If you need to make your home more accessible to wheelchairs, kitchen remodeling is a perfect place to start. The kitchen is a functional area of the home where you spend a lot of time, but a standard kitchen can also be full of accessibility issues. Here are a few factors to consider during accessibility kitchen remodeling.

Wheelchair-Accessible Interior Design Considerations for Kitchens

1. Countertops

Standard kitchen counters are too high to reach comfortably from a seated position. Build your counters lower, ideally around 28 to 34 inches high. Also, avoid filling the area under them with cupboards, as there needs to be space for the wheelchair to pull into.

2. Sink

Your sink will also need to be placed lower than a standard kitchen, and you may need to choose a narrower model to make the knobs more easily accessible. There should be no cupboard underneath; instead, make sure the pipes are carefully insulated to avoid injury from hot water pipes.

3. Cupboards

Any cupboards in your kitchen should be low enough to reach from a seated position, even the top shelf. You may need more wall space than usual to accommodate this form of storage, as you will not be able to double up the cupboards vertically.

4. Floor Space

A wheelchair is generally wider than the space a walking person needs, and the space in your kitchen needs to be wider to accommodate it. A commonly accepted minimum width for wheelchair-accessible doorways and pass-throughs is around 36 to 42 inches, but you may want to add extra space to turn around and move comfortably.

5. Appliances

Your stovetop needs to be at about the same height as the counters to be usable for a person in a wheelchair. You’ll also want to choose a horizontal rather than vertical refrigerator as part of your kitchen remodeling project to make sure all shelves are reachable.

If you need kitchen remodeling help to make your home more accessible, choose Lasting Impressions Home Remodel Center in Florissant, MO. They specialize in accessible design to make homes in St. Louis and St. Charles counties wheelchair friendly as well as accommodating other physical and sensory needs. To discuss your project, call (314) 837-7722 or reach out to them online.