Steps to Safe Home Design

A home is a safe sanctuary. What is true for our bodies is true for our homes—we want to breathe deeply and be cleanly, highly functional, adaptable, engaging, safe . . . and well dressed! Our personal living spaces reflect our choices as clearly as the clothes we wear, and addressing issues of health, injury and security from the inside “bones” to the outside and more visible “dress” is imperative to achieve a true sanctuary.

A Checklist:

1.    Is the heating system filtering out dust, mold, mildew and dander to provide allergen-free air?
2.    Are materials installed and applied so that they do not off-gas harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from paint, carpeting, cabinetry?
3.    Do passageways (a minimum of 32 inches wide) and open floor space allow easy navigation?
4.    Are thresholds and changes in flooring height a maximum of one-quarter inch?
5.    Have knobs been replaced with levers or open handles?
6.    Is day lighting used and controlled to its best advantage?
7.    Is furniture placed to ease movement through and between rooms, keeping a clear 18 inches from the latch side of doors?
8.    Are impervious and non-slip floor coverings installed in bathrooms and kitchens, where the highest incident of injury from accidents takes place in the home?
9.    Have accessories been located in areas where added stability is needed and walls blocked internally with wood for future installation of grab bars in shower stalls, toileting areas and tub entries?
10.    Is the security system easy to operate and the monitor clear to read for all family members?
11.    Have owner manuals from product manufacturers been assembled in an easy-to-reference binder with a cleaning and maintenance schedule to insure the vibrancy and longevity of finishes, furniture and fixtures?

Lisa Bonneville, of Bonneville Design, is the author of The Safe Home. Click here to read an excerpt of the interview with her that ran in the January/February 2010 issue of New England Home.