In 2003, the late architect and designer Michael Graves was paralyzed from the waist down by a spinal cord infection. Since then, his eponymous Princeton, New Jersey-based firm and spinoff consumer product brand have put innovative mobility solutions at the forefront, including a recent collaboration with Pottery Barn that reinterprets the notion of inclusivity, not through a healthcare filter but a multidimensional lifestyle lens.
Rob Van Varick of Michael Graves Design with the Yardley armchair
“There’s always been this perception that you can either have something that looks great or something that is accessible, but you can’t have both,” says Rob Van Varick, chief design officer of Michael Graves Design. Yet he and his colleagues, drawing from more than two decades of expertise, have dreamed up Pottery Barn bedroom furniture for those aging in place; looking ahead to a streamlined future; or tackling permanent, situational, or temporary disabilities that prioritizes comfort and fall prevention but is also beautiful.
An expansion of the retailer’s stylish Accessible Home range, the collection fuses functionality and emotional connection, showcasing updates made to Pottery Barn’s bestselling Cayman, Sausalito, and Farmhouse edits as well as newly designed Bradford and Yardley chairs—the former has adjustable risers—with optimized seat depth.
The team was “involved in every step of the process, which included concepting initial sketches and reviewing prototypes to final quality and safety testing,” says Pottery Barn president Monica Bhargava. “We have been impressed by their research and development knowledge.”
The impetus for these designs came from meeting with hundreds of individuals—including caregivers and people with different disabilities from different geographic areas—over the last 20 years and finding common ground.
The Bradford armchair boasts higher armrests to aid mobility and balance
This led to bed frames flaunting headboards with integrated armrests that can help a user to roll over, and built-in benches with seating that’s a bit higher than standard to help those “who need to sit down to get dressed. It also becomes a place to take a moment to relax,” Van Varick explains. “It has a luxurious, aspirational feel.”
These beds can be paired alongside dressers outfitted with handy guard rails and nightstands designed with raised lips that prevent small items from tumbling to the floor. They also have large drawers buoyed by power outlets that are ideal for tucking away cumbersome CPAP machines that aid sleep apnea. In the end, these pieces provide meaningful improvement in people’s lives as well as promise “a bit of solitude and serenity,” adds Van Varick.
The grab rail of the Cayman dresser makes accessing drawers easier
This article originally appeared in HD’s September 2024 issue.
