Kitchen Confidential: 10 Ways to Promote Ageing in Place
Keep your kitchen safe, easy to use and accessible with 10 top design choices to help prevent falls, slips and strains
Maybe you’ve found the house you want to grow old in. Perhaps you foresee your elderly parents moving in with you one day. Or maybe you require wheelchair accessibility. When you’re designing a kitchen with these needs in mind, the following 10 tips will help make the space safer and easier for elderly people to navigate.
You can even use the pullouts to store heavy portable appliances, such as blenders, slow cookers and toasters in a neat appliance cupboard fashion.
Thinking of renovating your kitchen? Find experienced, reviewed kitchen designers near you, browse their projects and get in touch for a consultation
Thinking of renovating your kitchen? Find experienced, reviewed kitchen designers near you, browse their projects and get in touch for a consultation
2. Round the edges
Avoid 90-degree angles on benchtops and open shelves. The last thing you want is to hit your hip or elbow on a sharp corner as you’re manoeuvring in your kitchen. Round edges lessen the likelihood of bumps and bruises, plus they bring beauty to your cooking space when done well.
Avoid 90-degree angles on benchtops and open shelves. The last thing you want is to hit your hip or elbow on a sharp corner as you’re manoeuvring in your kitchen. Round edges lessen the likelihood of bumps and bruises, plus they bring beauty to your cooking space when done well.
3. Keep the sink close to the stove
As we age, it’s harder on our arms and backs to carry big pots full of water to and from the cooktop. And if anything spills on the way, it becomes a slipping hazard.
You may be tempted to put your sink next to your stove, but be sure to leave workspace in between. An experienced kitchen designer will automatically factor in the minimum clearance around your stove for safety and for a convenient ‘landing spot’ for pots, pans and kitchen utensils.
As we age, it’s harder on our arms and backs to carry big pots full of water to and from the cooktop. And if anything spills on the way, it becomes a slipping hazard.
You may be tempted to put your sink next to your stove, but be sure to leave workspace in between. An experienced kitchen designer will automatically factor in the minimum clearance around your stove for safety and for a convenient ‘landing spot’ for pots, pans and kitchen utensils.
Where it isn’t possible to have the sink on the benchtop as your stove (or if the layout won’t work for the way you cook), there’s another option. Place the sink directly opposite your stove, and you’re only 180 degrees and a step or two away. This works well in galley-style kitchens.
Alternatively, pot fillers can become your new best friend, but keep in mind that although they can easily fill pots and pans with water without removing them from the stove, you’ll still need a sink nearby to drain them.
Alternatively, pot fillers can become your new best friend, but keep in mind that although they can easily fill pots and pans with water without removing them from the stove, you’ll still need a sink nearby to drain them.
4. Opt for a shallow sink
While we’re on the subject of kitchen sinks, buy one that isn’t too deep (preferably only 15 to 20 centimetres deep). It’s much easier to rinse vegetables and dishes in a shallow sink bowl.
Browse kitchens by Australian designers with grey Scandi-style schemes
While we’re on the subject of kitchen sinks, buy one that isn’t too deep (preferably only 15 to 20 centimetres deep). It’s much easier to rinse vegetables and dishes in a shallow sink bowl.
Browse kitchens by Australian designers with grey Scandi-style schemes
5. Place the microwave at or below benchtop height
Whether your microwave is free-standing or built in, having it at benchtop height is best for your back, since it minimises bending and reaching above your shoulders.
Whether your microwave is free-standing or built in, having it at benchtop height is best for your back, since it minimises bending and reaching above your shoulders.
If you don’t want to sacrifice bench space, the next best solution is to tuck the microwave under your benchtop. Why? For starters, it’s easier to set a heavy plate down below you than it is to lift it above your shoulders. And since spills are more likely when you have to reach up to remove hot food or liquid, having the microwave under the bench can also help prevent burns.
6. Choose standard-depth appliances and no-frill cabinets
Designing an age-proof kitchen isn’t the time to get fancy with decorative legs, ornate refrigerator panels or angled benchtops. Though these eye-catchers add personality, they can transform your space into an obstacle course. You’re more prone to bump your knees, legs and hips on appliances and cabinetry details that jut out from the bench, plus they can be tricky to clean.
Designing an age-proof kitchen isn’t the time to get fancy with decorative legs, ornate refrigerator panels or angled benchtops. Though these eye-catchers add personality, they can transform your space into an obstacle course. You’re more prone to bump your knees, legs and hips on appliances and cabinetry details that jut out from the bench, plus they can be tricky to clean.
