I believe a well-designed home should be both easy to live in and pleasing to the eye. A design concept growing in popularity called universal design incorporates both of these tenets. Mature baby boomers (myself included) are beginning to plan more for the coming years, and a home that functions well and is more livable is growing in demand. Universal design can be used by anyone—both young and older adults find features in it that simply make a home work better. Universal home design includes wide hallways, wide doorways (I often use double doors on these as a design feature), no step front entries, one-story living and extra floor space–all components of most of my homes. One of my favorite universal design features are curbless showers that make showers easier for everyone to access. Lever door handles and special light switches are not only suitable for those with poor hand strength, they are great for young mothers who come in with arms full of groceries. Laundry rooms, kitchens and other heavily used rooms all benefit from easier to reach clothing rods, shelving and cabinets. With a little planning now, homeowners can prepare for sudden disabilities or the inevitable gray hairs that creep up on all of us.