In a similar scenario, architect Eric Höweler and Meejin Yoon devised a layout for Yoon’s parents, Hannah and Jason, in Arlington, Virginia. The pair incorporated a gently sloping ramp and an open kitchen for the single-level house.
The Lai family—Mayuko, baby Shota on her lap, David, Maya, and Yumi sitting on a cushion on the deck—relaxes in their indoor-outdoor living space, made by opening the glass sliding doors to connect the living room and engawa deck.
The Orcas Island house, whose steel exterior has patinaed to a rusty hue has a wide doorway with a pivoting door and a zero-step threshold.
Inside, open spaces and natural light keep the main living area accessible and uplifting.
Though the couple currently utilize all three levels, they could live comfortably on one, with the walk-out basement and the room over the garage both serving as caregiver space.
Architect Gary Gladwish designed a house on Orcas Island, Washington, for his mother, Marie, an artist. With wide, open planes, the home incorporates lasting solutions for all mobility stages.