How do you define Universal Design? Universal Design is simply smart design. It makes a home habitable and visitable by anyone, regardless of their limitations — it’s inclusive. Additionally, homes that have accessible design features and materials often sell at a premium and stay on the market fewer days due to scarcity.

How is it different from basic accessibility or ADA compliance? ADA is a government mandate that applies to public buildings such as schools, hospitals, government housing, etc. It does not apply to single-family residences or multifamily residences.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Building code mandates for better sealing and insulation sometimes result in a decline in indoor air quality. This is sometimes referred to as “Sick House Syndrome,” and it’s when occupants become susceptible to respiratory issues, headaches, and fatigue. There are many ways to remedy it.

Today’s wallpaper designs are a far cry from your grandmother’s, which helps explain the revival wallpaper is having in the world of interior design. Wallpaper can be cozy, invigorating, whimsical, luxurious and much more.

“Yesterday’s wallpaper patterns were generally uninspiring small repeats and patterns, intended to blend in rather than stand out and make a statement,” notes Lauren Love, co-founder of wallpaper design studio Abnormals Anonymous in Poulsbo. “Current wallpaper patterns are designed to be expressive, creating spaces that feel lived-in and evoke an ambiance or emotion that even the most saturated paint hue cannot deliver.”Add character to your home with wallpaper

Our home has become our sanctuary, not just a shelter to protect us from the elements. It is a place that can nurture, heal, support and inspire occupants. With thoughtful universal design features and material selections, a home can do all of that and more – through all stages of life. 

As the adoption of biophilic design has shown, our physical and mental well-being are directly impacted by our physical environment(s). To that end, it is important for designers to create remodel and new construction project designs that deliver intrinsic value via UD – regardless of the age and/or health of their clients. You never know when you are going to need a grab bar, zero-threshold shower or bidet-style toilet … no one plans to have an accident or serious medical issue.  

The kitchen appliance sector was well represented at EuroCucina/FTK at Fiera Rho Milano. Although the total percentage of appliance manufacturers displaying at EuroCucina that serve the US market is limited, there was much to consider for design professionals with US clientele. The noteworthy trends seen at the show included a wide spectrum of colorful finish options from matte black and matte white to blue, yellow, green and more, integrated (view-saving) downdraft ventilation systems, Wi-Fi connectivity, ‘burnerless’ induction cooking surfaces that track pot movement in real time, integrated infrared/AI sensors that take the guesswork out of cooking and food preservation and sleek, compact outdoor cooking equipment.

Designer Molly McCabe and her husband share a love of grilling, entertaining and watching wildlife from their deck on Washington’s Bainbridge Island. For decades, the cedar deck — built by the couple from trees felled on their pond-side property — served as a grilling spot and an outdoor play area for their children.

We’ve all got our favorites. Our go-to pizza place. The trusted plumber we call when things go wrong. Our most-loved eatery to enjoy a meal with our children. And even the vet who gives our pets a clean bill of health.

This winter, hundreds of you took to our website to celebrate those West Sound people and businesses you love, the results of which you will find on the following pages. Go forth and see if your favorites made the list, and don’t forget to join us for our celebratory fête beginning at 6 p.m. on June 9 at the Kitsap Conference Center at Bremerton Harborside.

This once-unfinished street-level basement in a 1932 brick Tudor in Kitsap County, Washington, is now a bright, 800-square-foot accessory dwelling unit built for aging in place. The empty-nest homeowners envisioned a cheerful, wheelchair-accessible home they could live in during construction of a new primary suite, and later offer as a comfortable residence for a family member with impaired vision.