More design secrets for a house you can live in forever

3. Simple and intuitive use

What it means

UD makes things easy to figure out, regardless of cognitive functioning, language, literacy, experience or know-how. Unnecessary complexity is out.

What it looks like

• D-shaped drawer pulls are easy to grasp and pull open.

• Smart shower handles move in one obvious way from hot to cold and don't require three different maneuvers to get the water to flow at the desired temperature.

• Adjustable shelving is easy to customize, so that you can store the tall milk and ketchup where you prefer. Installing lazy Susans makes constructive use of wasted corner cupboard space (because who can reach far back into a corner cupboard?).

4. Presents essential information clearly

What it means

Any information that needs to be conveyed to the user is done using a variety of methods (sensory, pictorial, tactile) so even someone with limitations can manage it.

What it looks like

• Keyless locks use a remote control or keypad that's user-friendly.

• Universally designed appliance controls feature obvious symbols and colors in addition to words to clarify instructions (such as red for hot and blue for cold).

• A circuit-breaker panel that's on the main floor (as opposed to out in the garage) can be easier to access; all the circuits should be clearly labeled for the area they serve, perhaps with a coded floor plan as well as written area names.

• Smoke detectors and carbon-monoxide alarms should ideally provide both audible and visual signals.