Designing Buildings - User contributions [en]

Accessible kitchen design tips

2024-01-26T12:01:32Z

TaraNeil: Created page with "= Things to consider when designing & installing an accessible kitchen = They say that the kitchen is the heart of any home, and getting a new kitchen is incredibly exciting..."

= Things to consider when designing & installing an accessible kitchen =

They say that the kitchen is the heart of any home, and getting a new kitchen is incredibly exciting, but for many, their own kitchens are simply not accessible enough to make them practical or enjoyable. A lot of thought needs to go into putting together a truly accessible kitchen. Here, [https://www.taraneil.com/ Tara Neil], specialists in bespoke bedrooms and kitchens share their tips on creating the perfect [https://www.taraneil.com/accessible-kitchens/ kitchen for disabled and wheelchairs].

== Wheelchair space ==

Anybody who uses a wheelchair will tell you how much space they need to be able to manoeuvre comfortably. This means that your kitchen floor needs to be uncluttered, with sufficient clearance for a wheelchair to not only pass through but also turn, and any changes in height need to be achieved through the use of a gradual ramp and not steps in order to make it truly functional.

== Worktop height ==

Most traditional worktops tend to be too high for many wheelchair users to be able to access. An accessible kitchen needs to have worktops at a height where a seated person can reach appliances and prepare food. If the kitchen is home to a range of different people, then it might be worth looking at worktops which are adjustable, either through electronic or manual means. This means that the kitchen can be completely workable for anyone at any time, ensuring it is at a height that is perfect for the person using it.

== Storage ==

Most of us have found ourselves standing on a stool to reach the top shelf of a cupboard, but this is simply not an option in an accessible kitchen. If wall units are needed in order to provide adequate amounts of storage, then think about including pull-down baskets that can be lowered electronically or with a pull-down system to ensure that everyone can reach them. Base units can also be fitted with carousels so that items kept at the back of a cupboard can be brought to the front quickly and easily without the need to bend, stretch or reach.

== Plinths ==

Plinths are a feature in most kitchens as they hide away cabinet legs and pipes, covering the gap between the floor and the bottom of your units. By raising these slightly, it can become easier to push a wheelchair floor plate into them, allowing wheelchair users to get closer to worktops.

== Pull-out tables and counters ==

Installing tables and counters that pull out from a wall or cabinet and then slide away again can help to ensure that the kitchen is easier for everyone to use, and can create a wider, unobstructed area for wheelchairs to move around, even in a small space.

== Hoists ==

In some cases, adding hoists to the ceiling can allow free movement around the room and access to all areas of the kitchen, and the tracks can even be hidden using a number of special and attractive design features.

== Kitchen fitters ==

Fitting an accessible kitchen is not the same as fitting any other kind of kitchen and so it is important to use fitters with experience in the area. They will understand many of the challenges that disabled people face and will already have a number of tried and tested solutions. They will also be aware of things that you might not even have thought of, and so it is much more likely that they can produce a kitchen that fulfils every single one of your needs.

There are some clever tricks and pieces of equipment that can easily make a kitchen much more accessible. It is important to give plenty of thought to what your needs are and what challenges you face in order to design and install the accessible kitchen of your dreams.

[[Category:Education]] [[Category:Organisations]] [[Category:Health_and_safety_/_CDM]] [[Category:Construction_techniques]] [[Category:Design]] [[Category:Property_development]]

Tips for Buying a New Kitchen

2019-08-19T10:54:26Z

TaraNeil:

[[File:Kitchen-2174593 1920.jpg]]

Even though the TV (and other consumer electronics) may be in the living room, the kitchen is still the heart of most homes.

This means that a [http://www.taraneil.com/kitchens/ good kitchen] is one of the best investments you can make, not only in terms of your own personal enjoyment of your home, but also in terms of increasing its value.

With that in mind, here are three tips for buying a new kitchen.

== Measure twice, buy once ==

Most people need to squeeze out every last drop of space in their home, including their kitchen.

What makes kitchens very different from other public rooms is that they tend to have very “fixed” layouts. Basically, most furniture (and all appliances) have to be fixed to a wall for reasons of practicality and safety.

The bad news is that this makes it challenging (read difficult and expensive) to put right mistakes. The good news is that if you get the design right, it will be one you are happy to live with over the long term.

Getting the design right, starts with [http://www.taraneil.com/news-blog/planning-kitchen-measurements-distances/ measuring your kitchen accurately]. Get (at least) two people to do the measuring separately and if there’s any difference of opinion, measure again until you are sure it is right.

