More design secrets for a house you can live in forever

2. Flexible use

What it means

Good UD accommodates a wide range of preferences and abilities. This means it considers both lefties and righties, and those who move at different paces. It often allows for a variety of usages, as well.

What it looks like

• Ideally, there should be least one bedroom and a full bathroom on the main floor, located away from living areas. It can serve as a study, craft room, or playroom early on, and as a bedroom when getting up stairs becomes difficult because of, for example, illness. There should also be a main-floor laundry room.

• Paddle-handled handles at the kitchen sink have already become the new standard because everyone finds them easier and more convenient. Handedness doesn't matter (nor does whether you have a free hand, if, say, you've been kneading dough and yours is flour-covered).

• A small rolling cart based in the kitchen offers additional workspace wherever needed to save walking around.

• Pull-out work boards near the stove, refrigerator, or counters add space to chop vegetables (and can be slid back after); ideally, there should be boards inset at different heights for users of different heights, or to use when seated or standing.

• Pocket doors wherever possible provide flexibility and privacy, and give a sense of extra space because there's no door blocking anything.