Aesthetics, accessibility & ageing: Designing livable spaces without compromising function or style

Accessible living spaces are becoming increasingly important as the majority of Australians have a desire to stay in their current homes rather than enter residential aged care. By modifications to our built environment, architects and designers can promote usability and enable older users to live comfortably and independently. There are a range of solutions available, with some of the most common including grab rails, shower seats, easy-to-use fixtures, and wheelchair ramps and stairlifts. However, the influence of aesthetics in the adoption and use of care products is often underestimated.

Aesthetics, Accessibility & Ageing: Designing Livable Spaces Without Compromising Function or Style discusses the importance of aesthetics when recommending accessible design features. Care products are typically associated with a bland, clinical aesthetic that can actually contribute to stress rather than reduce it. We argue that accessibility modifications in homes, workplaces and other public spaces can be more effective if designers pay attention not only to functionality and ease of use, but also user satisfaction and style.

Nero can help you create accessible and beautiful bathroom solutions that are aesthetically beautiful and effortlessly functional. They have collaborated with Australian designers to create a range that is both compliant to standards and fits in with the latest Australian bathroom design trends, including colour-matching grab rails with the most popular tapware designs, like the much-loved Mecca collection. Nero offers options to suit both commercial projects approved to AS1428.1 standard along with a more subtle range to win over homeowners who are future proofing.