Today’s kitchens must be ready to change to accommodate simpler living choices and life changes. With features that offer benefits to any user (think wheels on a suitcase!), universal kitchen design ideas can be incorporated into any kitchen.
Here are 10 basic Universal Kitchen Design ideas that can be incorporated into your own kitchen:
1) Store plates and bowls in base cabinet drawers – majority of kitchen users can only comfortably reach bottom shelf of their wall cabinets.
2) Raise dishwasher 6-12” off of kitchen floor and place drawer underneath…or use 2 dishwasher drawers side by side.
3) Avoid refrigerators with large, heavy doors that can be difficult to open.
4) Add task lighting over counters to provide useful light to specific kitchen work areas.
5) Dimmers for easy adjustment to both general and task kitchen lighting.
6) Larger-sized hardware that is easier to grab on to.
7) Kitchen work surfaces at varying heights to accommodate individual needs of users.
8) Hands free kitchen faucets that require little or no grabbing and are more water efficient.
9) Double ovens that sit side by side instead of stacked.
10) Appliances with front and side controls so you don’t have to reach over top of to use.
These are only a handful of examples of how universal design can make any kitchen easier and in most cases more efficient. With thoughtful planning, these universal kitchen design ideas can be incorporated into any kitchen to make using and enjoying the kitchen experience better and easier for everyone in your home.