== Be honest about how you actually use your kitchen ==

Picking up from the last point, the perfect kitchen is the kitchen which works perfectly for you in your real life, not the life you see on social media pictures.

For example, open shelving can look wonderful if you genuinely have minimalist leanings or if, at the very least, you’re the kind of person who likes to have everything ultra-tidy even if it means you need to take extra time to perform certain tasks (like cleaning up after a meal).

If, however, you’re neither, then cupboard doors can be one of your best friends.

== Be pragmatic about where to splurge and where to save ==

In kitchens, the rule of thumb is to splurge on items which will be hard to update later and the more frequently you use the items, the more of your budget you should be prepared to dedicate to buying quality.

For example, sinks are plumbed-in appliances, which means that they do take work to update and they are certainly used regularly (and for all kinds of different reasons from filling kettles to washing pots and pans).

In short, a sink meets all the criteria to justify a splurge. Taps, however, can be upgraded fairly easily and so even though they are used regularly, if you need to make savings somewhere, then it can make sense to do so with the taps and then change them out later.

Similarly, kitchen cabinets typically get a lot of use and while they’re not actually plumbed in, it’s usually a bit of work to swap them out, if only because it means emptying them first.

Therefore, it’s usually worth spending as much as you can afford on the cabinets themselves. Hardware, such as handles is, however, easy to swap out and so can be an initial save.

--[[User:TaraNeil|TaraNeil]] 11:48, 19 Aug 2019 (BST)

[[Category:Design]]

File:Kitchen-2174593 1920.jpg

2019-08-19T10:52:36Z

TaraNeil: Modern Kitchen

Modern Kitchen

Tips for Buying a New Kitchen

2019-08-19T10:48:05Z

TaraNeil: Created page with "Even though the TV (and other consumer electronics) may be in the living room, the kitchen is still the heart of most homes. This means that a [http://www.taraneil.com/kitchens/..."

Even though the TV (and other consumer electronics) may be in the living room, the kitchen is still the heart of most homes.

This means that a [http://www.taraneil.com/kitchens/ good kitchen] is one of the best investments you can make, not only in terms of your own personal enjoyment of your home, but also in terms of increasing its value.

With that in mind, here are three tips for buying a new kitchen.

== Measure twice, buy once ==

Most people need to squeeze out every last drop of space in their home, including their kitchen.

What makes kitchens very different from other public rooms is that they tend to have very “fixed” layouts. Basically, most furniture (and all appliances) have to be fixed to a wall for reasons of practicality and safety.

The bad news is that this makes it challenging (read difficult and expensive) to put right mistakes. The good news is that if you get the design right, it will be one you are happy to live with over the long term.

Getting the design right, starts with [http://www.taraneil.com/news-blog/planning-kitchen-measurements-distances/ measuring your kitchen accurately]. Get (at least) two people to do the measuring separately and if there’s any difference of opinion, measure again until you are sure it is right.

== Be honest about how you actually use your kitchen ==

Picking up from the last point, the perfect kitchen is the kitchen which works perfectly for you in your real life, not the life you see on social media pictures.

For example, open shelving can look wonderful if you genuinely have minimalist leanings or if, at the very least, you’re the kind of person who likes to have everything ultra-tidy even if it means you need to take extra time to perform certain tasks (like cleaning up after a meal).

If, however, you’re neither, then cupboard doors can be one of your best friends.

== Be pragmatic about where to splurge and where to save ==

In kitchens, the rule of thumb is to splurge on items which will be hard to update later and the more frequently you use the items, the more of your budget you should be prepared to dedicate to buying quality.

For example, sinks are plumbed-in appliances, which means that they do take work to update and they are certainly used regularly (and for all kinds of different reasons from filling kettles to washing pots and pans).

In short, a sink meets all the criteria to justify a splurge. Taps, however, can be upgraded fairly easily and so even though they are used regularly, if you need to make savings somewhere, then it can make sense to do so with the taps and then change them out later.

Similarly, kitchen cabinets typically get a lot of use and while they’re not actually plumbed in, it’s usually a bit of work to swap them out, if only because it means emptying them first.

Therefore, it’s usually worth spending as much as you can afford on the cabinets themselves. Hardware, such as handles is, however, easy to swap out and so can be an initial save.

--[[User:TaraNeil|TaraNeil]] 11:48, 19 Aug 2019 (BST)

[[Category:Design]]