7. Make corners accessible
Blind corner cabinets won’t cut it. Yes, they provide ample storage space, but too often they turn into unofficial junk bins when you tire of getting on all fours to fetch the dish you need. Performing that bend-reach-lift motion also isn’t good for ageing backs.
Look for clever corner cabinet bases that effectively eliminate the need for rummaging and reaching. They aren’t all the same, though. You have options, be it convenient corner drawers or carousel-style corner units that swing out into the space to reveal their contents at a glance.
Blind corner cabinets won’t cut it. Yes, they provide ample storage space, but too often they turn into unofficial junk bins when you tire of getting on all fours to fetch the dish you need. Performing that bend-reach-lift motion also isn’t good for ageing backs.
Look for clever corner cabinet bases that effectively eliminate the need for rummaging and reaching. They aren’t all the same, though. You have options, be it convenient corner drawers or carousel-style corner units that swing out into the space to reveal their contents at a glance.
You can also get corner cabinet organisers with rectangular-, kidney-shaped, half-moon and other creative sliding shelves or wire racks.
Don’t limit easily accessible corners to your lower kitchen cabinets. Easy-to-reach upper cabinetry or shelves are also important. You may opt for simple open shelving, closed cupboards or pull-out shelving options that open like an accordion and don’t waste any storage space.
8. Pick drawers, not cupboards
The best part about drawers is that they display all your flatware and utensils at once, which allows for easy grabbing. You don’t have to get on your knees and peer into the back of the cabinet to see what’s available.
Large drawers don’t skimp on storage space. Any set wider than approximately 75 centimetres can stow plenty of pots and pans.
The best part about drawers is that they display all your flatware and utensils at once, which allows for easy grabbing. You don’t have to get on your knees and peer into the back of the cabinet to see what’s available.
Large drawers don’t skimp on storage space. Any set wider than approximately 75 centimetres can stow plenty of pots and pans.
9. Focus on clearance space
The standard clearance between cabinets, walls and appliances is 900 millimetres (though 1200 millimetres is generally considered the gold standard), which is enough room to comfortably pass through a walkway and have room to access to drawers and doors.
However, if you want a kitchen that can accommodate a wheelchair, you will need to ensure you leave enough clearance between cabinets and benches.
The standard clearance between cabinets, walls and appliances is 900 millimetres (though 1200 millimetres is generally considered the gold standard), which is enough room to comfortably pass through a walkway and have room to access to drawers and doors.
However, if you want a kitchen that can accommodate a wheelchair, you will need to ensure you leave enough clearance between cabinets and benches.
Galley or ‘pass through’ kitchens should have at least one metre of clearance between opposing surfaces but again, aim for 1200 millimetres.
For U-shaped kitchens, it’s recommended that you leave at least one-and-a-half metres of clearance between opposing cabinets, walls or appliances.
For U-shaped kitchens, it’s recommended that you leave at least one-and-a-half metres of clearance between opposing cabinets, walls or appliances.
10. Ensure your floors are slip-resistant
Floor materials with high slip ratings reduce the chances of falling when there’s a spill.
The grain of timber floorboards usually offers adequate slip resistance and floor tiles should have enough grout and texture to grip your feet. Porcelain tiles absorb less moisture than ceramic tiles or other flooring types, plus they’re easy to maintain and clean. Vinyl flooring can offer good slip resistance too, and it’s softer on your feet.
Floor materials with high slip ratings reduce the chances of falling when there’s a spill.
The grain of timber floorboards usually offers adequate slip resistance and floor tiles should have enough grout and texture to grip your feet. Porcelain tiles absorb less moisture than ceramic tiles or other flooring types, plus they’re easy to maintain and clean. Vinyl flooring can offer good slip resistance too, and it’s softer on your feet.
Your turn
Which features in your kitchen do you love for ageing in place? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
If a kitchen renovation is on the cards, first you’ll want to read this Renovation Insight: 5 Common Renovating-for-Profit Mistakes
Which features in your kitchen do you love for ageing in place? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
If a kitchen renovation is on the cards, first you’ll want to read this Renovation Insight: 5 Common Renovating-for-Profit Mistakes
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Pull-out cupboards or drawers let you see everything at a glance without having to shuffle items around – in fact, homeowners of all ages will find a pull-out pantry useful. But besides being convenient, drawers that give you easy access to your tinned goods and cereal boxes also put less strain on your back and knees as you won’t need to stoop or squat to search the back of hard-to-access shelves when looking for that missing ingredient.