This rendering depicts a home in East Lyme’s The Orchards subdivision that uses universal-design principles. Universal design, which has been in existence for years, has recently started to grow in popularity.

As baby boomers get older, age-restricted developments featuring homes designed for an aging population are popping up all over Connecticut. But for the younger set of boomers, many of whom still have children or teenagers at home, moving to an age-restricted community isn’t yet an option. And others simply enjoy living in traditional neighborhoods around people of all ages.

But there is an option for adults who want to build a new home, yet also crave the amenities that usually come with homes located in 55-and-older developments. Universal design, a trend that has been around for years, is getting more and more popular. The style of building is one that allows a homeowner to age in place and accounts for different generations living under the same roof.

“It’s been around for a long, long time,” said Barry Rosa, vice president and director of the New Homes and Land Division at Prudential Connecticut Realty.

While that’s true, people have begun paying more attention to universal design as demographics have changed.

Mary Jo Peterson, a designer who has been working with universal design for 15 years, is also seeing it become trendier as baby boomers age.

Universally designed homes do not necessarily look much different from traditional homes, making them suitable for any neighborhood, Rosa said. They have some details in common with houses built in 55-and-over communities, but universal design is more about planning for future modifications.

“You look at it and say, ‘How do I build a house that fits more than one need?'” Rosa said.

There is a laundry list of features that characterize universally designed homes. One of the main concerns for most older adults is a master bedroom on the first floor, to cut down on trips up and down the stairs. But universal homes do not necessarily have this feature; instead, they may have a flexible floor plan that would allow the master bedroom to be either on the first or second floor.

The main concept is to build a home that can be easily modified in case a family member ever becomes disabled or has trouble climbing stairs or bending over. In a traditional home, widening hallways or doorways to accommodate a wheelchair or installing an elevator could break the bank. But homes built with universal design concepts usually have wide hallways and doors, and one strategy is to stack closets over one another in multi-story homes to allow for future installation of an elevator or lift.

‘It Belongs Everywhere’

With universal design, the “devil is in the details,” Rosa noted. When architects or designers are building for a 35-year-old who wants to build a universal home, it can be difficult to imagine what the homeowner might need in 50 years.

According to a universal-design presentation given by Rosa, architects, builders and designers also should consider a number of other factors when using universal design. Internal walls should not be load-bearing, to allow for easier future remodels. Other details that will accommodate residents of many different age groups are lever-style door handles, peepholes at various heights and room to sit down in front of mirrors and countertops.

A lot of universal-design elements are located in the kitchen and bathroom, Peterson said. She started her career as a kitchen and bath designer, which eventually led into universal design. Now she travels around the country educating builders and architects.

In kitchens and bathrooms, elements like showers with no thresholds or doors and dishwashers and ovens placed at waist level are becoming more and more common, even in houses not specifically built under universal-design principals, Peterson said. And leaving knee room under stovetops and sinks is becoming more common.

“[Universal design] belongs everywhere,” she said.

Many homes incorporate elements of universal design, even if they do not include every possibility for future modifications, Rosa said.

Universally designed homes not only make sense for the current homeowner, its elements also make for increased value upon resale, Rosa said. Even so, the homes are not yet as common as those in age-restricted developments.