Just wrapped up a bathroom remodel at home, and honestly, I'm pretty proud of how it turned out. My dad visits often and has some mobility issues, so I wanted to make sure he could use everything without feeling awkward or needing help. Did a bunch of research on heights, grab bars, faucet handles, and all that stuff—never thought I'd get excited about faucets, but here we are, lol.
Anyway, the plumber I worked with was super helpful and actually knew a ton about accessibility. We ended up installing lever-style handles instead of knobs (way easier for my dad), raised the toilet seat height just a bit, and put in a curbless shower with a built-in bench. Honestly, it looks sleek as heck too—not at all clinical or hospital-y like I was worried about.
Curious if anyone else has tackled something similar at home and ended up really happy with the results. Would love to hear what worked well for you or if you found any cool solutions I didn't think of yet.
Your remodel sounds pretty awesome, especially the curbless shower—I've been thinking about something similar for my own place. My grandma visits occasionally, and while she's still pretty mobile, I know stairs and steps are getting trickier for her. I've been wondering if a curbless shower would be slippery or harder to keep water contained...did you have to do anything special with drainage or flooring to make sure water doesn't splash everywhere?
Also, lever handles are a great idea. I never thought about how knobs could be tough for someone with arthritis or limited grip strength until recently. Funny how you don't notice these things until you have to deal with them yourself or see someone else struggle. Did you find any particular brands or styles of faucets that worked better than others? I'm still in the planning stage, so any tips would be helpful.
Curbless showers can definitely be slippery if you're not careful with tile choice—did you already have a flooring material in mind? I've noticed textured porcelain or smaller mosaic tiles tend to give better grip and help keep water contained. Also, linear drains are great for managing splash issues, but placement can make a huge difference. Did you have a specific layout planned yet, or are you still exploring options?
We went curbless about two years ago, and yeah, tile choice was a big deal. We ended up going with smaller hexagonal mosaic tiles made from recycled porcelain—mostly because we're trying to keep things eco-friendly around here, but also because the grip is fantastic. Honestly, I was skeptical at first, thinking they'd be a pain to clean, but they're surprisingly low-maintenance.
We also put in a linear drain along the back wall, and that placement has been key. Before we renovated, our old shower had a center drain and water would splash everywhere. Now it's way easier to manage, and the bathroom floor stays dry. One thing I'd suggest though—make sure your installer gets the slope right. Ours initially didn't have enough pitch, and we had to redo it slightly to avoid pooling. Not a huge deal, but something to watch out for...
One thing I'd suggest though—make sure your installer gets the slope right.
We did lever handles too, and honestly, they're a lifesaver if you ever have an emergency plumbing issue. Had a pipe burst under the sink last winter, and fumbling with knobs while water sprays everywhere is not fun. Lever handles let you shut things off quickly without slipping around. Also seconding the linear drain comment—placement matters big time. Seen plenty of bathroom renos go sideways because someone didn't think through drainage properly...
