5 Keys To Designing A Great Kitchen With An Older Person In Mind
The kitchen is the main focus of many important tasks. This means that if you are older or are designing the right kitchen for an older relative, it's important to get some aspect right.
To help you or your loved one get the most benefit from your new kitchen, here are five great ways to remodel with accessibility in mind.
1. Lighting. Make sure you include plenty of good lighting options. Failure to have direct and focused lighting could result in dangerous mishaps. Be certain to plan extra task lighting around areas like the stove, prep areas, and clean up spaces where heat and sharp edges abound.
2. Proper Heights. Measure your counter top and sink heights for the people who will be using them. If the person uses a wheelchair, sinks and counters may need to be lowered and possibly accommodated with open space underneath. If wheelchairs are not an issue, just make sure that the main cooks can stand comfortably and work at an angle that doesn't require reaching upward or downward unnecessarily.
3. Efficiency. Consider the size of the kitchen, in general, to determine how you can maximize the efficiency of the layout. Islands, for example, can be a boon to large kitchens by reducing extra steps. But if that island creates a traffic barrier between things like the sink and the stove, it can defeat the purpose. In this case, it may make sense to put the other appliance on the island itself.
4. Custom Cabinetry. Cabinets can be designed with particular users and uses in mind. For many older persons, pull-out shelves are a great way to prevent injury and allow the entire storage space to be used. You can also customize to specific needs, such as by including a drawer with built-in spice racks or adding lazy Susans to corner cabinets.
5. Use the Mid Range. Most kitchen designers try to make use of every inch of kitchen space — including above and below normal usage — to maximize its function. But for accessibility, focus on what you can do at waist or arm's height instead. Placing appliances within easy reach and adding appliance garages on the countertop could be even more important than squeezing space out of odd angles or corners.
By focusing on what's most important in an accessible kitchen, you can design a space that will be functional, efficient, and comfortable for everyone who uses it. For more information, contact your local kitchen design services.
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