Edina has some of the Twin Cities’ most established neighborhoods, and many homeowners near places like Centennial Lakes and the Country Club district have lived in their homes for decades. A common question we hear is not how to move to something smaller, but how to make the current house work for the next twenty years. That is the idea behind universal design, building in flexibility so a home supports everyone in the family, at every stage of life, without ever feeling institutional.

Quick Answer Universal design means building a home so it works comfortably for people of every age and ability, without looking clinical. In Edina, that usually starts with a curbless shower, a wider primary hallway or doorway, and better lighting, changes that make daily life easier now and let homeowners stay in the house they love for the long run.

What Universal Design Actually Means

Universal design is different from a strictly medical or accessibility retrofit. The goal is a home that works equally well for a grandparent, a parent recovering from a knee surgery, and a child carrying an armful of laundry, all without grab bars that look out of place or ramps that dominate an entryway. Good universal design tends to disappear into the architecture rather than announce itself.

Where Edina Homeowners Are Starting

The table below breaks down the most requested universal design updates by room, along with why each one matters.

Room	Feature	Why It Helps
Bathroom	Curbless, walk-in shower with a built-in bench	Removes a common tripping point and works for anyone, at any age
Bathroom	Blocking in the wall for future grab bars, even if none are installed yet	Lets bars go in later without opening the wall again
Entry	Zero-step or low-threshold entry from the garage or a side door	Makes carrying groceries or a stroller easier for every family member
Hallways	Widened primary hallway and doorway clearances	Improves furniture moves, cleaning, and everyday flow, not just mobility devices
Kitchen	Varied counter heights and pull-out shelving	Reduces bending and reaching for cooks of any height or ability
Lighting	Layered lighting with brighter task areas at stairs and counters	Improves visibility and safety for aging eyes without changing the room’s style

The Bathroom Is Usually the Highest Impact Room

Most falls at home happen in the bathroom, which is why it is often the first stop in a universal design plan. A bathroom remodel with a curbless shower, a comfort height toilet, and slip resistant flooring can look every bit as polished as a standard renovation, since the design details that make a room safer are largely invisible once the finishes are in place.

Widening the Path Through the House

Doorways and hallways are easy to overlook until they become a daily inconvenience. The chart below shows how standard residential dimensions compare to the wider clearances used in universal design.

Figure 1. Wider doorways, hallways, and lower entry thresholds benefit every household member, not only those with mobility needs.

When a hallway or doorway needs to move rather than simply widen, that work is typically folded into a broader home addition or multi-room renovation, since walls, plumbing, and electrical often need to be coordinated together.

Kitchen Adjustments That Help Everyone, Not Just One Person

A few of the most popular universal design requests we see in kitchen remodeling projects include a lowered section of counter for seated prep work, drawers instead of lower cabinets so nothing sits out of reach, and a clear turning path near the island. None of these choices look like a modification. They simply read as a well planned kitchen.

Design That Does Not Look Institutional

The biggest hesitation we hear from Edina homeowners is not wanting a home that looks like a care facility. Modern universal design has moved well past that concern.

• Grab bars now come in finishes that match towel bars and cabinet hardware.
• Curbless showers use the same tile and glass details as a standard walk-in shower.
• Wider doorways use the same trim and door styles as the rest of the home.
• Lighting upgrades are chosen for both function and the overall design scheme.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is universal design only useful for older homeowners?

No. Families with young children, anyone recovering from an injury, and guests of any age all benefit from wider paths, better lighting, and a curbless shower. It is a practical approach for a home used across many years and many life stages.

Does a curbless shower require a full bathroom gut?

Usually yes, since the shower pan and subfloor typically need to be reworked to create a level, sloped drain path. It is a good candidate to combine with other bathroom updates at the same time.

Can existing hallways be widened without moving plumbing?

It depends on what runs inside the adjacent walls. Some hallways only involve moving a stud wall, while others share a wall with a bathroom or kitchen and require coordinating plumbing or electrical along with the framing.

Do these updates affect resale value in Edina?

Well executed universal design, especially curbless showers, wider doorways, and improved lighting, tends to appeal broadly to buyers since the features read as thoughtful design rather than a specialized modification.

What is a reasonable place to start if a full renovation is not the goal yet?

Many homeowners start with the bathroom, since it carries the highest safety benefit, and plan future rooms around it as time and priorities allow.

Plan a Home That Grows With You Landson Construction helps Edina homeowners design spaces that feel like home today and still work beautifully years from now. Request a free quote or contact our team to start planning your universal design project.