5 ways to make your home more accessible

5 ways to make your home more accessible | H is for Homecredit

Many people have to consider ways to make their homes more accessible. They may have suffered a life altering injury or illness themselves – or have relatives and friends who have to cope with these changed circumstances. Perhaps it’s a case of growing older and not being as mobile as was once the case. Maybe you have a rental property, holiday home or offer accommodation on Airbnb – and want to comply with legal regulations or just make it as user friendly for as many people as possible. Whatever the reason, here a 5 ways to make your home more accessible.

Door intercom system

Entrance

A door system with intercom and visual screen is particularly useful for home occupants with mobility issues. On hearing the buzzer or seeing a visual indicator, the occupier can ascertain who’s there by way of the intercom or live image screen. They can speak directly to that person – informing them that they’re on their way or what to do if they’re unable to get to the door, where to leave packages etc. They can also let callers in if so desired by way of an integrated door lock release mechanism.

Level wooden flooring through a living/dining room

Flooring

Continuous level flooring rather than multi-level floors with steps is a real help for those with walking issues, especially if confined to a wheelchair. When planning refurbishments, assess if open-plan areas are an option. These spaces offer real benefits to those people with mobility issues. Create zones for living rather than lots of different rooms. This reduces the need for doors that might be difficult to open. It also facilitates the installation of a one level flooring finish with all the obvious advantages. If you do have multiple connecting rooms, you could still consider running the same flooring seamlessly between them.

Also, think about using the same material, such as natural stone tiles, in adjoining internal and external spaces. Not only does it work well in creating a real sense of flow visually between inside and out, it creates flow literally for those with mobility issues. The occupant can move effortlessly from kitchen, lounge or bedroom outside into pretty garden patio areas – a real life enhancer. If steps are present, perhaps a ramp structure could replace or be sited alongside them. If this isn’t practical then a collapsible or fold away ramp could be stored in the building for those visiting.

Accessible walk-in shower

Bathroom

The bathroom, with it’s need for a certain degree of privacy, is probably one area that isn’t suitable to incorporate into the open plan scheme! This particular space can cause most trouble and discomfort for those with access issues. For starters, standard baths and showers can be very difficult to get in and out of. And, if they do manage to get in, they can be difficult to use thereafter for those with mobility issues. There are numerous options available to make life easier.

Firstly, consider if a wet room is an option. This creates lots of space for the user and eliminates the need for some of the internal fittings with their associated restrictions or obstacles to use. Then there are baths with side panel doors or perhaps consider a walk-in shower. These have a drainage tray which is installed flush with the floor and can also have the option of a built-in seat for those unable to stand whilst washing. They can look great too, with unfussy, clean and simple lines.

Stair lift at the bottom of a flight of stairs in a house

Furniture

Adjustable beds and chairs that assist in sitting/standing up/down are readily available. These can be either motorised or lever controlled. Stairlifts, the designs of which continue to develop and improve, can be the solution for multi-level homes. Sleek, modern internal lift systems might also be an option for those with the required space and budget.

On a different scale all together – easily reached cupboards, drawers and cabinets are a relatively simple improvement that can be made. If it’s your own home, they can be completely customised to suit your own needs. However, for general occupier usage, nothing too high or too low would be the recommendation – eliminating the stretching up and crouching down positions which are often difficult.

Alexa smart home hubcredit

Electrics

Consider re-positioning electric switches and sockets to make them easier to reach. Again, simply not too high or low is the mantra. It won’t make life more difficult for the unrestricted or able-bodied but will certainly help those with mobility issues. There are easy-to-use appliances available too. Appliances with large buttons and controllers for the visually impaired, for example, or ones that are easy to plug in/disconnect for people with arthritis or similar problems.

And what about smart home hubs such as Alexa or Google Home? What a potential godsend for those with mobility issues – controlling the heating, switching lights on & off, playing music, acquiring information – all this can be done by verbally interacting with the system – no need to move around at all.

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How to make a small space way more liveable

How to make a small space way more liveable

Living comfortably in a small home can be hard work. You may find furniture items that you love, but you can’t buy them because you have no room for them. On top of this, you probably don’t even have room for the furniture that you have right now and this can leave your home feeling very cluttered and claustrophobic. If you want to try and turn this around then there are ways for you to make your small space feel open and airy, without compromising on your belongings.

Open shelves high up o a wall

Vertical is the way to go

If you have a small space then it is so important that you be as creative as possible. If you have an area above your cabinets or if you have space above a door, then don’t be afraid to use this for storage. There are always high spaces that you can take advantage of, even in the smallest of properties. You may even want to look into wall hooks as well, as these are ideal if you have high ceilings.

Room divider with open shelving

Make room dividers

Some small spaces require a visual divider to make the space way more liveable. It’s understandable that you can’t put a partition wall up here, because if you did then it would make the space even smaller. For this reason, you should try and use bookcases and other storage units to create a visual separator. This will help you to tame clutter and it will also help you to split up a small room into much more usable areas.

Folded towels and cane storage baskets in a bathroom

Conceal clutter

Believe it or not, being able to see everything can make a space feel even smaller. It can also make it feel incredibly claustrophobic as well. If you can, you should always try to conceal as much of your clutter as possible. Lidded boxes, baskets and even storage towers are great for this, and if you can, you should always look into hidden storage solutions. You’d be surprised at how much this can make a difference to your home and it also means that you don’t have to have a massive clear out either.

