Hands-free kitchen faucet, adjustable shower head, and a self-cleaning toilet
Last time on the Model Remodel Show we were taking cabinets off the truck, stacking them in the corner, and screwing them to the wall.
As long as we were at it, we screwed them to the floor, too!
But mostly, we talked to the kitchen designer who put together this puzzle of beautiful boxes
So when I talked to Ben about the house and the purpose of the house, we talked about designing a space that it was for aging in place.
It's not necessarily what you would call a universal design, but it was designed with elements of storage that allow you to age more gracefully in place, especially in the kitchen.
Karen
And we’re going to continue that universal design theme today at Professional Remodeler's Model Remodel
After the cabinets are all installed, the plumbing fixtures go in along with some first-class fittings from American Standard.
American standard was kind enough to come in as a sponsor with our plumbing trims as well as a toilet and undermount sinks.
Ben
In the bathroom, we featured a couple of new lines, really nice styling on the faucets, trims, undermount sinks, just really beautiful, well put-together, installed nicely,
Into the barrier-free shower from Bestbath Systems goes an adjustable handheld shower sprayer from American Standard ...
Which not only a lot of clients look for the luxury of it in the shower and it allows the shower to be adjusted to a height that might accommodate somebody in a wheelchair, or somebody sitting in a bench further down the line.
All of the bling certainly attracts attention, but
For me, the real show stopper is the self-cleaning toilet, which is an impressive concept. Because who really enjoys cleaning a toilet? I don't.
In the kitchen area, we used a hands-free faucet with an IR detector built into it for hand's-free activation of the unit. We've done these for other clients on other projects, they always prove to be a hit.
Another hit in the kitchen is a great looking range hood.
And this hood from Air King is as hard-working as it is good-looking. It is the exhaust side of a balanced ventilation system, communicating with a supply fan in the basement to dictate how much fresh air to bring in.
Ben
I have to say that I'm really, really impressed. And I'm kind of nerdy about ventilation stuff and picky. This system is really well-engineered, really well designed, well thought-out, functions absolutely beautifully, it's incredibly quiet, incredibly easy on a commissioning end to set up and operate.
It hits these ventilation needs we have in modern buikldings without the expense of a top-end HRV or ERV unit.
This is a really efficient and affordable way to bring balanced ventilation to a tight little house.
And that wraps up the 2017 Model Remodel Project in southern Connecticut.
What began as an old family hunting cabin has been restored, rebuilt, and resurrected as an excellent example of best practices in many aspects of home design and construction.
Numerous energy efficiency strategies and products were woven into the process from MI's triple glazed windows, ZIP System's exterior insulation, and raised heel roof trusses to Rockwool insulation in the attic and walls that also acts as a fire block between the floor joists.
Inside, not only is living comfortable, but it is accessible to many generations by incorporating practical universal design features where possible.
The open floor plan is the first step. Accessible cabinetry is another.
A barrier-free shower outfitted with the handheld sprayer we looked at earlier makes utility beautiful and a self-cleaning toilet reduces the chores at least a little bit.
The durable exterior and beautiful living spaces pin a bow on this project and this home goes into the books at Professional Remodeler’s Model Remodel.