19 Universal Design Principles to Consider When Remodeling Your Kitchen

Get a kitchen that is commodious for everyone by embracing these universal design summit from the pros .

What Is Universal Design?

general designaims to guarantee everyone — no matter of age , size of it , or ability — can safely and effectively use a blank . For your kitchen , that means thoughtfully designing the layout and function to be inclusive of a range of physical and cognitive abilities so that it play for as many people as potential . We ask recognise designers with theNational Kitchen and Bath Associationwhat householder need to roll in the hay to squeeze the principles of ecumenical design in their own kitchens .

Create Contrast

grant to Erin L. Serventi , possessor ofE.L. Designsand a Universal Design Certified Professional ( UDCP ) , contrast help people sympathise the boundaries of a place . " Ideally , there would be line between the floor and cabinet and between the cabinets and the countertops so that anyone with visual sense impairment can safely identify where surfaces modify from horizontal ( the floor ) to perpendicular ( cabinetry ) , " say Serventi . The decorator also say direct contrast does n’t have to be as stark as fateful and white ; white oak hardwood floors and walnut cabinetry offer enough differentiation to make an impingement .

Layer Lighting

raw light is ideal , so cover it when you’re able to . However , extra kitchen lightingis still necessary . Task fire up above sure areas , like the island and cooktop , supports safety during food for thought preparedness and cooking . " We recommend dimmable lighting for overhead light as well asunder - cabinet lightingat prep surfaces , " say Aimee Inouye ofHome Base Designs , LLC , a Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer ( CKBD ) and evidence Living in Place Professional ( CLIPP ) .

Inouye also observe emerging lighting trend that aid worldwide pattern , admit light draftsman interiors and incorporating lighting along the bottom of storage locker to emphasise the layout and depth of the blank .

Use Pull-Out Storage

" Storage option like trash pull - outs , peal - out shelves , lilt - up social shelves , and rive - down shelf offer much more flexible use , " says Serventi . Thesepullouts not only make it easy to see what ’s in your cabinet , but they can also mostly be maneuvered by citizenry of all ability .

Similar benefits can come from incorporating more drawer into the kitchen cabinetry , harmonize to Inouye . For example , upper cabinets might traditionally hold dishware and glasswork , but shorts with storage insert securely store these staples below the countertop , making them easier to access for more substance abuser .

Convert Cabinets to Open Shelving

Open shelving not only makes it easy to spot the item you ’re looking for , but it also makes those detail comfortable to get at , agree to Victoria Highfill , designer atBuilder Supply Source LLCand an Associate Kitchen Bath Designer ( AKBD ) and licence Living in Place Professional ( CLIPP ) . interchange closed base locker with unfastened ledge also removes roadblock for those who have difficulty opening door or drawer , and eliminates the clearance necessary for opening door . Highfill observe this is specially helpful for those using mobility devices .

Select a Single-Lever Faucet

Opt for a single - lever faucet to ensure people of all ability can release the water on and off . Single - lever models can be make out with either an open hand or a closed clenched fist , make them gross for homes with citizenry who suffer from arthritis . Touch- and voice - activated faucetsare also peachy for universal invention and are more common than ever in the kitchen . No matter the case of faucet , it should be gentle for the drug user to identify which direction the lever tumbler moves for hot or cold .

Install Cabinet Hardware

Cabinet doors and drawers without computer hardware are difficult to grasp . For better accessibility , install D - shape room access and drawer pull , which are easier to use than knobs for multitude with arthritis or other mobility issues . Choose a great clout that ’s at least 3 inches broad and avert stylus that are narrow or have a scurvy visibility . rich blank space between the hardware and the console make it gentle for everyone to grab .

D - shape pulling also permit you to easily lock cabinet that contain hazardous point , which aid keep them out of reach of small fry and those with cognitive disablement , says Highfill .

Choose Simple Countertops

countertop are a major kitchen surface that should be easy on the eyes and dead body . Inouye recommends short , neutral colors and unsubdivided pattern for countertops because they make it easier to see what ’s on the surface . " For those that have visual modality impairments , I advocate flatness finish for lower reflective quality , " says Inouye . Inouye also indicate easy - to - clean , durable countertop cloth , such as porcelain and vitreous silica , because they want less care and maintenance from the homeowner .

Plan for Landing Areas

" A pearl geographical zone by all appliances is advocate , " enounce Highfill . Also known as landing country , they increase the safety of various kitchen activities , include removing hot dishes from the microwave oven or hard pots from the stovetop , by bring home the bacon an adjacent or tight - by countertop for items . dip zone also prevent unnecessarily carrying things through a meddling or cluttered area until the time is proper .

Incorporating landing space can be especially important to consider in older homes when appliances have been positioned wherever an electrical outlet , flatulence , or piddle source was useable — sometimes far from the main kitchen workspace and countertop .

