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christabottomley

Universal design plan- Family of 6 w/ office space + homeschool room

Christa Bottomley
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago









I’m working on a floorplan for our family of 3 young boys, teen daughter, and husband (who works from home). the primary reason we are building is that our oldest son (9yo) got a polio-like condition (AFM) and now can’t walk without a Walker but we are told that he nervous system will have the greatest chance for recovery if he is walking most of the time. We homeschool all 4 kids so he is home 95% of the time which means his home environment is very easy to navigate, both inside and out.


I’ve been working long and hard on a floorplan similar to Schumacher’s “Olivia” (https://www.schumacherhomes.com/house-plans/olivia) or Diyanni's Beringer (https://www.diyannihomes.com/floorplan/detail/the-beringer) but with the Master Suite upstairs and the kids rooms downstairs.


There will also hopefully be a cement path circling the outside of the house with no steps so he can walk outside as well. (Outside free-time is very important for our family and helps them with their schoolwork and behavior). There will hopefully be a pool in the back (helps with recovery as well as fun for the other kids). Right now, he uses his Walker until he runs into a corner/step/whatever and then he hops to the floor and crawls/skooches the rest of the way. All his out-of-door time is spent crawling (in the mud, dirt, whatever). Can you imagine how dehumanizing that will be over time?!?


Anyway, I’m looking for feedback on what I have so-far. There's straight paths for walking with at least 36” (but often 49”) are used for main traffic flow. His Walker has a 45” min turning radius. Most doors are pocket doors.

The 3 boys share a bunk room, the teenage girl gets her own room but it will be the guest room soon. I also want to plan for when she may be bringing a family home in the next 10 years. Her room will have a built-in twin-over-queen (turned 90degrees) to allow for grandkids, spouse, etc. There is a “reading alcove in the hallway with built-in bookcases that are twin-width that can be used for overflow for grandkids.

We don’t have much figured out for the Master upstairs....We’d like a double shower but no tub, separate closets but not too big, and I’d give up my own sink to have a ”primping area.

Any thoughts?









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