Universal Design inspires fashion-conscious designer
Robineve Cole of the Walnut Creek, CA-based Robineve Interiors Universal Design founded her firm on the premise that good design solves problems and improves quality of life. Initially inspired by her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s and then a car accident that left her in a wheelchair for several months, she began to look more seriously at how the principles of Universal Design could be incorporated into a home to make the space work for a variety of needs, from a temporary injury to a permanent disability – as well as for a range of ages and life stages.
Universal Design precepts continue to impact her work today; indeed, her company’s tag line is “Designing Homes for Life,” and her firm offers an innovative three-hour Universal Design Walk-Through checklist to address the myriad ways a client’s home can be remodeled to integrate UD principles.
But while function is a critical element of Cole’s design process, fashion is equally important to this award-winning California designer. Indeed, she started her career in the fashion industry designing one-of-a-kind celebrity dresses before moving into interior design. Her extensive international travel also colors her designs, which have been published in Architectural Digest, Washington Post, California Home Design and more, and she is also a sought-after speaker.
