Hello! I’m thrilled to share the Universal and Accessible Guest Bath – the first completely finished space in the LMDS Dream Home 2021 project. I shared the beginnings of the plan a couple of weeks ago and why I wanted to create a home that could serve all physical needs presently and in the future. The guest wing of the house has two bedrooms each with its own private ensuite bathroom. Since the house is all one story, it only makes sense that it be fully accessible to anyone regardless of physical requirements. This doesn’t mean it can’t also be beautiful. No institutional spaces here! There is a full list of resources below for everything I used in this space.
I’m going to point out some of the choices made to make this bathroom fully usable and comfortable for someone in a wheelchair.
- The vanity top is about 33IN H, slightly lower than the usual 36 inches, but still a comfortable height for someone who is standing.
- The width between the cabinets is 36 W, a comfortable width for a wheelchair
- Below the sink is a “sink shroud” (what a terrible name – sink “snood” would be cuter!) which covers the pipes when a space is visually open such as this. But, its main purposes is to protect the legs of someone sitting at the vanity from rough plumbing and hot pipes.
- The sink faucet has levers which are easier to use for someone experiencing hand pain or mobility issues (think arthritis, etc).
- The mirrored pocket door is 36IN W.
- The toilet is ADA (American’s With Disability Act) compliant.
- The grab bars are mounted at appropriate heights and distances from the toilet. Their finish and style matches the rest of the hardware in the room. (Note the rods on the left mounted on the tiled wall are towel rods. Never confuse towel rods with grab bars)
- There is room to the side of the toilet for the wheelchair and a helper if needed.
The basket on the left is meant to be for laundry and is easily moveable. The waste basket is meant to be a custom made basket using the wallpaper.
- The shower opening is just under 36IN W, which will accommodate a wheelchair.
- The shower dimensions are 63IN x 65IN, which provides sufficient turning ratio for a chair with a helper.
- The floor tile in the shower is clearly different than the main floor tile which makes the transition very clear for someone who might have vision issues.
- The grab bar is for an added hand-hold even though there is no threshold.
A little overhead view.
As I’ve said previously, I am not a certified aging in place specialist (CAPS) and have not had recent and formal full training in universal design, aside from studying it on a broad level in design school, so I may have missed something. But I have been doing the research for this virtual project and believe that it all just makes good common sense for a universal and accessible bath.
- From the US Government, the 2020 ADA Standards
- From ReThink Access – a great visual guide to measurements and dimensions based on the ADA standards.
And now, to the pretty parts!
Resources – Universal and Accessible Guest Bath
Wallpaper: * Scalamandre Catwalk in Nordic Blue
(*To the Trade Only – I am happy to provide information and sales on this item.)
Paint: Benjamin Moore #827 Lake Placid
Main Floor Tile: Tilebar Delancey Starwood Blue 8×8 Matte Porcelain Tile
Shower Floor Tile: Granite State Tile Porcelain Hexa Deep Navy Matte
Shower Wall Tile: Tilebar Brushed Stone Carrara Marble Tile
Counter and Shower Surfaces: Caesarstone Pure White 1141
Hardware: Brizo finish Brilliance Luxe Gold
(Pin for future reference)
Get the Look!
(Please note this shopping boutique contains affiliate links. A small commission is paid on any sales resulting from clicking these links at no additional cost to the buyer. This goes to help support this blog. Thanks!)




Hello Linda, When word of this guest bath gets around, I’m afraid you’ll have so many friends clamoring to stay with you that you’ll never get to enjoy the rest of your dream house! I do have one question–how high are those lights on either side of the sink? Perhaps they just look high because the counter is low, but when men shave there is nothing nicer than a little light on the neck area. I have to admit that my own dream homes never got to the point of picking out shower tile, although perhaps what I had in mind was the original 19th century Minton tile (imported from England) surviving intact!
–Jim
Thanks so much Jim! And there’s already a virtual waiting list for visitors! Good point about shaving at the sink. So, my fix would be that the mirror would have embedded lights to turn on as needed. Minton tile is so gorgeous!
This is the nicest accessible bathroom I’ve ever seen! You did a spectacular job.
Thank you Anne – that’s so nice of you to say!
Absolutely gorgeous, Linda – I love all that pretty blue millwork with the gold hardware! Soooo…is this the bathroom that goes with “my” bedroom??? 🙂
Gorgeous design and finish selections! Wow!
Thanks Mary Ann!!
Oh wow Linda! This bathroom is gorgeous and so functional! The floor difference between the main floor of this space and the shower is so smart to illustrate a change. Beautiful renderings!
Thanks Sheri!
What a beautiful bathroom! I love how you made it compliant without sacrificing style! Well done Linda!
Such a fantastic bathroom! Each element is so beautiful. I especially love that wallpaper.
The wallpaper! The mirrored pocket door! All so wonderful Linda.