When my husband and I bought a house a few years ago about a mile from Lake Michigan, we chose it mainly for its location. We had no idea how its clever design would later make such a huge difference in our lives. The house had been built and later carefully modified by Jim and Marianne Rogers, a couple who understand firsthand how vital thoughtful design can be. After Jim sustained a spinal cord injury in 2012 that left him with quadriplegia, he and Marianne transformed the home into a place of dignity, comfort and accessibility. They made modifications both significant and subtle, and without making the dwelling look like a medical facility.
Years later, when my husband underwent two knee replacement surgeries within a span of three years, those same features suddenly became essential for us too. What the Rogers had created for one family turned out to serve another, underscoring a truth at the heart of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Accessibility benefits everyone.
This year, as the ADA marks its 35th anniversary, stories like Jim and Marianne’s remind us how much progress has been made – and how much still lies ahead.
A Home That Balances Dignity and Design
Jim Rogers remembers the day his life changed. “I was cutting down a tree with a chainsaw,” he recalled. “A limb fell 40 feet and hit me in the back. I was conscious the whole time, but I couldn’t move. That was it.”
After weeks in intensive care and then months of rehab at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich., Jim and Marianne had to rethink everything about their home. The rehabilitation center offered a checklist of modifications: ramps, accessible bathrooms, stair gates.
Marianne, who had worked for many years at Herman Miller (now MillerKnoll), had good design in her DNA. She and Jim were determined that their house would not look like a hospital. So a few years later, when my husband Paul and I toured their property, we never would have guessed that someone with significant mobility challenges lived there. The curb appeal started right at the entrances to the house.
“My brother-in-law had come up with this brilliant idea,” Jim shared. Instead of installing a huge ramp that would take over the front entrance or the entirety of the garage, he built a lift inside the garage using a car platform. “I’d roll onto it in my wheelchair, hit a button, and it would take me right up and into the house. It worked for me – and everyone else could still use the front entrance and even the stairs in the garage,” Jim said.
Inside, Jim and Marianne redesigned the main bathroom, removing a jet tub to create space for a roll-in shower. Grab bars were installed but specifically selected so they didn’t look just utilitarian. They specified gorgeous tile, the opposite of institutional. Marianne insisted the space look sleek, not clinical. “I just wanted it to feel like a beautiful bathroom,” she said.
Flooring products and thresholds throughout the main level also were optimized for ease of wheelchair use, but with an eye on aesthetics.
This design philosophy has carried over into every home the Rogers have built or renovated since then, including a place in Florida, a new home in Michigan and a residence in Arizona now under construction. Expansive hallways, barrier-free flooring, sliders with recessed thresholds for seamless access outside, even motion-activated doors – all were designed so Jim could move freely, but with an emphasis on style and resale.
“Nobody walks in and thinks, ‘Oh, a disabled person lives here,’” Jim said. “They just see a beautiful home.”
Their thoughtful design also has proved convenient for guests. For example, at their Florida home, a wide cement walkway (instead of grass or pavers) made it easy to roll coolers down to a nearby boat dock. “People assume ramps mean disability,” Jim said. “But our ramp to the dock was a lifesaver for even simple things. Our friends without disabilities loved it.”
Those who have gone on to buy the Rogers’ former homes (like me and my husband) appreciate these choices too. When Paul underwent his knee replacement surgeries, accessibility became personal. We were grateful for the modifications Jim and Marianne had made.
The ADA at 35
Stories like the Rogers’ are what Congress envisioned when it passed the ADA in 1990. Signed into law by President George H.W. Bush, the ADA was the first comprehensive civil rights legislation for people with disabilities. Its scope is broad – Title I (employment), Title II (public services/transportation), Title III (public accommodations), and Title IV (telecommunications).
Together, these provisions aimed to guarantee “equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency” for people with disabilities. Over three decades, the ADA has reshaped the American landscape. Curb cuts, ramps, accessible restrooms, elevators and automatic doors are now part of everyday life. Meanwhile, design professionals are on the front lines of making strides toward even greater accessibility.
From the start, architects and designers played a pivotal role in shaping accessibility.
“The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and our members have demonstrated a longstanding, continuing commitment to accessible design that includes helping develop the ADA but (work) actually began decades earlier,” explained Evelyn Lee, FAIA, current president of the American Institute of Architects.
Lee points to a long arc: AIA Fellow Leon Chatelain Jr.’s work with Easterseals led to the first national accessibility standard in 1961; and by 1974, AIA’s Barrier-Free Task Force had framed accessibility as a civil-rights issue in its Code of Ethics. By the time Congress passed the ADA in 1990, AIA members were shaping the standards and educating the profession ahead of the 1992 effective date.
That leadership continues today. AIA currently promotes adherence to ADA Standards for Accessible Design across all aspects of building construction, from parking areas to entrances and restrooms. AIA supports architects through comprehensive educational resources and specialized courses. Beyond mere compliance, AIA champions universal design principles that create truly inclusive environments usable by everyone, regardless of ability.
