Kimberly Jarrett, left, a Western Carolina University junior majoring in interior design, presents her designs for the statewide Waters of Life competition at University of North Carolina at Greensboro alongside professor Jane Nichols.

Two Western Carolina University students recently received awards for their interior design entries in the first biennial Waters for Life student-design competition.

Kimberly Jarrett and Ray Olive, interior design majors, submitted presentation boards and statements describing their design concepts to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s gerontology program. Both students received honorable mention awards with cash prizes at the recent Aging is Good Business Summit.

The aging of “baby boomers” who are approaching and planning for their retirement means that designers are developing new approaches to interior design based on increased awareness of the issues of aging. Jarrett’s and Olive’s projects were devoted to this objective, specifically focusing on prototypical bathrooms that can be adapted to the retiring generation’s changing needs. The judging of the entries was based on design innovation, functionality and the responsiveness to gerontological needs.

A WCU junior, Jarrett explained her design as an Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible bathroom for an older person wanting to age at home. “For the contest, I designed a barrier-free bathroom layout fit for a person in a wheelchair or other mobility structure,” she said. “Along with the layout, I selected materials and finishes for the bathroom that were ADA-compliant and friendly to the aging population. I got my color inspiration from the name of the contest. The bathroom incorporates cool blues and greens along with a sand-colored tile in tumbled marble and a smooth river rock for the shower.”

From Weaverville, Jarrett graduated from North Buncombe High School in 2005. Her parents are Philip and Brenda Jarrett.

Olive, a WCU senior from Durham, said the goal of his design process was to create a functional, versatile space. “While meeting the needs of the client who wishes to age in place, it was necessary for the design features to be suitable and not obvious. Special considerations such as a storage area, which can be easily converted into open floor space, allows for wheelchair accessibility by the toilet. The custom lavatories boast unique design features such as adjustable basins, tiltable mirrors and integrated motion sensor faucets with anti-scald devices,” he said.

Students said the contest was a lot of fun because it enabled them to deal with a real-life scenario that they will possibly face while in practice as interior designers. “The most challenging part was coming up with a solution in a short period of time and putting myself in the shoes of an older person,” said Jarrett. “Things I am able to do easily and take for granted are things that can become obstacles for a person in a wheelchair, like washing my hands or getting into the shower.”

For more information about Western’s interior design program, contact Marc Yops at (828) 227-2155 or yops@wcu.edu.

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Last modified: Friday, April 25, 2008