Inclusive Design – an industry term used to describe products suitable for all consumer needs

Comment by DANIELLE LILLIS, Comercial Director, Ideal Bathrooms

Published: 12 July, 2011

If you ask what Inclusive Design is you will get a different answer from everyone you talk to, most will include the words Special Needs or Less Able which is really only half the story. Inclusive Design is simply a term used for products that are suitable for many different types of people and this could mean children, the elderly, less able, people with special needs or anyone wanting to make life a little easier.

Inclusive Design products are versatile, safe and well designed - they not only look good but work well for different people and it is all about choosing the right products to suit the particular needs of the client.

Designing a bathroom should not just be about where the client is now in their life and should not only be for them. The probability is that the bathroom is going to be used by a variety of people within its lifespan and it should be designed with products that are suitable for all.

Surprisingly, many everyday products could be used in an inclusive designed bathroom. A few examples that show just how easily a bathroom can incorporate the virtues of inclusive design include:

Walk in showers and low level shower trays give easy access, lever operated thermostatic bath/shower mixers are easy to manoeuvre and reduce the risk of scalding, sliding shower rails can be adjusted to the height of whoever is using it, seats in the shower are really helpful for everyone, lower level baths improve access for all, wall hung W.C.’s and basins help to increase manoeuvrability in smaller spaces and they are easier to clean.

Everyone selling bathrooms has a responsibility to make sure that the products work for all users as well as providing products that look good.

For further information, please contact 0800 634 2600or visit www.idealbathrooms.com