Love Your Kitchen — for Life

Clear Floor Space

A 30 x 48-inch (76 x 122 cm) area of clear floor space in front of the refrigerator, stove, cooktop and sink allows a cook who uses a mobility aid much easier access. Similarly, if the kitchen design includes a table or an island in the center, aisles should be 42 to 48 inches wide (107 to 122 cm). This provides room for wheelchairs and walkers, children in strollers, and several cooks. A 5-foot (1.5 m) radius of clear space in the kitchen lets a person using a wheelchair or scooter turn around easily without banging into nearby walls and cabinets or having to back his or her way out of the room.

Ease of Use

Universal design makes cooking tasks easier, not harder. For example, the longer the unbroken work surfaces and the closer the sink is to the cooktop and oven, the more flexibility you’ll have in preparing food. This also means less moving of ingredients or lifting of heavy pots or food since you can easily slide them along the counter. Your back will be happier, too.

Convenient Dining

Plan your kitchen so it’s easy to serve and eat meals. For instance, a dining table or an eat-in counter on a kitchen island is a real plus for casual, relaxed meals. And it also saves having to walk with hands laden with plates, cups and serving dishes. An easy option is to install a pullout tray under the countertop to serve as a table for dining solo, or add a hinged extension leaf on your island. Another low-cost solution is to purchase a small wheeled cart. It makes transporting food from the kitchen to the table much easier.

A pass-through window between the kitchen and dining area is a great convenience feature. Add folding wooden shutters and you have a camouflaged pass-through when it’s not in use.