Bathroom remodel offers ideas for designing an accessible bathroom that’s elegant too

Master Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A semi-retired couple whose children are grown
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Size: 100 square feet (9.3 square meters)
Designer: Carnemark Design + Build

This couple living in a two-story home were ready to transition to first-floor living. The husband had been diagnosed with a debilitating illness that would gradually limit his mobility and require the use of a wheelchair. The homeowners decided to stay in their Bethesda, Maryland, residence and relocate their master suite downstairs. They turned to designer Jonas Carnemark, whose design-build firm had done previous work for them, to make their ground floor more accessible and to turn their downstairs en suite bathroom into a barrier-free master bath.

Carnemark’s aim was to design a space that felt like a luxurious retreat rather than a nurse’s station. The homeowners were budget-conscious, so the designer also focused on providing value in the selection of materials and features.

The bathroom has won several awards, including the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s 2018 award for universal design.