Thriving-in-Place FAQs: Aging-in-Place Remodeling in Northern Virginia & DC

Sun Design builds thriving-in-place bathrooms around accessibility features that prioritize safety and independence while keeping the space visually consistent with the rest of the home. Key elements include curbless showers, comfort-height toilets, and pre-installed wall blocking for future grab bars.

Our aging-in-place bathroom remodels center on features that remove physical barriers without turning the room into a clinical space. The designs include curbless showers and zero-threshold shower entries, which eliminate the step responsible for many bathroom falls among older adults.

Wall blocking for future grab bars is installed during construction so bars can be added years later without opening walls — preserving both the timeline and the finish work. Shower seats and hand-held or adjustable showerheads support a range of mobility levels without requiring specialized equipment that signals a medical environment.

Comfort-height toilets reduce strain during sitting and standing transitions. Lever-style door and fixture handles replace round knobs, which require grip strength that can diminish over time. Double vanities give households flexibility and reduce congestion in a shared bathroom, while large shower formats create a spa-like atmosphere rather than a hospital one.

The CDC identifies falls as the leading cause of injury for adults ages 65 and older, and reports that 1 in 4 older adults falls each year — which is exactly why barrier removal in the bathroom is where we start. One client described a completed barrier-free shower simply: “you just walk right in!”

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Sun Design reconfigures main-level spaces to consolidate every daily-life function on a single floor, reducing reliance on stairs for years to come. The approach places the primary suite, laundry, kitchen, and key common areas within one accessible level.

Placing all frequently used spaces on one floor removes the single largest daily navigation barrier in most homes. We work to locate the kitchen, living and family room, dining room, primary suite, laundry room, and hallways on the main level so that stairs become optional rather than necessary.

A first-floor primary suite keeps the bedroom close to the rest of the living space and eliminates nighttime stair navigation, which carries real fall risk in low-light conditions. Our completed projects show reconfigured kitchens, enlarged family rooms, relocated powder rooms, and laundry flex rooms repositioned to the main level — evidence of how significantly a floor plan can shift to support this goal.

We offer both a whole-home design path and a room-by-room phased plan, so homeowners can sequence changes according to budget and priority rather than committing to a full renovation at once. That flexibility matters: AARP’s 2021 Home and Community Preferences Survey found that 75% of adults 50 and older want to remain in their current homes, and 51% recognize they need a home that specifically supports independent aging.

Main-level reconfiguration isn’t a concession to age. It’s a design improvement that benefits the whole household at every life stage — which is the entire idea behind thriving-in-place.

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Sun Design integrates smart home systems covering lighting, climate, and security to improve comfort and accessibility within a remodeled home. These upgrades are tailored to the specific renovation rather than applied as a generic package.

We treat smart home technology as a functional layer within an accessibility-focused remodel, with integration spanning lighting, climate control, security, and related systems.

Automated or voice-controlled lighting addresses one of the most cited hazards for older adults at home, since falls frequently occur in low-visibility conditions — and the CDC confirms falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and older. Climate control integration removes the need to reach or adjust manual thermostats throughout the home, reducing unnecessary movement while maintaining consistent comfort. Security integration gives homeowners real-time awareness of their home without physical effort to check doors or windows.

Because we tie these systems to the renovation itself, the technology is embedded during construction rather than retrofitted afterward. That produces a cleaner installation and avoids surface-mounted hardware that can create its own navigation hazards.

Each smart home plan is matched to the specific layout and needs of the individual home rather than following a template — reflecting the broader principle that comfort, safety, and aesthetics should reinforce each other rather than compete.

Sun Design uses an integrated design-build model that handles design development, interior selections, and construction management within one organization. The process includes 3D renderings and weekly walk-throughs, and is backed by a 3-year workmanship warranty.

Our design-build model consolidates what are typically separate contracts, combining design development, interior selections, and construction management under one organization — so you engage a single accountable team from first concept through final inspection.

The process begins with a 15-minute introduction call followed by a free on-site consultation, which lets the design team evaluate the existing home before any plans are drawn.

Before construction begins, we provide 3D renderings so you can evaluate spatial changes, sightlines, circulation paths, and window placement at actual scale. That’s particularly useful when assessing how a wider doorway or a reconfigured bathroom will actually feel in use. During construction, weekly walk-throughs keep you informed of progress and allow for timely decisions.

Sun Design has operated since 1988 — more than 35 years — and our team of 50-plus staff includes personnel experienced in load-bearing wall modifications, roof alterations, and full-scale additions. At project completion we deliver a 3-year workmanship warranty along with a final warranty package that includes permits and inspection documentation.

We operate offices in Clifton and McLean, plus a by-appointment-only office in Bethesda, serving Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the DC area.

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Sun Design designs in-law suites with accessibility features including step-free entrances, zero-threshold showers, wider doorways, and independent climate control. Suite additions in the 580 to 1,125 square foot range are backed by built examples across Northern Virginia.

We approach an in-law suite as a self-contained accessible living environment inside the larger home, built to support independent daily function for a family member with current or anticipated mobility needs. Features include step-free entrances, wider doorways, lever-style door handles, zero-threshold showers with grab bars, a separate entrance, a private kitchenette, and a dedicated bathroom.

We also incorporate soundproofing and individual heating and cooling so the suite occupant has environmental control without depending on the main household’s systems.

Built examples show the range: a pop-top addition of approximately 1,125 square feet that included a secondary primary suite and two additional bedrooms, and a 580-square-foot rear-elevation expansion that added a light-filled primary suite, full bath, kitchenette, and sitting area. Both illustrate that we handle the structural complexity — including load-bearing modifications — a multigenerational suite often requires.

AARP’s 2021 Home and Community Preferences Survey found that 53% of adults 50 and older want housing with accessibility features, which is why this suite model applies far beyond a single household member. We don’t treat the in-law suite as a separate project category: it’s an extension of the thriving-in-place approach, where independence and connection to family are both built into the physical space.

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