Aging In Place Addition

Building this aging-in-place addition in South Berwick required careful planning. We always want to ensure accessibility and comfort when we design aging in place projects.

Aging in place addition for longevity

We designed this project collaboratively with the home owner. Ultimately we landed on a 20 x 20 sleeping suite. The homeowners wanted more than just a sleeping suite though. They wanted the space designed for longevity. The suite was built to be suitable to accommodate the homeowners’ loved ones in the near term and themselves in the long term.

Some of the design decisions that were made with the aging in place addition were:

1. Flush transition: We chose matching hardwood flooring for the space. This was chosen to marry in the existing home with the breezeway style hallway that connects the two. Using this, we could avoid numerous raised thresholds that could become a tripping hazard.

2. Grab bars installed in shower for safety. Check out our blog about this bathroom at this link.

3. Natural light: lots of windows for a bright environment and better mental well-being.

4. Climate Control & Comfort using a heat pump mini split

5. Ease of Use was top of mind when we chose the sliding barn doors as entry for the closet and bathroom.

This aging in place addition will accommodate guests in comfort for now, and eventually be a safe and accommodating space for the homeowners to enjoy for as long as they choose.

Another element of the project that always comes up when we meet a new structure with an existing structure is how to marry the exterior cladding. In the case of this aging in place addition, the homeowners wanted a siding that would closely match the existing home but updated to a more modern board and batten style. We chose a closely matching color and matching Harvey windows and shutters to tie in the new space with the existing.