Everyday accessibility: What makes a bathroom accessible?

Bathrooms, restrooms, washrooms, or lavatories – whatever you wish to call them, they are the most universal of spaces, and everyone uses them. Unfortunately, not everyone can use them with ease.

For many people, stepping out for a quick bathroom break is a routine, effortless part of the day. But for others, obstacles like heavy doors, awkward locks or cramped spaces can turn a simple task into a big challenge and restrict independence.

It’s not just people with disabilities who notice these barriers – older adults, parents with buggies, and people with a temporary injury needing to use crutches often face the same frustrations.

What’s surprising is the lack of uniformity in the design of accessible bathrooms. Installing handrails and grab bars without thoughtful placement doesn’t equate to accessibility: it’s like dunking your face into a bag of cosmetics and hoping to emerge looking fabulous.

The thing is it takes very little effort to get accessibility right.

When a bathroom is designed thoughtfully, it shifts from a place of frustration to a thing of beauty.

A smooth-opening door, a water tap or faucet that you can turn on with the flat of your hand, coat hooks at varied heights – all of these are simple touches that make access universal.

On a recent visit to a shopping centre, I took some photos of bathrooms that demonstrate some of the design choices that can make all the difference. Let’s take a look together.


Photo: Clear signage, an easy-to-use door, and plenty of room to manoeuvre are benefits of this accessible bathroom. Photo by Noelle Daly. 

1. Doors that open with ease: An inward opening door must allow sufficient space in the bathroom to enable a wheelchair user to enter and close the door behind them.
   
   Doors that open outwards are preferable as they allow more manoeuvring space in the toilet facility. Outward opening doors should also have a low, horizontal pull rail on the inside of the door to help people pull the door closed when inside a compartment.
   
   When there isn’t a lot of space in bathrooms, sliding doors offer a practical solution, which is sometimes overlooked. These also reduce the extent to which the door swings into the room and corridor. Sliding doors must glide smoothly and handles should be easy to grip and manipulate.
   
   All bathroom doors should be light enough that anyone can open them.
2. Frustration-free locks: Door locks should be easy to operate with one hand, or using a closed fist. They should not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. Locks on accessible bathrooms should incorporate an emergency override so the lock can be released from the outside in an emergency.
   
   It is easier to operate a lever-type lock handle, rather than grasping and turning a thumb lock or a slide latch door lock. Lever-type handles that can operate as both a door handle and a lock are particularly easy to use.
   
   People who have reduced dexterity in their hands and people who use wheelchairs or mobility aids particularly appreciate easy-to-use handles and locks. But so do small children practicing their independence, people who open bathroom doors with a forearm to avoid germs, and anyone whose hands are full. Simple locks are also easier for older adults with arthritis or reduced grip strength.
   
   

3. Plenty of space: Bathrooms work best when they leave enough room to move around comfortably. Wheelchair users need a wide, clear floor space on one side of the toilet to allow lateral transfer.
   
   One of the most common bathroom design mistakes is installing a toilet flush handle on the wall side of the toilet, where it’s out of reach for many people. Ideally, a spatula-shaped flush handle should be installed on the transfer side of the toilet, adjacent to open space. This placement facilitates easy access for wheelchair users, allowing them to comfortably reach the handle without obstruction. It is also easier for children or older adults who might not have the reach, strength, or flexibility to use awkwardly placed handles.
   
   

Photo: Sinks need knee-clearance space below for wheelchair users. Photo by Noelle Daly.  

5. Handwashing in easy reach: As you can see from the photo above, it can be difficult for someone using a wheelchair to reach a sink to wash their hands. Some sinks are on pedestals or are positioned too low to allow knees and footrests to fit underneath them, making it hard to reach across the basin to turn on the tap.
   
   Operating sink taps, whether traditional, swivel-head or press-button designs, often requires a certain level of strength and dexterity, which can pose challenges for individuals with limited mobility or grip.
   
   Lever handles or sensor taps are recommended as they allow people to operate them either without needing to touch anything or with the flat of a hand, a closed fist or the wrist. Tap labels should be logical, clear, and tactile so everyone knows which is hot and which is cold.
   
   
6. Easy-to-access bathroom accessories: It’s great to see refill soap dispensers being used in bathrooms, and ensuring these are placed within reach from a seated position is very important. Hand dryers and hand towels should also be positioned at a height that everyone can reach.
   
   Mirrors are sometimes hung too high above the washbasin, so some people can’t see themselves. If mirrors are provided, they should extend to the top of the basin so that they can be viewed by people of different heights, including people of shorter stature, children and people using wheelchairs. So too, dual-height coat hooks accommodate varying reach levels.

Photo: A wet room, or roll-in shower. Photo by Noelle Daly. 

6. Showers without barriers: Take a look at this photo of an accessible shower. It includes many thoughtful features that would make it easy to use for people of all abilities. But there are also two details that could be improved. Can you spot them? Read to the end of this section to see.

When it comes to accessible showers, roll-in showers, or wet rooms, are the gold standard. With no thresholds, steps, or trip hazards, they’re safer for older adults, pregnant women, and anyone with reduced mobility.

A securely fixed fold-down seat with a backrest and a height-adjustable showerhead allow people to wash comfortably whether seated or standing. Height-adjustable showerheads are also useful for tall guests, children, and people who don’t want to get their hair wet. These showerheads should be left in a lowered position between uses so people in a wheelchair can reach them. This is a particularly helpful tip for hotel cleaning staff.

Shower controls should always be within reach of the seat. And while glass partitions may look sleek, they can restrict manoeuvrability; a shower curtain can be more flexible and affordable. 

Refillable dispensers for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in showers should be positioned within easy reach for seated users. Each container should have large print and tactile labels to assist individuals with low vision in identifying its contents.

Now, looking back at the photo – did you spot the issues? In my opinion, the waste bin could get in the way for wheelchair users, carers or people using crutches. And the emergency pull cord is tied up, which happens all the time. People really need to be able to reach it from the floor if they fall. Both are easy to fix.

Designing bathrooms for everyone’s needs

Life is already full of little hassles. Using the bathroom shouldn’t be one of them.

When bathrooms are designed with accessibility in mind, they don’t just remove barriers — they add comfort and convenience for everyone. A step-free shower feels safer for an older adult. A lever tap is easier for a child, or anyone with reduced dexterity. A wide, outward-opening door helps a wheelchair user, a parent with a buggy, or anyone balancing shopping bags.

The point is simple: accessibility isn’t necessarily expensive nor is it applicable to just a few, accessibility is about good design, thoughtful design, inclusive design, that works for all of us, transforming barriers into welcoming experiences.