The concept of universal design is used to create kitchens that offer the greatest degree of accessibility to the largest number of people (with or without disabilities). It’s a smart method to use during remodeling since it can increase the resale value of your home. A universal kitchen design may also permit you to “age in place” rather than moving to a retirement home. With cabinets in particular, having everything within easy reach minimizes the risk of injury.

Ideal Placement and Accessories

If you are having new cabinets installed, the lower ones should be set 6” off the ground. Put roll-out shelves in these cabinets so you don’t have to bend, twist and reach for cookware. Lazy-Susan rotating trays are an excellent accessibility option for corner cabinets.

Bonus tip: Replace round knobs with easy-to-grasp pull handles to make opening cabinet doors easier.

Pull Down Shelves

Upper cabinets should be no more than 10” deep and no higher than 48” above the floor. If yours are higher and you are just repainting but not replacing them, consider adding pull-down shelves. These metal shelves are hidden in the interior of the cabinet. They pull out and then down, locking into place so you can find what you need. A gas assisted device carries the shelf back inside the cabinet when you are finished.

Related posts:

1. Putting Contact Paper in Your Kitchen Cabinets
2. Design your dream kitchen
3. Kitchen Cabinets
4. Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets
5. Choosing Kitchen Cabinets

Tags: Kitchens

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 5:36 pm and is filed under Kitchens. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.