Challenge: how can a small, middle-aged house be remodeled to provide for more accommodations for the family that lives in the home as well as others who might visit? Put another way, how can a home’s systems be modernized (roof, insulation, plumbing, appliances and fixtures to name a few) while also upgrading the dwelling to work better for the actual people who will be using it over the next 50 years?

This approach towards improving the functionality of a home while maintaining its appeal is known as universal design (UD). Much attention is justifiably paid to including UD features in new home construction. The added cost is minimal and the integrated UD features accommodate almost any home style. But we can’t rely exclusively on building our way into better homes for our 21st Century demographic. There are so many old fashioned existing homes in the US, we need to address how remodeling can play a role in upgrading the function of already-built housing.

The Home Today, Home Tomorrow Design Challenge home, in Memphis TN provides a number of solutions to this challenge. While few of us can attempt a total home remodel (all at once, at least), over time many of us can address one home feature after another until cumulatively, we may have created a much more livable home that can serve our family and friends throughout all of life’s changes.

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