Fall Prevention Home Design: 5 Practical Strategies to Create a Safe Haven
The comfort and value of your luxury property hinges on its interior design to a great extent. Form is indeed just one-half of the equation. Your luxury property’s interior design should be equally functional and safe for residents and guests alike.
As more and more homeowners realize this fact, the industry is integrating fall prevention into design specifics. They are the most crucial in the case of senior living residences.
However, it never hurts to be extra cautious, right? This is precisely why this article will discuss five practical strategies to make your haven safe and secure through fall prevention interior design.
Fall Prevention Design Gains Traction
Did you know that 50% of all home-related accidental deaths happen due to a fall? What's even more shocking is that these accidents usually occur at ground level, not even at an elevation. Some of the most vulnerable rooms from this viewpoint are the bathroom, the kitchen, and the living room.
Fall prevention, especially among the elderly folks, is the need of the hour. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that at least one out of four older adults suffer a fall accident each year. Out of them, less than half report the incident.
In most cases, the issue only comes to light if the senior sustains deadly injuries or fractures. You don't want the frail and vulnerable in your home to get into such a mess. Besides that, there is another compelling reason supporting fall prevention home design.
Legal Perils of Fall-Related Injuries at Home
Suppose you purchase or own a luxury home in Atlanta, Georgia. We chose this capital city because it has recently shown a steep rise in luxury home sales. In the first half of 2024 itself, metro Atlanta showed a 32% increase in luxury home sales priced around $1 million to $2.5 million.
You decide to throw an extravagant get-together party or quinceanera with a couple of hundred invitees. Guests are served with limited-edition exclusive wine and mouthwatering snacks. Everyone is having a good time and is fully engrossed with the events lined up for the evening. Given the huge attendance, it is natural for some spills to take place.
What if a guest accidentally falls and gets seriously injured? As the host, you may empathize and offer support but this also means the guest can sue you. The situation will surely be out of your favor if the fall happens due to any neglected repairs or defects in the property.
The personal injury law of Georgia is strict, although it demands that the victim prove negligence on the part of the liable party. Since the fall has occurred within your property, the injured guest can use the services of a personal injury law firm in Atlanta, Georgia to take you to court.
According to the Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group, slip-and-fall accidents result in heavy medical bills and lost income over and above debilitating injuries. Under premise liability, it is only justified for the property owner to cover the expenses of the victim.
Moreover, would you want any of your visitors to trip and fall, particularly due to negligence? No wonder fall prevention home design is on the rise across the US.
5 Ways to Make Your Home Fallproof
Let's directly dive into the various components of a fall-proof interior design. Discussed below are five ways to make your home safe, even, and especially for the elderly.
Introduce Non-Slip Flooring
Keep in mind that polished, smooth, and hard floors are usually quite slippery. The materials to avoid would include marble, polished concrete, and terrazzo. To reduce the likelihood of slip-and-fall accidents, you must install flooring that is designed to be non-slippery.
We understand that you want non-slip flooring that is also luxurious in appearance. Some of the industry's slip-resistant flooring options would include vinyl, linoleum, natural stone, and tiles.
You can also segregate certain areas with carpets, rubber mats, and rugs that are also usually non-slippery. Slip-resistant flooring is a must for areas prone to moisture like the kitchen and bathroom.
What if you're not looking for an overhaul and are pleased with the current flooring? There is still a way to make it non-slippery using anti-slip coatings. It can be applied to all kinds of slippery floors, including granite, wood, terrazzo, and marble to make them abrasive and slip-resistant.
Illuminate With Purpose
Your home’s non-slip floors will also fall short if visitors are unable to see the area clearly. The next important factor that makes a space fallproof is good lighting. Ensure all areas, especially the dark nooks and crannies are well-lit using different kinds of lights.
Different lights serve different purposes and offer a harmonious look to the home. For instance, a chandelier often comes to mind as a luxury home light fixture. Some folks believe that these fixtures can only be installed in the dining or living space.
The truth is you have more opportunities than this to instill ballroom elegance into each room. Yes, a chandelier can be installed even in a bathroom, entryway, bedroom, or guest room. Another luxe option is floor or ceiling lights that will illuminate specific objects or furniture to caution people.
You can invest in energy-efficient lights as well to support the environment. Other lighting options include pendant lights, table lamps, suspension lights, and sconce wall lamps.
Contrast Colors for Depth Perception
Luxury homes naturally exude a warm and inviting vibe with a neutral palette. However, we would advise against using too much whites, beige, or grays. Some of the trending options to try this year include terracotta, orange, and sage green.
The best would be to create a balance between the neutral and accent tones. The key is to do so strategically to create depth for better perception. In other words, color contrast will enhance the visibility of different home elements.
For example, you can choose contrasting colors for your walls and floors. The same can be done for different pieces of furniture and the wall behind them. Imagine if everything was simply a shade of beige, white, or any pastel color.
It may become challenging, especially for senior adults, to identify potential obstacles in the way. Depth perception through color contrast will prevent accidents. It will undoubtedly make any space more interesting and striking.
Choose Adaptable Furniture
The present-day luxury furniture market has a value of $24 billion. It continues to grow at a CAGR of 5.5% till 2034. As a connoisseur of the fine things of life, you're aware that your home’s furniture is more than functional pieces.
They are literal works of art embodying the highest standards of craftsmanship. Whether you're a lover of art deco style, nostalgic vintage, or classic luxury, ensure the furniture pieces are all adaptable.
This means you must choose your furniture with safety in mind. Let's look at the different ways this would play out within your home -
Choose pieces with rounded edges to minimize the risk of injuries in case of a fall.
Let the sofas and chairs have armrests for added support while standing or sitting.
Do not use furniture that is too high or too low to get in and out of.
Install adjustable beds, especially in the guest room, for better access and comfortable sleeping positions.
Clear the Clutter
This is perhaps the most obvious yet sometimes, the most neglected of all ways to bolster home safety. We have included this point under design because clutter or items casually lying around make a space less aesthetically appealing.
On a more serious note, clutter can contribute to a trip and fall accident. Keep all areas clutter-free by removing unwanted items from the hallways, entryways, and other frequently used areas. Look for any loose rugs, electrical cords, etc. that may pose a tripping hazard.
Easy navigation should be your prime focus when designing the home’s layout. That way, residents and guests can move about freely without getting into any mishaps.
On a parting note, we would like to emphasize the availability of senior living interior design options. If your motive for choosing fall prevention involves older adults, it is best to make some advanced changes in the home’s layout, furniture placement, etc. Even in general, certain changes in interior colors and lighting would be required to make your haven of luxury one of unparalleled safety and comfort.