Convenient Kitchen: 3 Tips for Design Within Reach

[caption id="attachment_945" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Kitchen by Hafele. Universal Design by Mary Jo Peterson, Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer, Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing[/caption]

If you’ve ever experienced the frustration of fumbling, searching, reaching or stretching into the dark recesses of your kitchen cabinets in search of its contents, then your kitchen is a candidate for Universal Design. Despite what you might think, Universal Design has little to do with aging and everything to do with accessibility. Sure, the design philosophy is gaining traction as our population matures: The American Association of Retired People (AARP) says over the next 18 years, boomers will be turning 65 at a rate of about 8,000 a day.  These nearly 80 million baby boomers in the United States are redefining the way we think about and design our living space. However, Universal Design is not just for the older folks who want to “age in place.” It’s for you and me, our children, everyone in our household and anyone who uses our living space.

[caption id="attachment_957" align="alignleft" width="140"] Mary Jo Peterson, Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer[/caption]

 

I recently interviewed Mary Jo Peterson, Certified Aging in Place Specialist, Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer, Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing, and a respected instructor and voice in the realm of Universal Design. Peterson breaks down the stereotype of “Universal Design” and redefines what it really means in today’s living space: “In reality, Universal Design is all about creating beauty and accessibility for all ages and stages of life.” Peterson says that people tend to associate Universal Design with an aging population or those with disabilities. That would be misleading. In fact, it’s about design that honors the diversity in people. It’s about creating spaces that remain accessible, adaptable, and functional throughout the lifetime of a home and its inhabitants without compromising on beauty and style. Here are three tips to make your kitchen user-friendly for all.

 

 

Bring Your Storage within Reach:

[caption id="attachment_944" align="aligncenter" width="560"] pull-out shelves by Hafele store dishes for easy access without having to reach around searching deep into the cabinet for its contents.[/caption]

Think about where you most often use or store items in the kitchen. What are the heights of these storage areas? Peterson says most of us can reach items stored between 15 and 48 inches off the floor, which is where our storage should be concentrated. “A lot of storage in the kitchen is not in that range. We need to prioritize what we store and where.” Her advice: rearrange and reconfigure storage at the point of use so it’s easily accessible.

[caption id="attachment_952" align="aligncenter" width="560"] This corner swing out cabinet by Hafele brings the pots and pans to you without having to strain and reach into the depths of the cabinet to get your pots and pans.[/caption]

Look at heights and access to storage. Instead of shelves maybe you use drawers. Pull-out drawers make it easier to see and reach items stored in lower cabinets. You can organize the inside of deep drawers with pegboard systems or other drawer accessories for items like dishware, which is typically stored in wall cabinets. Universal Design is also clever when it comes to storage. Here are a few examples: Lighted corner swing out storage can be used for those hard-to-reach base corner cabinets. Decorative kitchen counter columns can store cleaning equipment, all at the point of use. In addition to storage placement, there are other storage details that make life easier for all, such as lining shelves with non-slip surfacing to keep things like glassware from slipping.

[caption id="attachment_950" align="aligncenter" width="560"] This appliance garage by Hafele rises at the push of a button bringing the appliances to your height. When you’re done, press the button to lower it creating more counter space.[/caption]

You can also make appliances come to you on demand with electronic remote-controlled storage. One example is the appliance garage that rises at the push of a button bringing the appliances to your height. When you’re done, press the button to lower it creating more counter space. An appliance garage works great in the prep process: when you’re ready to use these appliances, raise them within your reach. “Retractable space is about minimizing physical effort by putting it in your workspace with the items you need within reach,” explains Peterson.

Light Up Your Space for Eyes of All Ages:

[caption id="attachment_948" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Notice all the strategic lighting in this Kitchen designed by Mary Jo Peterson and Hafele. Underneath the kitchen island is toekick lighting for extra illuminate to move around in the space.[/caption]

Lighting plays a huge role in both functionality and visual appeal. As we age, our eyes require different lighting solutions. “We need to be attentive to the source of light and diffusion of light,” says Peterson. This applies not only to overhead lighting but task lighting as well. Peterson suggests clean, sparkling light that clearly illuminates.

[caption id="attachment_940" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Interior cabinet lighting is a must for Universal Design so that you can see the contents of your cabinets without having to search and strain.[/caption]

Consider installing LED lights in cabinets, drawers and other storage spaces to illuminate the contents. LEDs are small and can easily fit into tiny spaces and they provide energy savings compared to traditional lighting. Motion activated lighting that turns on when you enter the kitchen at night can assist as well.

[caption id="attachment_938" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Here LED strip lighting is used to illuminate underneath the upper cabinets. LEDs are small and so they can easily fit into tiny spaces and they provide energy[/caption]

Make Space to Move Around:

[caption id="attachment_949" align="aligncenter" width="560"] In this Hafele display at the 2013 Kitchen and Bath Show in New Orleans, one counter is 34 inches high, another is 37 inches high and a third workspace is 45 inches high.[/caption]

The kitchen ideally should accommodate people working from a seated or standing position. If you’re thinking about a kitchen remodel, then consider the concept of creating base cabinets with a higher toe kick for easier clearance if operating from a seated position. Think about how you can accommodate different heights in all kitchen workspaces with countertops installed at various heights. In this Hafele display at the 2013 Kitchen and Bath Show in New Orleans, one counter is 34 inches high, another is 37 inches high and a third workspace is 45 inches high.

 

Ever hit your head on an overhead open cabinet door? Aggravating right? Consider replacing those swinging cabinet doors with sliding doors making it easy for anyone to get around including children. Sliding doors also work great in passage areas. An example is the barn door, not only does it make a fabulous design statement, this on-trend feature replaces the swinging door without having to rebuild the wall or doorframe. It’s easy to install and creates a wider passage for universal access. Another space saver is the pullout work surface that creates more clearance to move around in the kitchen. When it’s not in use, the surface slides into the base cabinet creating an open space.

[caption id="attachment_941" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Here, decorative kitchen counter columns store cleaning equipment, all at the point of use.[/caption]

“Universal Design is really smart, common sense design. It’s not a solution to a problem. It’s beautiful, cool and at times invisible to the uninformed eye,” says Peterson.