet, she can push the shower door into the shower stall to create enough space,” Zazula says.
While grab bars are part of the accessibility strategy for the future, the couple was not quite ready to install those yet. So the team installed supports for grab bars in the walls and marked them for the homeowners.
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
While grab bars are part of the accessibility strategy for the future, the couple was not quite ready to install those yet. So the team installed supports for grab bars in the walls and marked them for the homeowners.
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
Zazula repeated the accent tile on this wall, bookending the room in blue. The couple hope to have more children, so a bathtub for bathing little ones was a must-have.
“We couldn’t use a built-in tub in this room and still have enough room for wheelchair access, so we chose a freestanding tub,” the designer says. She found a smaller-than-average tub that was good for bathing children. This allowed her to fit a tub into the layout while leaving enough clearance for a wheelchair to enter the shower.
“We couldn’t use a built-in tub in this room and still have enough room for wheelchair access, so we chose a freestanding tub,” the designer says. She found a smaller-than-average tub that was good for bathing children. This allowed her to fit a tub into the layout while leaving enough clearance for a wheelchair to enter the shower.
The vanity is semicustom in that Zazula was able to specify the wood (white oak), hardware (matte black) and countertop (quartz). The matte black continues on the mirror frames and light fixtures. The faucets are brushed brass.
“When it comes to mixing metals, I have a rule of two. Then you can use different variations in tone within those finishes,” Zazula says.
The designer used the brass fixtures and white oak vanity to add warmth. “Using a white vanity would have made this room feel very cold. You have to have warmth,” she says.
Browse vanities in the Houzz Shop
“When it comes to mixing metals, I have a rule of two. Then you can use different variations in tone within those finishes,” Zazula says.
The designer used the brass fixtures and white oak vanity to add warmth. “Using a white vanity would have made this room feel very cold. You have to have warmth,” she says.
Browse vanities in the Houzz Shop
The homeowners opted not to install a wheelchair-accessible vanity at this point because of the limited space in the room. “With intentions of the family growing, and with it being the only full bath in the house, having two sinks took priority in this case,” Zazula says. “Storage was also very important.”
This photo also shows the bathroom door. “We widened all the door openings throughout the house to 3 feet,” Zazula says. “We also added wide clearances throughout the home, such as in the kitchen between the island and the cabinets.”
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This photo also shows the bathroom door. “We widened all the door openings throughout the house to 3 feet,” Zazula says. “We also added wide clearances throughout the home, such as in the kitchen between the island and the cabinets.”
Shop for a bathroom mirror
Another important detail in the bathroom is a new larger window that replaces the original glass block window. The glass is frosted for privacy but still lets in lots of natural light.
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See more photos of this home
More on Houzz
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Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their toddler daughter
Location: London, Ontario, Canada
Size: 73 square feet (6.8 square meters)
Design-build firm: Ben + Britt at Home
Before: The existing bathroom was tight and had a large glass block window. To gain space, Zazula took about 4 feet of width from the primary bedroom and closet, which were located behind the vanity wall. New closets were part of the whole-house renovation, and those made up for the space sacrificed to the bathroom.
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