Hayden and Claire’s circa-1950 brick bungalow in Yarraville, Melbourne looks out over the local park’s sea of gum trees. Inside, it features well-preserved, mid-century fittings, and boasts an expansive layout. Before Megan Norgate, founding director and principal designer at, put her stamp on the property in 2015, however, it was difficult for the couple’s son Owen to navigate in his wheelchair. “It needed to work harder,” Norgate says.
To tip the scales in Owen’s favor, the designer started small and focused on customizing his bathroom. Her solutions? A wider entry, a floating sink Owen’s chair can roll up under, and new pocket doors which take up zero space when opened—read: they provide his chair with more room to turn. “The curved edge of the hardwood vanity also eliminates hard corners in the small space, so carers can easily move around the bathtub,” Norgate adds.
Hayden, Claire and their sons Ned and Owen outside their home in Melbourne. A ramp was added to compensate for the front yard’s unevenness and provide a smooth surface for Owen’s wheelchair to glide over.Encouraged by the project’s success, the couple decided to consolidate their long-term renovation plans for the rest of their house into one, nine-month-long overhaul—helmed by Brave New Eco, of course.
The previous owners of the home were ballroom dancers. They purposefully designed this room to be barrier-free so they could practice their moves at home.In the living and dining room, Norgate opted for smaller-sized floor tiles laid in a herringbone pattern to increase the amount of grout lines and, in turn, provide ample traction for Owen’s chair. The choice was a win-win as her clients are huge fans of beautiful tile.
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