Barrier Free Kitchen Design
DEAR TIM: My husband and I are building a new home. Our plans are to live there for the rest of our lives. What things can we do in the kitchen to make that room barrier free in the event that one or both of us become disabled? Will these modifications add significantly to the cost of the house? R. I.
DEAR R. I.: I commend you for thinking ahead. Currently there are millions of Americans who have some physical disability. It has been predicted that within the next 10 - 15 years nearly half of our population will be 60 years of age or older. Not too long ago I made modifications at my mother's home to deal with her physical handicap. I am sensitive to your thinking.
The challenge is to design a kitchen which will serve you now as you are fully mobile but can be easily adapted at a future date. There are no real design obstacles in the kitchen as I see it.
The overall size of the kitchen is critical. It must contain enough space between cabinets, appliances and islands to allow the free movement of a wheelchair. In most cases this means a minimum of 36 inches between any two points. However, to fully rotate a wheelchair 180 degrees to make a U-turn, you need 5 feet between any two points. If you think backing up a car is bad, just wait till you try a wheelchair!
Your cabinet and countertop layout are equally important. Do not install a standard sink base cabinet. Choose an easily removable sink front instead. In the event that you or your husband become confined to a wheelchair, you will need to access the sink. Be sure that the plumber installs the piping such that an anti-scald valve or motion detector faucet can be easily installed.
Avoid flaws and mistakes when planning your kitchen. Use my Kitchen Remodeling Checklist as your remodel guide. I offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee.
Design your cabinet layout to allow a 60 inch wide food preparation area next to the cooktop. This preparation area as well as the cooktop need to be designed so that they can be lowered approximately 4 inches should it become necessary. Choose a cooktop that has front or side mounted controls. Reaching over a heated burner to adjust the temperature can be dangerous.
Install a wall mounted self-cleaning oven away from the cooktop. Be sure that it is mounted low enough in the oven cabinet to allow for easy access from a person sitting in a wheel chair. You can use gas appliances now, however, the cooktop and oven should be wired for electric usage in the future. It is possible that you or your husband my loose your sense of smell and be unable to detect a gas leak.
All of the base cabinets that you choose should have ample pull out bins, shelves, etc. This allows all of the cabinet contents to be within easy reach of someone sitting in a wheelchair. It is also a handy feature for those who are not disabled. Make sure that you choose D shaped handles for all cabinets and drawers. Avoid knobs as they can be slippery and hard to grasp as time goes on. Magnetic catches on all cabinets doors are handy as well.
The refrigerator choice is important. Select a side by side design. Spend the money for one with a front dispenser for ice and water. This makes it very easy for a disabled person to get ice and water in a jiffy. Besides, it will keep you from yelling at your grandkids to shut the freezer door as they make trip after trip for ice cubes!
Most of the discussed options will cost very little. However, you must discuss these concerns at a very early stage with your builder. If he has an elderly parent or relative, I'll bet he will be very accommodating to your wishes.
opens in a new windowCLICK HERE to read about Handicap Showers.
