“Sally and Richard Skillman have loved nearly everything about their house in Potomac for all of its 34 years. About 10 years ago, Sally began thinking about ways to update the primary bathroom, which was dated and made poor use of space. Now that the Skillmans, both in their 70s, have had hip and knee replacements, the bathroom also needed to be made safer.”
That’s the opening of the Skillman bath transformation story, featured in the March/April 2024 issue of Bethesda Magazine. The article, “Stylish and Safe: Bathrooms with universal design offer function with flair,” shines a light on the aging-in-place movement. As people live longer and more active lives, more older adults remain in their homes and communities as they age, rather than relocating or moving into an institutional setting.
Universal Design: Elegance, Craftsmanship, and Safety
But function and safety do not need to come at the expense of design. Instead, “integrating safety, ease, and convenience into stylish spaces—an approach called universal design—is in demand for homeowners who want to age in place, prepare for multigenerational inhabitants, or accommodate those with physical conditions or other requirements,” emphasizes the article’s author, Wendy Johnson.
House to Home Solutions has embraced a universal design approach for years, meticulously pairing design elegance, exquisite craftsmanship, and enduring safety in our design/build remodeling projects. The Skillman bath, featured in the article, is just one example.
Reinvented Space: Skillman Bath Transformation
When the House to Home Solutions team worked with the Skillmans to reinvent their bathroom, the space went from suboptimal to sophisticated. Stunning fixtures and custom accents define the spa-style bathroom, which now features a spacious, open, and safe curb-less shower. Hidden in plain sight are polished nickel grab bars at the bathtub, shower, and commode—unobtrusively matching other hardware in the room. Open floor space comfortably allows for a wheelchair, walker, or person with an aide in case that’s needed in the future.
For this renovation, style and safety perfectly pair for enduring delight.
Thank you to Sally and Richard Skillman for entrusting us with this project. And to Wendy Johnson at Bethesda Magazine for sharing our story.
To read the full article, read the digital March/April 2024 edition of Bethesda Magazine (the article starts on page 146).
Or explore the project on our website.