All Projects North Reading, MA
A Sanctuary Designed for the Future
Aging in Place
Bathrooms
Energy Efficiency
Over the past few years, we’ve noticed an uptick in homeowners reaching out about creating a bedroom and full bathroom on their first floor. Sometimes the impetus is a desire to age in place. Other times elderly parents might be moving in. For these North Reading homeowners (for whom we had done a kitchen renovation and energy upgrades a decade ago) both concerns were top of mind. They were considering having one of their moms move in, and they wanted to prepare for a time when they might no longer be able to safely navigate their stairs. In addition, they were hoping to solve their great room clutter woes – a space whose multiple uses – mudroom, band practice space, and sitting area – often felt in conflict. The lack of storage for instruments and music equipment was especially frustrating, as it meant that they were permanently left out. To make matters worse, an unused woodstove took up valuable floor space and was a prominent (but disliked) presence.
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AFTER
Designer Meg Bennett added a full bathroom by expanding an existing half bathroom into the great room. The new bathroom is fully wheelchair accessible with grab bars for safety and lever-style fixtures for easy operability. One of the homeowners loves to take baths, and since the other tubs in the house are small, we included a deep tub set inside the spacious zero-entry shower. Finishes in soft gray and brown tones create a serene atmosphere, setting the stage for relaxing soaks. Across from the bathroom we updated an underused sitting room – adding doors and a closet – so it could be used as a bedroom in the future.
We addressed the great room chaos by replacing the unused wood stove with a wall of tall built-ins. Roll out shelves were added to one of the cabinets to create better access to games and books. We took advantage of unused space above the new bathroom to create storage for larger items such as music stands and instruments. This upper storage is accessed by a library-style ladder, which adds striking visual interest to the room.
BEFORE
AFTER
The homeowners are now ready if mom needs to move in. And they are ready for the day when they, too, might appreciate the ease of single-level living. In the meantime, they get to enjoy their luxurious, spa-like bathroom and a newly functional great room.
