Making an Accessible Kitchen
Most Important Modifications

When designing a kitchen, the homeowner always has an interest in creating a personal work space that responds to his/her respective tastes. The situation is no different when a person who uses a wheelchair seeks to design an accessible kitchen.

But as considerations are given to modifications that will make a kitchen more accessible, it is essential that the homeowner consider whether or not the wheelchair user will be the one person using the kitchen or if there will be other, nondisabled family members using it as well. As when modifying any room in a home, the selected adjustments in the kitchen arrangement should respond to the needs of all users.

However, there are some very essential aspects to consider when making a kitchen wheelchair accessible. Careful consideration must be given to countertop height, knee space for work areas, practical base cabinets and a few basic safety measures.

The height of the countertop could be the most difficult of the decisions that must be made if a kitchen is to be designed for both a wheelchair user and nondisabled family members. The conventional height of 36 inches will be too high for the wheelchair user.

"The optimal counter height should be 34 inches," says Ramesh Gulatee, an architect whose firm, LifeCare Design Studio, LLC, is affiliated with Protected Tomorrows. That 34-inch height is the upper limit for wheelchair users to be able to easily reach the back of the countertop.

On his Web site, Bobvila.com, home improvement expert Bob Vila notes that the "kitchen arrangement should locate appropriate counter space next to each work center. Convenient counter space is important for wheelchair users who must set items aside each time they reposition themselves."

For aesthetic reasons, making the kitchen have one uniform height will likely make more sense. Making the countertop one uniform height will ensure that the movement of utensils and dishes from one location to another can be done with relative ease.

"Pull-out boards to allow for varying height work spaces" is the best way to create additional work space for the wheelchair user, according to Gulatee. Pull-out shelving for working near the oven or microwave ensures that a wheelchair user can easily insert or remove items from either oven.

The essential concept for knee space areas is actually relatively simple. Any primary work area must be accessible from either a side approach or from a straight on approach that then allows for knee space.

Given that anyone using a kitchen will need to use the sink area for significant amounts of time, the area under the sink is a prime consideration for the creation of knee space. Obviously, the individual using a wheelchair will need to use the sink a great deal, so providing a knee space under the sink gives the wheelchair user full sink access without affecting other kitchen users. The kitchen countertop immediately to the right and left of the sink would also now be extensively available for both the wheelchair user and nondisabled individuals.

The best location for the sink is in a section of straight countertop. Corner sections or at the edge of a U or L-shaped section of the counter can be somewhat more challenging areas in which to locate the sink. Very specific base cabinets to the right and left of the sink area can be installed with special features that will also enhance the workability of the space, making the area very useful for everyone.

To create the knee space under a sink, it is important to choose a shallow sink basin or the space will not be present. Likewise, some basic plumbing aspects must be addressed in order to maintain the open area. For example, a garbage disposal or drain can be an issue if the plumbing is not done according to the need for knee space. Gulatee notes, however, that the disposal can be critical and should not be removed from a plan. "A disposal should preferably be installed since it limits trips to the trash receptacle," he says.

Finally, Vila notes some additional key specifics for designing an accessible kitchen: "a single-lever faucet handle that controls the water temperature and flow rate is recommended. Installation of a hand-held spray and a tall ‘gooseneck’ spigot is also recommended to make it easier to rinse deep pots and fill tall pitchers."

In addition to the sink area, consider at least one other area to install a knee space so as to create one more convenient work area for the wheelchair user. This can be done by placing an island in the middle of the kitchen or on another wall where such an opening makes sense. Without a second area for knee space, the wheelchair user is limited to very few working stations.

Accessing the lower shelves in base cabinets can be a challenge for anyone, not just the wheelchair user. Fortunately there are two simple solutions that make base cabinets more useful for everyone.

If base cabinets are used consider equipping them with the type of sliding shelves that can be pulled out to access items in the back. In addition, consider lazy-Susan type revolving drawers that again allow for ease of access. To maximize space, the interior face of the cabinet doors can also include narrow shelving. All these features, though imperative for the wheelchair user, greatly enhance a traditional kitchen and are therefore most welcome by anyone using the kitchen cabinets.

Installing storage drawers in the base cabinets works well in place of shelves. With deep storage drawers, it will be necessary to have heavy-duty rollers that can handle a lot of weight and still slide easily for the wheelchair user. Place a properly constructed cutting board on the edge of the drawer, and the wheelchair user will have an additional work space.

The biggest area of safety concerns the choice of a stove, including the cooktop surface and oven. An accessible kitchen may feature either a conventional stove or a separate cooktop and wall oven.

A traditional stove combines a cooking surface with an oven underneath, thereby precluding knee space options. Such a setup can work if the unit is at the end of a counter where the wheelchair user can make a parallel approach. A newer stove concept, one with a continuous ceramic surface, is ideal, as it will allow easy sliding of containers with minimal spillage.

The controls for the stove cooktop surface should be front or side mounted. Bob Vila also suggests that "control knobs and switches should be configured to allow one-hand operation and should not require tight grasping, inching or twisting of the wrist."

Another option is to separate the cooktop and oven. This of course would allow for potential knee space directly below the burners. Again, consider a ceramic cooktop with a continuous surface and provide the appropriate control knob locations.

Separating the cooktop and the oven allows the wall oven to be mounted at counter height, making wheelchair access much easier. However, be sure to include appropriate spill protection. It is much easier for a wheelchair user to work with a side-hinged oven door, but such a door does not offer spillage protection. Use either a traditional drop-down door or include a pullout board that can be drawn outward beneath the oven unit to provide this important safety feature.

One final concern is cabinet edges. Gulatee suggests the consideration of "rounded corners and edges to avoid injuries" as an additional safety step to protect the wheelchair user.

Again, be clear in the design phase as to who will be the primary and secondary users of the kitchen. With some basic planning and a focus on the needs of the respective users, it is possible to design a kitchen that will work well for everyone in the family including the wheelchair bound member.