Wayne and Marilyn King enjoy the common area of their home in Lebanon. There is plenty of room for a wheelchair if either of them needed one. Photo by Joon Powell

Summary:
• Universal design standards make houses more livable and visitable by removing barriers to access.
• Homes meeting these standards can receive an EasyLiving Home certification.
• AARP Tennessee recently helped celebrate the state’s 100th EasyLiving Home. 

Marilyn King wanted a home with easy access—no steps to have to climb—but she is quick to point out she is not living in a retirement community.

She and her husband, Wayne, both 67 and retired from their high voltage safety training business, wanted to downsize from their 2,800 square foot house and 3.2 acres.

“I’m having issues with hips and knees, and one level is very nice,” she said. “I could see it coming real fast. We were going to have to make some decisions, soon.”

In June, they moved into a spacious new home in Lebanon that has a master bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, laundry room and living room all on one floor. It also has two other bedrooms that were turned into an office and a sewing room. The three-car garage is accessible directly into the house, without having to step up. An upstairs loft is convenient for her grandchildren to bunk.

The Kings’ house is certified as an EasyLiving Home because it meets certain universal design standards that make houses livable regardless of physical ability. (Other terms used for these types of homes include: visitable, barrier free, easy access, inclusive design, human centered design or adaptive environments.) AARP Tennessee is a member of a coalition supporting the EasyLiving certification program.

Since 2007, 13 builders have built 100 EasyLiving Homes in Tennessee.

All include three principles: easy access via step-free outdoor entrances; easy passage with at least 32 inches of clearance in first-floor doorways; and easy use with a main floor bedroom, bath, kitchen and entertainment area. (An informational video segment on EasyLiving Homes was produced by the educational television program, the National Architecture Report.)

Other features may include safety rails in the bathroom, lever faucet handles, step-in tubs with fold-down seats, adjustable shelves, lever door handles, lower light switches and slip-resistant floor surfaces. Although retrofitting is possible, the most economical time to install such amenities is during construction.

“The cost of adding basic universal design features is negligible,” said Jim Chapman, president of Jim Chapman Communities, which has developed four EasyLiving subdivisions in the Atlanta area. But he said most builders aren’t likely to embrace universal design “until the market demands it.”

1 | 2