Dave and Shelley build their dream house

For years my husband, Dave, and I had a ritual on Sunday afternoons. He would lift me into the front seat of his car and drive to the frozen yogurt store, where he would purchase two cones. Then he would drive me around the fancy neighborhoods in Madison, Wisconsin, the city where we lived. It was our time together without the kids, and it was a way to get me out of the house, forget about my declining physical abilities, and enjoy life. When the Sunday was gray and overcast, it was even better because the lights in the fancy houses were on and I could get a glimpse of their interiors. It never entered my mind that I would one day live in a house like one of them.

After our two children graduated from college, Dave and I talked about moving from the ranch-style house where we had lived for 26 years. There were drawbacks to that house that were not fixable. When Dave's car was in the two-car garage, he had to pull the van out and open the wheelchair lift on the driveway. After 15 years of loading and unloading me in snow, sleet, or rain, the thought of a three-car garage was very appealing.

There were more serious flaws. Because of the configuration of the hallways and the weight of the doors, I couldn't get out of the house without help. We had to leave the doors unlocked when I was alone. And the windows, all the windows, were so high I could only see the treetops.

Over the years we occasionally looked at houses on the market. But we always came away with the feeling that the cost of retrofitting an existing house would be too much. Yet Dave wasn't ready for a condo (he likes yard work), and I wanted a place that our kids could come home to with their families.

Then a realtor friend showed us a new, unoccupied house with an open floor plan. When we walked in the front door, it took our breath away. That afternoon was like an epiphany for us--and I knew we'd build, not buy.

Drawing up our plan

We wanted the house to be accessible from the front door and from the three-car garage. Dave didn't want to lose space in the garage to a ramp; he wanted a level entrance directly into the house. He also wanted drains in the garage floor for all of the snow and ice my scooter wheels picked up on winter outings.

I wanted a LARGE office with easy access to files, books, and office equipment. I wanted the office to overlook the street so I could see what was going on in the neighborhood. (In our ranch house, my office was in the back, in a corner of our bedroom.) And I wanted windows that were low enough for me to see out. After seeing that house with an open floor plan, I knew the subtle accessibility modifications we needed would add, not detract, from the overall design of the house.

Meeting with the builder

Our builder was excited about constructing an accessible house. We told him we wanted all doorways to be 36" wide and we didn't want any surface change to be greater than 3/8". He said, "No problem." By sinking the basement slightly deeper than normal, he could ramp a cement sidewalk to the front door and eliminate a ramp in the garage altogether.

For easy care and easy rolling, we chose hardwood and ceramic tile floors throughout most of the house. In the great room, the master bedroom, and in our two offices where there is carpeting, there's a seamless transition from the hardwood floors.

Dave does all the cooking due to my limitation, so we didn't lower the sink, stove, or cabinet countertops. But he likes me to be with him in the kitchen as he cooks, so we made a wide aisle around the island cooktop so that I can get to the stove for a taste test or to the silverware drawer to set the table.

I designed a kitchen table with no legs to get in my way. Two posts hold the table up--and it can seat six people. The chairs are upholstered and on rollers, so I can move them when I set or clear the table.

We included waist-level light switches, lever handles on all doors, remote control blinds in my office, and large bathrooms with grab bars near the toilets and a roll-in shower. My friends and older relatives have commented on the ease of operation of the lever-handle doorknobs, the convenience of the bathroom grab bars, and the comfort of the raised toilet seats. Toddlers who visit love the lowered light switches.

We had the front door and the garage door wired so we could add automatic doors in the future. Currently, I can still open and close doors myself. The front door has glass sidelights that allow me to see who's there before I unlock and open it. We wired an elevator shaft to the lower level, but we'll wait to put the elevator in.

Let the sun shine in!

I meant it about windows. We have floor-to-ceiling windows in the great room. Wow! Everywhere I turn, I can see the world around me. I can't describe the healing energy I receive from light pouring in. I feel like a princess in a grand castle. On Sunday afternoons I see people driving slowly past the houses in my new neighborhood, and I think back to those times when Dave and I did that. I feel blessed to be living in the house of our dreams!