The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)’s role stretches from the ADA’s formation – with members like William L. Wilkoff and Shelley Siegel (who served on the U.S. Access Board) – to current practice. From the beginning, ASID not only educated members on the ADA’s requirements such as doorway clearances, restroom fixture heights and ramp specifications, but also inspired designers to push beyond the minimums.
“ASID has always done an excellent job of capturing and sharing legislative updates with members,” said Perrin Graham-Jackson, ASID associate, NEWH, senior project designer at West End Interiors and chair elect for ASID’s Universal Design Committee. “Beyond that, we’ve inspired designers to develop and share research-based designs, case studies and best practices in response to new requirements.”
Over the decades, ASID created committees dedicated to accessibility and adaptive living, culminating in today’s Universal Design Committee, which blends code compliance with design excellence. “The ‘Adaptive Living Guide’ comes to mind as a prominent example of how designers blend code-compliance with beautifully functional spaces,” said Lauren Earley, Esq., ASID Affiliate.
ASID has sustained accessibility education through toolkits and CEUs – from the 2007 “Design for Aging in Place” Toolkit to the 2025 white paper “Reimagining Aging,” with the Home + Series translating research into residential practice. ASID also advocates policy – from 2023 Capitol Day support for stronger “visit-ability” standards to member service on ICC’s ANSI 117.1 updates.
ASID highlights another frontier: aging. For the first time in history, there will soon be more people over 60 than under, ASID noted. That demographic shift makes accessible and adaptable design urgent for homes, workplaces and public spaces alike. Wider doorways, barrier-free showers and single-level living aren’t just for wheelchair users — they’re for anyone navigating aging bodies. ASID’s focus today also extends beyond its early core. “Designers address not only aging in place but also temporary injuries, neurodivergence, PTSD and other diverse needs,” said Graham-Jackson.
Earley added, “For the next 35 years, we can project and hope for even more codes, standards and best practices that ensure the ability for all occupants to enter safely into, exist within and exit safely from interior spaces.”
For ASID, the ADA was a milestone, but not the finish line. “ASID is proud to have been part of the shaping, implementation, ongoing maintenance and improvements to what is a cutting-edge piece of legislation, globally speaking,” Earley noted.
The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) has consistently aligned itself with the principles of accessibility embodied in the ADA. The Institute of Business Designers (IBD) and the Council of Federal Interior Designers (CFID), two of the three predecessor organizations that merged to create IIDA, had working groups that contributed to the creation of the ADA.
In 2018, IIDA — together with ASID — publicly opposed the ADA Education and Reform Act (H.R. 620). The associations argued that the bill, which would have required individuals with disabilities to provide written notice of an ADA violation before seeking legal recourse, would weaken critical protections and shift the burden of enforcement away from businesses and institutions. In its statement, IIDA reaffirmed that the ADA should be strengthened rather than diluted, emphasizing that equitable access is integral to the work of professional designers.
Beyond legislative advocacy, IIDA actively promotes the principles of universal design, defined as creating environments that can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible regardless of age, ability or circumstance. The organization highlights accessibility not only as a legal obligation, but also as a professional and ethical standard for designers working in public and commercial spaces. IIDA’s advocacy efforts also include pushing for registration, certification or licensure of interior designers in code-regulated environments, where accessibility and ADA compliance are essential to health, safety and welfare.
The association also engages in public awareness campaigns, marking milestones such as the 35th anniversary of the ADA to spotlight the progress made toward accessible design. Through its public statements, advocacy platform and professional standards, IIDA positions ADA compliance and universal design as central to the practice of interior design.
Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA, executive vice president and CEO of IIDA, said accessibility is evolving into something even broader: “Universal design is an abiding tenet of interior design, long recognized and practiced by the design community before it was legislated. The ADA enhanced awareness of accessible design and broadened its usage among clients, consumers and the general public. Now, we’re seeing the rise of inclusive design, aimed at embracing all of our differences, including neurodivergence, gender expression and beyond.”
“A True Gift for Everyone” – Kim Lisa’s Story
For Kim Lisa Sobotta, diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in her 30s, the ADA’s legacy is personal. At home, she uses a walker; out in public, a wheelchair. She prefers the phrase persons with disabilities – a reminder that language matters.
“What the ADA really did was catalyze the idea of universal design,” she said. “Curb cuts, ramps, automatic doors – those don’t just help people with disabilities. They help parents with strollers, people making deliveries or someone with a temporary injury. People need to realize what a true gift [the ADA] has been for everyone.”
Her own home reflects the marriage of function and beauty. “We were surprised by how many stylish grab bars are on the market,” she said. “Why shouldn’t accessibility look beautiful?”
