Universal Design Living Laboratory (UDLL) Groundbreaking on 9/23 a Success!

09.24.2009 – More than 100 people including regional media attended ground breaking for the “National Demonstration Home” will be the first of its kind in the U.S.A. Part home and part educational lab – the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired project will incorporate universal design, green and healthy building elements. The Universal Design Living Laboratory is a national demonstration home and garden design project that will bring attention to three critical architectural design and building concepts: universal design, green sustainable building and healthy chemical-free materials.

This home will not only serve as the residence of project leaders Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D. and Mark Leder, but also will be used to teach residential and commercial builders, architects, landscape architects, designers, interior designers, manufacturer’s representatives/distributors, and home buyers. The 3,500 square foot ranch-style home will incorporate the finest craftsmanship and state-of-the-art products, technology and services.

Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D., internationally known speaker and advocate for people with disabilities with her husband, Mark Leder, are leading the national project. Rossetti and Leder married on June 10, 1995. Three years later, the couple’s lives were transformed forever while bicycling on a sunny afternoon. A 3.5 ton tree came crashing down on Rossetti. She was paralyzed from the waist down with a spinal cord injury – this was the beginning of a remarkable new journey. Visit UDLL.com or email Rosemarie at rosemarie@udll.com.

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Summer of Safety: Great Grabz partners with leading hotel chains to keep their bathrooms safe and stylish

Press Release: Summer of Safety: Great Grabz partners with leading hotel chains to keep their bathrooms safe and stylish

Tools to Aging Well

Life is busy, but as time clock continues to tick it is important to pamper our souls and our bodies. Managing a busy schedule can be stressful and it is this stress which increases the effects of aging on our bodies. Whether at home or away, every one starts and ends the day in the bathroom. This space should be an inviting, functional, and safe sanctuary that you can enjoy. Here are a few home improvement suggestions to make your bathroom the ideal place where to give your body the attention it needs to age well.

Lighting - Great lighting is the key to creating a functional and comfortable task area. Lights should come from more than one source. This helps to eliminate shadows and to clearly light all facial surfaces. Over head lighting combined with vanity sconces or lighted makeup mirrors are a great combination. Adequate lighting in the shower is important for safe stepping and to make reading labels on bottles more helpful.

Bring a bit of the spa home. A new trend for showers today is Chromatherapy, which is color light therapy. The use of colored lights is said to balance energy in the body as well as to help change a person’s mood. Many companies have incorporated this type of lighting into their shower heads to create a more relaxing shower experience. Retro-fit models can be purchased at your local home store and are easy to install.

Vanity Areas- Making space in your bathroom to sit can not only be a luxury, but it can be a back saver as well. Bending over a low vanity of holding a heavy blow dryer day after day can create unnecessary aches and pains. This space is also a great area to keep are cosmetics, medications etc. Organization is a key to reducing morning stress. A built in or stand alone vanity should have good storage space and easy to reach electrical outlets. This is also an ideal spot for lighted magnified mirrors. They come in a variety of magnification strengths and make it much easier to applying makeup, do skin cancer self checks and dental care.

Washlets – For many years the Japanese have enjoyed the luxury and convenience of self washing toilets. At first glance this may seem like an exotic idea, but upon further consideration you may find this to be a great part of your health maintenance routine. An integrated, self-cleaning nozzle extends to release a warm, soothing stream of aerated water, followed by a breeze of heated air for drying. These combined features provide the ultimate in personal cleansing. The Washlet can be attached to the seat of most standard toilets. A nearby electrical outlet must be available and can be easily added by a licensed electrician. These seats can be purch

ased from area plumbing showrooms and installed by a plumber.

Showers- Saving the best for last, there is no better way to start feel pampered than having a luxurious shower.

· Just as with the vanity area, having a seat in the shower is both safe and relaxing. It can be used for feet washing, leg shaving, or just a nice place to stay and let the warm water rush over you. A handheld shower device on a slide bar is also ideal to use while seated.

· Handhold showers are also great for when you don’t want to get your hair wet as well as great way to clean a big shower.

· Because of the wet surface, the shower can be the most dangerous place in the bathroom. To ensure safety in your bathroom sanc

tuary you should have a zero threshold shower entry to minimize risk of tripping. This also gives the shower a spa-like look.

· Grab bars are a great idea for the shower as well. Gone are the days where grab bars look institutional now you can buy grab bars that are both beautiful and safe without taking away from the design of your bathroom.

· For the ultimate relaxation, add a steam shower to your bathroom. A steam shower is an enclosure that merges a steam bath and a regular shower into one. Not only are steam showers calming, but they are also good for sinus infection relief, increases blood circulation, and flush out toxins and other impurities in the system.

A well designed and thoughtfully appointed bathroom can make it easy to pamper your self and enjoy comfortable time at the start end of every day. Men and women a like will enjoy some of the new amenities that are now available to make it easier to look and feel great.

