Being physically disabled can certainly present its share of daily challenges in the struggle for independence, especially in the kitchen. Cooking can be a daunting task. However, with the right game plan anything is possible. Here’s a bit of helpful advice to consider if you plan to create a beautifully accessible kitchen.
Where to Start
Putting pencil to paper is a wonderful place to start and with a good, reliable, company like Mike’s Country Kitchens & Woodworking, a custom cabinet design company for kitchens and bathrooms, you’ll really be able to bring your ideas to life. They have done beautiful work and their willingness to accommodate their clients is definitely a plus. They have a unique team of designers with years of experience who offer personal consultations where you can bring in their ideas in and work together with a designer to breathe new life into your kitchen designs.
Counter and Storage Accessibility
This will be the key factor in any kitchen built for someone with disabilities. There are, of course, the standard low work stations and cut away counters which allow a wheelchair to easily pull up to. Don’t be afraid of these designs. There are some great ways to make these styles function well and look beautiful. For instances, instead of just empty space under a cut away counter you could add a rolling cart or island to fit inside the space. This way it will offer addition accessible storage and provide another easy to reach counter top that can be placed and used anywhere in the kitchen. Lower pull-out drawers with a flat surface inside can also add more counter space. Narrow, pull-out, pantry drawers, with accessibility from both sides, offers an easy-to-reach storage system. Another amazing innovation is an overhead cabinet with a small lift motor which lowers the entire cabinet and pushes it forward for extremely easy access of those, high, hard to reach cabinets.
Safer Appliance Ideas
Nowadays, standard appliances lend themselves to easier accessibility. Something as simple as lowering a microwave or sink can be helpful. But for someone who enjoys actual cooking there are stoves whose doors easily open sideways, like a cabinet door. This will allow for the chef to ride right up to the front of the stove, instead of stretching from the side. Another thing taken for granted might be the ability to look directly at what you’re cooking on a stove top. Those in wheelchairs are much lower and can have a hard time seeing into a pot on the stove. A simple solution for this could be a hung magnified mirror over the stove. Stoves with knobs and setting on the front instead of the back panel is another thing to consider, as someone in a wheelchair will have a difficult time reaching over scolding hot pots and pans.
A Quick Bite for Inspiration
Building a disability friendly kitchen automatically lends itself to creating an incredibly unique look and layout that most kitchens lack. Houzz.com has gathers some design ideas for accessible kitchens. Let the inspirational juices flow. Alternatively, you can also take a look at local home improvement stores, such as Lowe’s, for other inspiration and cabinetry ideas.
With so much at your fingertips the possibilities are simply endless. With the right design team and enough imagination physical limitations will be a thing of past in a beautifully accessible kitchen.
