Rethinking the Bathroom Vanity

October 2015

“The Universal Home” along with “Future-Proofing Your Home” are among the two most widely heard catchphrases in modern design, and with good reason. With the ever escalating costs of new home builds and renovations, homeowners are right to want homes capable of enhancing their lifestyles for the longest possible times. Not surprisingly, recent trend surveys reflect this, relating not only to homes for young-to-senior families, but also to retirement and assisted living homes.

So how can bathroom design work best for the homeowner long term? A major option gaining traction is the wall hung stand-alone basin, storage provided by separate likewise wall hung units and behind the vanity mirror/s, or standing units. Such an arrangement provides many advantages over the traditional integrated vanity unit with storage below the basin.

Ease of access. If being honest, almost every homeowner will admit to being irritated by having to bend well down or kneel to access traditional under basin storage. Storage at waist to shoulder height is easier for all users.
Babies and toddlers cannot easily reach the higher placed items.
When reaching senior age, restricted mobility users can sit with comfort at the wall hung basin without the impediment of a vanity at their knees.
An independent basin allows wheelchair access in the future with no need for repeat renovation. Storage located separately has the benefit of easier access for both for fully able and those with some restricted mobility.

Statistics back up these principles.

2013, NZ Disability Survey, Statistics New Zealand

24% of NZ’s population identified as having a disability
59% of NZ’s population 65+ identified as having a disability with aprox 90% disability linked to mobility issues.
21% of NZ’s population 15 to 64 years as having a disability
Physical impairment the most common limitation for adults 15+ years affecting 18% of all adults in NZ
Lifemark™ estimates that 35% of adults 65+ will have some level of mobility issue.

On “Baby Boomers” (Nielson report, Jan 2015) – based on a US study but the NZ market matches what is happening in the US and Europe re ageing.

The Baby Boomer will be the single biggest influencer in the Housing market over the next 5 years with Baby Boomers responsible for $1 in every $4 spent on housing purchases.
Majority of Baby Boomers wish to ‘age in place’
63% don’t plan on moving home but with ¾ of Baby Boomers surveyed identified as having suffered a major health incident they will look to ‘future proof’ their homes to comfortably ‘age in place’
37% of Baby Boomers plan on moving but aren’t looking to ‘downsize’ but are looking for homes that provide ‘age friendly’ features – low maintenance and accessibility.
Baby Boomers don’t want ‘senior products’ and opting for solutions that don’t sacrifice style but do make living easier. These products the most desirable to the Baby Boomer.

Surprisingly there is very little in the way of product available in the market that caters to the Baby Boomers. Goman NZ believe their products fulfil the wishes of a significant, and growing, proportion of our population, both aesthetically and practically.