A new concept is pushing the boundaries of wheelchair accessible lifestyle in the home and literally taking it to another level.
Home elevators are not new and have been around for a few years. They are appealing because they allow users – who have been confined to a wheelchair – to continue to use the upstairs of their home. Not every person can afford or wish to move home and downsize to a single-story property because of an accident or medical condition which means they can no longer walk or stand unaided.
By installing a home elevator, it allows the user to remain independent and remain at home, especially if they live on their own. They can transfer between the floors of their house at a touch of a button whenever they wish and, having a lift put in, is also handy for lifting heavy objects, or even the shopping, up and down.
That said, these type of ‘through the floor‘ elevators – which are designed specifically for the home – are not usually very attractive additions to the home. They can look quite square-like and rather cumbersome, while also taking up a lot of space. Not everyone who is in a wheelchair necessarily wants to showcase that they have a mobility issue when people visit their home.
So a new American elevator brand – by the name of Lifton – appears to be aiming to change these misconceptions with its LiftonTRIO lift which aims to ‘reinvent the rule book, protect your precious floorspace, while giving you access to all areas, at all times’.
Its stylish curved grey finish profile is a massive improvement on a traditional wheelchair home lift which usually require hydraulics and supporting walls. With a Lifton, it does not require either as it is powered by plugging it into a normal domestic wall socket. It travels through the floor on two rails and has a gently angled ramp for easy access, hold-to-run controls and soft white LED downlights.
With a recent study suggesting that global sales of residential elevators could rise by up to 45 percent over the next five years, one thing is for sure, home elevators are certainly on the up.