Barrier-Free Design

Barrier-Free Design: Making Your Home Accessible

Disabilities affect 61 million adults in the US, or one in four Americans. Many suffer from limited mobility, making it difficult to move from place to place—even inside their own home.


Many businesses have been working to make their stores more accessible so they can be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As a homeowner, you can take steps to make your home more accessible as well, whether you are disabled yourself or have a loved one suffering from limited mobility. With a barrier-free design, you can make your home easier to navigate for everyone. 

Disabilities affect 61 million adults in the US, or one in four Americans. Many suffer from limited mobility, making it difficult to move from place to place—even inside their own home.


Many businesses have been working to make their stores more accessible so they can be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As a homeowner, you can take steps to make your home more accessible as well, whether you are disabled yourself or have a loved one suffering from limited mobility. With a barrier-free design, you can make your home easier to navigate for everyone.

Principles of Barrier-Free Design

Barriers can be found virtually everywhere. Things like curbs, stairs, uneven sidewalks, heavy doors, and a lack of handrails and grab bars can make it difficult for many people to walk without tripping and falling. The goal of barrier-free design is to remove these obstacles and replace them with elements that make mobility easier. While wheelchair ramps are probably the most common form of barrier-free design, there are others to consider as well, including:

Stepless entrances

Most residential entrances involve steps or stairs, which can be trip hazards for those who can’t move well. A good way to avoid these hazards is to make the entrance level to the ground so there isn’t any unevenness. By eliminating steps, it becomes easier to not only walk but move items such as groceries, strollers, and furniture—something we can all appreciate.

Curbless showers

Most showers require you to step up to enter them, but even stepping up just an inch or two can lead to a dangerous fall. You can avoid this with a curbless shower, which is common in many hotels. These modern showers are easy to walk or roll into, if needed.

Grab bars

Grab bars are an easy way to feel more secure as you move around your home. They work well in bathrooms, where it may be hard to get up from a bathtub or toilet. Grab bars can double as towel holders, so they make a great addition to any home, no matter your age or level of disability.

Larger garage

We use our garages to park vehicles as well as store yard equipment, bicycles, seasonal items, and hobby supplies. Having more space in the garage can be helpful in many ways. It can make it easier to get in and out of your vehicle, and can also give you more room to load and unload children and elderly people.

Schedule Your Consultation Now!

There are many ways to make your home more accessible for yourself and loved ones with barrier-free design. Complete Dezign can help you optimally design your space by removing barriers and adding elements to improve access. Contact Complete Dezign today by calling (801) 400-2544 to schedule a consultation.

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