Ponzio, Nunan, Ashley Earn Home for Life Awards

	Carole Ponzio, of Design Solutions in Port Charlotte, Fla., earned a Homes for Life Award by making an entire home more accessible for its owner.

NAHB Remodelers recently announced three winners of its third annual Homes for Life Award, recognizing exceptional remodeling work for aging in place and universal design. Sponsored by Best Bath Systems, the awards were presented at the NAHB Remodelers gala during the Remodeling Show in Indianapolis in October. Andy Hedden-Nicely, director of marketing for Best Bath Systems was on hand to help present the awards. Best Bath Systems, Inc. of Boise, Idaho pioneered the life-time shower concept and continues to be a leader in safe, accessible bathroom remodeling.

Carole Ponzio, CGA, CAPS, of Design Solutions in Port Charlotte, Fla.; Patricia Nunan, CAPS, of Lifestyles Design in Perkiomenville, Penn.; and  Tom Ashley, CGR, CAPS, CGP, of Expand Inc. in Denham Springs, La., earned NAHB’s Homes for Life Awards recognizing excellence in remodeling for aging-in-place and universal design.  

• Ponzio earned the award in the “Major Space” category by making a house more accessible, functional and beautiful for its 60-year-old, wheelchair-using owner. Ponzio enlarged the kitchen and added roll-under counters, reachable appliances, a pullout shelf and pantry, self-closing drawers, task lighting and more. She also widened hallways and created a fully-accessible bathroom with turning space, grab bars and a roll-in shower, tilted mirror and pullout clothes rod. Creating office space and improving access to the backyard were also part of the remodel.

	Patricia Nunan earned a Homes for Life Award for remodeling the master bathroom to make it more accessible for a woman with multiple sclerosis.

• Nunan earned the award in the “Single Space” category for remodeling the master bathroom of a recently retired couple. To accommodate the wife’s progressive multiple sclerosis, Nunan made the bathroom wheelchair accessible by enlarging it, creating a no-step shower, installing slip resistant floors and decorative grab bars and by making the space more beautiful and comfortable.

	Tom Ashley earned a Homes for Life Award for remodeling the bathroom with aging-in-place features for a retired couple.

• Ashley also earned the award in the “Single Space” category for remodeling a bathroom for a retired couple who are avid boaters in order to make it more accessible as they age. His remodel improved the bathroom’s natural light, enlarged it and added a porthole. He also installed a no-step shower with a deep seat for resting, a hand-held shower, grab bars, vanities at different heights to match their needs, pocket doors and cabinets with full extension slides. 

Thanks to Best Bath Systems for supporting the 2009 Homes for Life Award! [ return to top ]