These Winter Park homeowners told us they built their house 30 years ago, but contracted after builder grade selections were already selected, and spent the next 3 decades years quietly side-eyeing their bathroom tile that they hated.
Finally, they decided to pull the trigger and start their bathroom remodel. They were so excited for a real change, not a cosmetic tweak, but a rethink of how the space should work for their lives now and in the future.
Designing for how they actually live.
Our clients weren’t chasing trends. Their goals for their bathroom remodel were extremely practical:
- Accessible Storage: Routines change, but the need for easy-reach cabinetry doesn't.
- Clutter-Free Counters: Integrated storage keeps surfaces clear and safe.
- Maintenance-Free Surfaces: Choosing materials that are easy to clean as mobility changes.
- Universal Beauty: A contemporary look that feels warm, not institutional.
- Planning for the Future: A bathroom that would support them as they age in place
Before and After
The Big Move: Trading the Tub for Space
Letting go of a bathtub they never used.
That tub had been sitting there like a decorative monument, beautiful in theory, useless in practice, and a massive space hog in reality. Removing it unlocked square footage needed for a spacious, zero-entry walk-in shower and better circulation through the space.
Designer Tip: When looking at aging in place bathroom ideas, removing the tub is often a good way to gain the 5-foot turning radius needed for future wheelchair accessibility without expanding the footprint of the room.
Before and After
Smart (and discreet) aging-in-place design
Nothing in this bathroom screams “accessible.” That’s the point.
Instead, the design quietly integrates aging in place design principles throughout:
- A walk-in shower with wheelchair accessibility and smooth, easy-to-maintain surfaces
- Thoughtful spacing that makes movement easier over time
- Storage brought within arm’s reach so towels aren’t exiled to a hallway closet and countertops remain clutter free
- Custom cabinetry designed around how the couple actually uses the space, not how bathrooms are “supposed” to be arranged
Custom Bench and Transfer Point:
In place of the original tub a bench was added to provide a place to sit, dry off and dress after a shower or to transfer from a regular wheelchair to a shower wheelchair.
Pet-Friendly Integration:
The drawers in the bench were custom sized to house the cat food containers and cat litter for the two friendly fur babies the homeowners share the home with.
Curbless Entry:
The zero entry shower with a linear drain no longer has a curb to step over, and the clearance on the shower door will allow for a wheelchair if one is ever needed. The slide bar in the shower is also a structural grab bar if required at some point in the future.
Drawers replaced countertop clutter. Every inch became intentional rather than messy and cluttered.
What Aging in Place Looks Like Today
In this project, aging in place design isn’t about grab bars or wheelchairs. It’s about making life simpler and safer before you need extra support and creating the framework to support any needs you have down the road.
It’s about removing obstacles and creating a bathroom that will still feel functional, and beautiful, ten or twenty years from now.
S&W Kitchens Designer: Roisin Wong, Winter Park
The Result
A lovely, contemporary Winter Park bathroom that finally reflects the homeowners’ taste, supports their daily habits, and quietly prepares for the future.
No drama. No clinical feel. Just good design doing its job over the long haul and maximizing your investment.
If this sounds familiar - living in a home you’ve tolerated for years but never loved, then this might be the nudge you’ve been waiting for.
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