Keeping Chefs of all Ages Safe

Microwaves have become an indispensible appliance in most American kitchens, but how did they come top be placed over the range? In and effort to save money and make kitchens smaller, home builders of the 80’s started installing combination built-in microwave-exhaust hoods above the range.

Placing the microwave over the range or cook top has caused many accidents and continues to present safety hazards for chefs of all ages.

• Heavy pans can tip when lifting out of an overhead microwave.


• Burns can be caused when steaming pots are on the range and the microwave is in use.


• Children can climb up on the range to use the microwave and be injured by hot burners.


• Having 2 cooking functions in one area can cause accidents during busy prep time.
  

Here are a few great locations for safe and family friendly microwave locations.

• A microwave can be placed on the counter top and built into cabinetry. This will allow for easy transfer from the counter into the appliance. (Above 36”)



• Drawer microwaves can be placed under the counter top. They are easy to use and they allow for lifting up of warmed foods vs. lifting down. These can also be used from a seated position. (Below 36”)



• A microwave can be installed under a raised counter top. This a great way to conceal the box but keep the buttons at a height the whole family can use. (Below 42”)
  

Great kitchen design starts with pre-planning. Microwave and appliance placement is the one of the first steps to ensuring a functional and safe kitchen. For more thoughts on safe kitchen design feel free to contact abbie@abbiejoan.com

Great Microwave Recipe

Healthy Potato Chips

PREP TIME
30 Min
COOK TIME
5 Min
READY IN
35 Min
SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 potato, sliced paper thin (peel optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

DIRECTIONS
Pour the vegetable oil into a plastic bag (a produce bag works well). Add the potato slices, and shake to coat.
Coat a large dinner plate lightly with oil or cooking spray. Arrange potato slices in a single layer on the dish.
Cook in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned (if not browned, they will not become crisp). Times will vary depending on the power of your microwave. Remove chips from plate, and toss with salt (or other seasonings). Let cool. Repeat process with the remaining potato slices. You will not need to keep oiling the plate.

How was safe was your stay?

Hotels around the world are updating and upgrading to meet the demands of the more discriminating traveller. It has become one of my favorite past times while travelling to evaluate the form and function of the hotel rooms.





I am not getting younger and neither are you. Are the hotel designers doing a good job of keeping us comfortable and safe while we are in our home away from home?

• Is there enough light to read in bed?
• Is there enough light to put on make up on in the bathroom or in the room?
• Is there a night light?
• Is there a safe way to get into the shower?
• Can I read the writing on the little bottles when I am in the shower?
• Does the tub have no slip surface?
• Is the bathroom floor slippery when wet?

These are just a few things to think about the next time you are in a hotel. Be critical and keep yourself safe. Using the comment card is a great way be heard and to help management give travellers the best possible experience.



Happy travels and send us photos of the best and the worst bathroom designs!

Tips for a Great Remodel

The bathroom is one of the most personal spaces in the home. It is where the day starts and where the day ends. It is the place where we put on our “face” for the rest of the world to see.

Here are some of my tips for a successful project:

Let your imagination run wild! Cut out pictures in magazines. Think about the great hotel bathrooms you have seen. Consider all of the possibilities and then pick and choose your favorites. This should be a fun process and best of all it does not cost a thing!

Do some fact finding! Who will be using the bathroom? Have everyone make a list of what they do in the bathroom. (It may sound funny, but it is an important in creating a functional space.)

Let the light shine! Look at the natural light in the space. Is the existing lighting sufficient in day and evening? If not, task lighting can be a great addition to your space. Add a lighted make up mirror to your vanity or a reading light over the commode or tub.

Plan to keep it organized! What do you would like to store in the bathroom? Make sure you have a spot for things like cosmetics, towels, toys or plug in grooming items? Great solutions include mirrored medicine cabinets, counter top appliance garages, drawer organizers and shower baskets.

Keep it safe! Safety is for everyone in the family. This is the right time to add those special touches. Make sure that you have lots of safe places to hold throughout the bathroom. Great Grabz has a super selection of towel bars; grab bars, toilet paper holders and more.

Plan for the future! Whether it is a skiing accident, knee replacement or a bad back you should be able to easily install grab bars where needed. Install wood backing behind the walls next to the commode, at the shower entry and in the shower or tub. When looking at new flooring make sure that it has a non-slip surface.

Determine your budget and stick to it! Whether your budget is big or small, be honest with the professionals that you are working with and they will give you the greatest value for the dollar.

Use licensed professional contractors! They say that a remodeling project can take years off your life and jeopardize the strongest of marriages. Minimize anxiety by using professionals, who show up on time, do what they say and help you avoid some of the common pitfalls of the DYI Project.

Ask for references! There are many people that can be involved in transforming your bathroom. This is the best way to make sure you are getting reliable and honest individuals. Remember they are coming into your home and they are going to make a mess.

Good luck with your project and feel free to send over any remodeling questions to abbie@abbiejoan.com.