Skylight with bright blue sky

Natural light

The more natural light you can let into a room, the better. It doesn’t take a lot to do this either. You can invest in blinds instead of heavy curtains, and you can also try and replace your doors with sliding glass ones. Ultra slim sliding doors are now very easy to come by and they can really let in way more light when compared to any other type of door so they are well worth looking into. If you’re not able to let more natural light into your home, then consider having some additional lighting installed. The more light you have, the bigger your room will look and the more comfortable it will be as well.

Of course, if you have a small space then there are things that you can do to make it feel way more comfortable and when you put the work in to try and make the most out of what you have, you’ll soon see that everything comes together nicely.

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Creating a home office – 4 top tips

Creating a home office - 4 top tips | H is for Home

Remote workers are making up a bigger proportion of the workforce than ever before. While some people prefer to rent a co-working space, and others love to sit with a hot coffee in their favourite café, many people favour creating a home office. As with any other part of your home, it must be somewhere that makes you feel your best and inspires you to think of great things and be as productive as possible. If you’re not sure where to start, it can feel like it’s not worth it to create a home office. Luckily, there’s a multitude of trusted tips you can follow, which will promise you the best home office for your working days.

Home security system installed on a red brick wall

Prioritise security

Your home will be something you want to keep protected at all costs. Having specialist equipment and important information stored in your home office can mean it’s more at risk of intruders. The trick to keeping you, your family and your work safe is to invest in a good burglar alarm. If you ask a trusted company like Eurolinksecurity.co.uk to help, you can rest easy knowing that everything is protected if a burglar were to come calling.

Home office desk and chair

Comfort is key

When you aren’t comfortable, it can be almost impossible to work. If your chair causes back pain and your desk has little space beneath for your legs to move, you could be at risk of facing serious health problems later in life. Ideally, you should be investing in a comfortable and sturdy office chair, which supports your back. If you’re pursuing a more creative career, it’s also wise to have a space in your home office to accommodate these aspects. For example, someone who has a jewellery-making company may need a small studio space to work in alongside their office space.

Personalised home office

Keep it personal

One of the biggest attractions to having a home office is that you’re surrounded by home comforts. It helps you to stay motivated when you’re having a bad day. It can also mean you can get support from family members if you need it. Admittedly, your home office and the rest of your home should stay separate so as not to intertwine the two. However, there’s nothing to say you shouldn’t decorate your work space. Family photographs, soft furnishings and other knick-knacks will help stimulate you rather than inspire dread when you wake up in the morning.

Pot plants on a home office desk

Bring nature indoors

Nothing diminishes work efficiency more than having a stuffy, dark, uncomfortable office. When you’re creating your work zone, you should be conscious of trying to get as much natural light to fill the space as possible. Choosing a neutral colour scheme can help maximise this light, and you should also consider including attractive pot plants that help purify the air and bring cheerfulness to the room. Nature is known to benefit the mind in many ways, which can only do further wonders for your home office and your career.

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Beer and cider booming in Britain

Beer and cider booming in Britain

On a hot summer’s day, you’ll see more people enjoying a pint of beer or cider than at any other time of year, and there’s been more than normal of those days this year. Then we had the England football team doing much better in this year’s World Cup than expected, and the two factors together have created a huge bonus for the beer and cider industries in the UK.

It seems these are the icing on the cake though, as Kantar Worldpanel reports that beer and cider sales had been enjoying an increase for some time, before both of these situations. In the year to 25 February 2018, the sales of beers and cider had risen by £191 million over the previous year, which equates to an increase of 6.3%.

The sales of ales are up by 7.7%, stout by 11.6% and lager by 5.1%. The biggest mover was craft beers though, which hit record sales of £135 million in the year to June. In comparison, the previous year reached £92 million, an increase of a massive 47%.

These increases are on sales as per money taken for them. There has been such a large increase in prices, as much as 57% on some drinks, that that affects the true picture. However, in the case of craft beers looking at the increase in volume instead that showed a 52% rise.

Rises like this have obvious benefits for the brewers, but there are advantages for other businesses too. For instance, the suppliers of brew software have seen a rise in demand for their products, as the busier the breweries get, the more they need software that will help to automate some of the tasks associated with brewing.

Bar with pints and a Global Beer Tour book

International flavour

International brewers have noticed various UK craft beer brands in recent years and there have been several company sales made. Meantime Brewery is a typical example being first of all sold to SAB Miller in 2015, and then became part of Asahi by AB InBev when they purchased SAB. London Fields Brewery was bought by Carlsberg in 2017, Camden Town Brewery by AB InBev in 2015 and in June of this year Heineken bought a stake in Beavertown.

Rises that might be more surprising are the ones in low or no alcohol beers. Kantar estimates that nearly one and a half million households bought low or no alcohol beers in the past year. This equates to an enormous increase if 57% over the previous year. It is said this is partly because all the major high street chains and supermarkets stock these, making them far easier to access than they used to be.

Brewers are enjoying increased trade on most of their products and this is helping the industry to get back on its feet. Some find these results very surprising because of the numbers of pubs that have closed and not been replaced. Beers and ciders are on sale in a lot more places now though, from your local corner shop to the largest of supermarkets, and this fact is one of the reasons the increase has been so noticeable.

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