Eliminate Flooring Hazards

Kitchens are eminent - dealings areas , so take care when choosing your floor . " Avoid rug and other trip hazards , like transition pieces between types of flooring , " say Highfill . Level , non - dressed surfaces allow everyone to traverse safely , specially those with mobility devices . Tile can also be a great choice if grout lines are minimalized . Highfill recommendsporcelain roofing tile with a high slip - resistancebut monish that the tile has to be installed flush so there is no projecting trip luck .

If you really want the color , protective covering , or puff of a kitchen rug , Inouye advises against high - down styles and wanton rugs . " If you ’re integrating ' soft ' landing areas in the kitchen , it ’s recommended that they have an anti - slip funding or they ’re tacked down to quash being a get off fortune , " says Inouye .

Vary Countertop Heights

vary the height of your kitchen ’s countertop ensure people of all sizes and abilities have a position to do work . " A countertop that is approximately 30 - in high would be equivalent to the height of a dining table , so child , individual with special mobility , and your average grownup can all employ the space well and for different task , whether it ’s used as a workstation for a laptop or to sit and help develop intellectual nourishment in the kitchen , " says Serventi . Alternatively , a received 36 - in countertop is better for most adult bear while cooking and prepping repast . Serventi recommends at least one countertop between 28 and 30 inch , and one between 34 and 36 inches .

Give Appliances Space

Be conscious of appliance placement within the kitchen layout . Universal intention avoids tucking convenience into corners and against walls because it can conquer an appliance from fully opening or confine a user ’s memory access to it . " Making sure there ’s quad on either side of an appliance yield someone with limited mobility the ability to get at the appliance without needing to be in front of it to do so , " says Serventi . For example , someone who is pregnant or using a Zimmer frame can get to the full dishwasher torment with less filtrate when draw close from the side .

Replace the Range

mountain chain are special to where they fit in a floor architectural plan ; if place permit , a wall oven and cooktop will give you the same cookery capabilities with a more flexile and approachable installation . Wall ovens can be installed at any level along the wall , allowing the positioning to be set by worldwide design standard or to be tailor-make according to the householder . " By having a freestanding wall oven , you ’re capable to instal it a minute higher , making it easier to take thing in and out of the oven without having to turn away down , " say Inouye .

When looking at cooktops , take one that meets approachable design recommendation . Controls should be turn up at the front and understandably label to signal which burners they control . Inouye says these are not only easier to see but safe for many multitude to use .

Upgrade to Induction

look at trade out a gas or electric cooktop or range for an initiation model . " initiation cooktopsare the most exploiter - friendly for everyone , " says Serventi . " you’re able to turn the cooktop on , but unless a pot or pan makes physical contact , there ’s no heat come from the cooking surface , and this is not bad for homes where there ’s young children and aging adults struggling with memory expiration . "

Reconsider the Refrigerator

Opt for a side - by - side icebox model so that someone at any height or mobility can reach both the icebox and the freezer . Refrigerator and freezer drawers are another impertinent answer . full-bosomed or side - by - side , these appliances go below the countertop for better accessibility for all multitude . Plus , because they pull out , it is easy to see what ’s indoors .

Provide Clearance for Mobility Devices

Islands , peninsula , and breakfast barsadd a lot of storage and functionality to a kitchen . But they can also congest a layout , making it difficult for multiple people or someone with a mobility gimmick to get through the space . The NKBA urge 42 - 48 column inch width for a piece of work gangway ( and it may be dandy reckon on the layout of the kitchen ) . Up to 60 inches of subject space is evoke for a dining spot in the kitchen , allowing anyone to comfortably pass behind those seat .

Recess Areas for Seated Users

Include recesses in lower locker — specially at the cooktop , bury , and prep area — to allow people who use wheelchairs and other mobility machine to prod the right way up to the work geographical zone . Chairs can also more easily be perpetrate up to sunken lower cabinets . To avoid lose warehousing , Serventi recommend cabinet components on casters that can slew out to make the recessed space when needed . " These mobile cabinetry options extend computer memory , flexible use , and can look great too ! "

Lower the Microwave

Installing a microwave in low-pitched cabinetsmakes it more accessible for everyone . Plus , it frees up counter place and eliminate possible hazards from pulling things out of an over - the - range microwave . " Some constituent to take into thoughtfulness are where the control panel is situate and the opening style of the microwave threshold ( draftsman vs. drop - down room access vs. traditional get around door ) , " says Inouye . Inouye recommend looking for a unit with a control jury at the top that tilts up , which has just visibility for taller user .

Find the Right Dishwasher

cargo and discharge the dishwasher demand a lot of flex and reaching , which is hard on many people , including magniloquent individuals , those in wheelchair , and users with articulatio humeri injuries . Raise the dishwasher for good accessibility . Serventi suggests dishwasher drawer , which are modest and have flexibleness for a higher position .

Raising the dishwasher a few inches off the ground is another coarse choice . However , an elevated dishwasher may demand raise a portion of the countertop , too , which can have other accessibility impacts — especially when located next to a sink .

simple modern blue kitchen stove island