Over the decades, she has seen progress in workplaces and public spaces, though not evenly. Like Marianne Rogers, she too had worked at Herman Miller, where she saw first-hand an early model of the inclusive workplace. “They were forward-thinking,” she said.
But she also notes shortcomings she’s seen in workplaces: “Companies that want uniform-looking desks, all at the same height, for aesthetic reasons, well, that’s not helpful for persons with disabilities. Organizations that provide height-adjustable desks – that’s when they’re really accommodating,” she said.
Sobotta also points to lagging industries. “Hotels and restaurants often treat ADA compliance like a checkbox,” she said. “That’s a shame. More people are traveling with disabilities than ever before, and [hospitality] could do much better.”
Abroad, she’s seen smarter solutions – fold-down grab bars, walk-in showers that drain properly so no water is left on the floor, bathrooms designed for multiple users of varying abilities. “In the U.S., too often accessible [hotel] rooms aren’t thought through,” she said.
Jim and Marianne Rogers agree.
“Hotels will advertise roll-in showers that really aren’t roll-in,” Marianne said, “or sinks that look fine until you try to get a wheelchair under them.”
Jim adds: “I can’t tell you how many times Marianne has to go check the room first. They’ll say it’s accessible, but it’s not.”
Even something as simple as putting the most accessible rooms on the first floor, as opposed to on higher floors where elevator use is required by wheelchair users, seems to be ignored by a lot of hotels, the Rogers have observed. If a fire were to break out, and the elevators unusable, people like Jim would be stuck in a dangerous situation. Such experiences highlight a broader issue: Accessibility on paper doesn’t always translate into accessibility in practice.
Despite decades of progress, more work needs to be done. Theo Braddy, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), is candid: “The ADA has transformed independent living by greatly improving physical accessibility, such as curb cuts, ramps, accessible entrances and workplace accommodations. But major gaps remain. On-demand accessible transportation is still unavailable in many places. Air travel continues to harm people through damaged wheelchairs and inadequate accessibility. And most importantly, ableist attitudes persist.”
Ableism, Braddy explained, is the belief that non-disabled people are superior. “For too long, society has treated us as charity cases, burdens or problems to be fixed. People with disabilities are not the problem; it is the way society is designed and the attitudes it holds that must change,” he said.
The Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) echoed this urgency. In marking the ADA’s 35th anniversary, the organization praised progress but called attention to barriers that still shut out millions of veterans and civilians alike. Lack of accessible housing, uneven compliance in public facilities and a shortage of trained attendants remain pressing concerns.
Jim Rogers nods at those frustrations from his own experience. Accessible parking, for instance, varies wildly by state. Jim described trying to use “van-accessible” spots that aren’t wide enough for his van’s lift ramp. “Math is math,” he said. “If a spot needs eight feet, it should be eight feet everywhere. Instead, it varies by state.”
Even exceptionally, thoughtfully designed places loved by the Rogers – like Michigan’s Frederik Meijer Gardens – fall short, according to Jim. “They have tons of accessible parking spots,” he said, “but not one that works for a van [like ours].”
As the ADA enters its fourth decade, the challenge is no longer just compliance – it’s imagination. How can design create spaces that don’t just meet standards, but truly welcome everyone?
Universal, inclusive design provides a roadmap. It rejects the idea that accessibility is an add-on and, instead, weaves it into every decision from the start. As ASID and IIDA emphasize, inclusivity now extends beyond physical disability.
For Jim and Marianne Rogers, the lesson is clear: Design can shape dignity. “I don’t want my house to look like someone disabled lives here,” Jim said. “I want it to feel normal, beautiful. And it works – for me and for everyone else.”
For Sobotta, it’s about aesthetics and thoughtfulness. “Disabled people deserve beauty too,” she said. “Accessibility should look and feel good.”
And for advocates like Braddy and the PVA, the call is louder: dismantle ableism, close the gaps in transportation and housing, and insist that accessibility be consistent and universal. The ADA was never just about ramps and restrooms. It was, and is, about equality, dignity and independence. Thirty-five years on, its impact is visible everywhere – in homes like the Rogers’, in workplaces adapting for inclusivity, in the language of design itself.
But anniversaries aren’t endpoints. They’re reminders. As Durst puts it: “Design is for all of us, truly. Every human interacts with design, and the profession, in turn, must serve all humans. Interior design has always embraced a people-first philosophy, and as designers increasingly lean into that ethos, the built environment will become more accessible, equitable and welcoming for all.”
For architects, designers and manufacturers, the task is both practical and profound: Go beyond the code. Build spaces that not only comply, but also delight, inspire and welcome all. Because in the end, accessibility isn’t just about disability. It’s for everyone.
Jim sums it up from lived experience: “Everything matters – every inch, every angle. The details can mean the difference between dependence and independence.”
For my husband and me, those details made recovery from knee surgery safer and less stressful. For millions of others, they mean the ability to live, work and thrive.