Having her kitchen and dining areas on the same level makes them more accessible for Ann Kuykendall of Lake Kiowa, Texas. Photo by Allison V. Smith

Summary:
• Universal design standards make houses more livable and visitable by removing barriers to access.
• Homes meeting these standards can receive an Axess Homes certification.
• In Texas, 41 certified universal design homes have been built since 2005.

Ann Kuykendall cannot walk, but she can easily move around her one-story home with her wheelchair and take care of all her daily needs.

“The house is really neat,” said Kuykendall, 66, who moved into the Lake Kiowa home nearly a year ago, along with her husband James, 65, an account executive for a heavy duty parts company.

Kuykendall can easily maneuver her wheelchair to wash her hands at the sink in the bathroom, which also has a shower with a seat and safety handrails. Houses built to be accessible to all follow the principles of universal design by removing barriers.

The home “has made life infinitely easier,” said Kuykendall, who has degenerative disc disease.

“I can turn around at nearly every point in the kitchen,” she said.

Ann Kuykendall

Photo by Allison V. Smith

But the best part of her house, about 60 miles north of Dallas, is being able to get outside and even go down the driveway because there are no steps.

“I can go out the front or back and be level and have no jarring at all,” she said.

The Kuykendalls’ house is one of 41 universal design homes built in Texas since 2005 by 16 builders who participate in a certification program known as Axess.

To earn the certification, an Axess home must meet certain universal design standards that make them livable and visitable regardless of physical ability. (Other terms used for these types of homes include: EasyLiving, visitable, barrier free, easy access, inclusive design, human centered design or adaptive environments.)

The standards 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.

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