Bruce Graf is a certified Aging-in-Place specialist, providing custom remodeling services based on universal design concepts to redesign and build a pleasant home for anyone with any kind of special need that works just as well for those without special needs. The great thing about his work is people who visit your home won’t even know that it was redesigned for a special need.
Graf Developments helps homeowners willing to remodel their homes in order to follow their personal preferences, or to address their special needs. Our designs not only work to address the homeowner’s current situation, but also take into consideration the comfort and convenience they may want or need in the future.
We have been using the principles of universal design and aging-in-place design to ensure that our clients not only enjoy their home today but well into the future including those family members with special needs.
Check out some of our featured projects below:
Universal Design/Ageing in place Before & After
Universal Design
Universal design integrates components that serve to provide comfort, convenience, and ease of use without being noticeable or obstructive to the natural flow of activities in the home.
This means that if you have family members who have special needs, the design components of the house ensure that their needs are met without having the special features stand out too much or be glaringly obvious to visitors and guests who may not know of these special needs.
These design components include porch entries without steps and wider hallways to accommodate strollers or wheelchairs or kitchen counter tops with contrasting borders to increased visibility for individuals with deteriorating vision. In universal design, all these elements are integrated into the design of the home without compromising the aesthetic features.
This design concept is applicable to all homeowners of different ages or various special needs, as well as for first time homeowners and those who live with multi-generational family members under one roof. With universal design, home owners are assured that their home can adapt to their present as well as future needs while retaining the beauty of their home.
Aging-in-place
The aging-in-place design concept is more geared towards addressing an individual’s special needs. It is also an important component of universal design.
Aging-in-place design is geared towards remodeling the home to allow individuals to live in the house safely and comfortably even as their needs change over time. This is especially common for homeowners who are nearing retirement age who seek to remodel their homes so they are still able to live in their home and stay in the same neighborhood. Aging-in-place design features convenience and comfort for the person with special needs which means the features may be noticeable, such as grab bars in shower stalls or ramps in place of porch steps.
Aging-in-place design can be integrated into universal design for future use by integrating into the design concept spaces and features needed to accommodate for future updates as special needs arise such as using materials and design for porch steps which can be easily converted or updated into a ramp in the future or having a space in the shower stall for installing grab bars later.
Graf Developments uses these 2 concepts to ensure that your home remodeling project will be both comfortable for you today and in the future while staying aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.