How to Design a Kitchen That Ages With You
When you’re remodeling your kitchen, there are a lot of factors to consider, including how your kitchen will age with you. Something that’s practical now might not be so in 10 years when your mobility is decreased. You want to be sure that you’re always able to enjoy your kitchen as fully as possible, even as you enter your golden years. Here are a few tips for remodeling a kitchen so that it will age with and allow you to maintain your independence and enjoyment of your home.
Make Sure That You Have Room to Move Around
When designing a kitchen that will age with you, the most important thing to remember is that you’ll want plenty of room to move around. As you age, mobility can become an issue, which means you may need to start using a walker, a wheelchair or another assistive device to get around.
Leaving extra space in the walkways in your kitchen will make sure you have plenty of room to move in, which means you’ll have no problem using a mobility aid while making a meal. Even if you don’t need a mobility device in the kitchen, having extra space will give you room for a regular chair, which is very useful for people who have issues standing for extended periods of time.
Eliminate Bending and Reaching
Reaching into higher cabinets or bending over to grab something stored in a lower cabinet can become difficult as we get older. Therefore, when you’re remodeling a kitchen that you want to age with you, you should eliminate the need for reaching and bending as much as possible.
For example, you could relocate your electrical outlets to your backsplash to enable you to plug in countertop appliances so that they are in arm’s reach. Another good idea is to increase the accessibility of your cabinets by adding organizers, which will make your go-to ingredients and cooking tools easier to find. By making just a few small tweaks to your kitchen, you should be able to easily use the room without too much reaching or bending.
Upgrade Your Appliances
Installing new, easier-to-use hardware can also be a good idea if you’re designing a kitchen that will help you age in place. When you’re choosing a dishwasher, for example, you could purchase a drawer-style machine that will be a lot easier to load and unload. You can also raise the installation height of your dishwasher to make using it even easier.
Installing a faucet that is either hands-free or offers single-lever operation can also be a good idea since you can use these faucets even with limited hand mobility. Other ideas include keeping your microwave on the countertop or installing a wall oven.
Get Started on Your Kitchen Remodel
Remodeling a kitchen that will age with you is a lot easier than you might think, especially if you keep a few tips in mind. If you’re ready to get started on building a kitchen that will allow you to age in place, Kitchen Solvers is here for you. And be sure to check out Why You Need Professional Help Redesigning Your Kitchen and Hiring a Kitchen Designer – 7 Questions You Should Ask for more information on hiring a kitchen remodeling expert. Also, be sure to research Kitchen Remodeling Costs and Their Return on Investment as you begin to plan your kitchen remodel.
The professionals at Kitchen Solvers are your remodeling experts and can help make your project quick and easy. Visit us today to get started planning your remodel.
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