Counter Heights
Standard kitchen counters are 36 inches high. This is adequate for
disabled and non-disabled standing people, but too high for people who
are seated. Counter heights of 30, 32, and 34 inches are more
comfortable for a seated person to use for food preparation. This
disparity will obviously make the design of a kitchen for use by
standing and seated people difficult.
For work such as mixing or beating, a 27-inch height is desirable.
NOTE: The usual height for a wheelchair armrest is 29 inches.
Adequate knee space requires at least 24 inches.
- Uniform Height Counters
A uniform lowered
height is not a recommended solution for a number of reasons.
- Inconvenience for standing users.
- Appliances such as dishwashers, trash compactors, and ranges are
designed for 36 inch counter heights.
- Lowered counters may make resale of the house difficult without
restoring counters to the standard height.
- Dual Height Counter
A dual height kitchen
includes lowered counter segments to provide work areas for seated
people. Each lowered segment must have clear knee space below. Clear
vertical space of 30 inches at the front of the counter will provide
enough clearance for most wheelchairs.
- Electrically Adjustable Height
Motor driven
adjustable height counter segments which allow their height to be
adjusted at the press of a switch provide a uniquely flexible,
highly accessible solution.
- Manually Adjustable Segments
A design of this
type allows counter height to be adjusted with minimal work. An
"adaptable design" approach such as this is ideal for a rental unit
where tenants may change relatively frequently. This can be
accomplished in a couple of ways.
- Wall mounted brackets
- Counters may be mounted with heavy
duty commercial shelf brackets and standards. Shelving of this
type seen in many retail store shelving units.
- Movable wood support
- A wooden support strip can be
attached to the sides of base cabinets and the countertop to allow
for some adjustability.
Breadboards, chopping blocks, and pull-out work surfaces
Provide a variety of work heights for different jobs. These
accessories work best when at a height of 27 inches, and at least 30"
wide by 24" deep.
The following suggestions are modifications which can be readily and
inexpensively made to existing kitchens to make them more accessible.
- Carts
A rolling, drop-leaf cart can provide an accessible work surface.
- The leaf can be raised to provide additional work space.
- The cart can be rolled to refrigerator or stove to transport
food.
A Sturdy Work Table
Providing a heavy duty kitchen table which can take the abuse of
food preparation work, and is located as close as possible to the sink
and appliances is a workable and low-cost solution.
- Use solid surfaces material for countertops (easy cleaning.)
- Round corners on all countertops, especially for visually
impaired persons.
- Use contrasting colors on counter edges to increase visability for
those with visual impairments.
- Install drawer organizers.
- Ensure fire extinguisher is in easy reach of oven and range, and
is usable by persons with impaired mobility and dexterity.
- A mirror suspended above the cooking area allows vision into pots
for a seated person.
- Include pull-out shelving or readily accessible counter space
near ovens and microwave to allow for sliding transfer of hot
items.
- Be creative when designing a multilevel kitchen. Incorporate
desks, eating bars, and tables.
[Introduction]
[Layout]
[Electrical]
[Refrigerator]
[Dishwasher]
[Microwave]
[Oven]
[Range]
[Sink]
[Countertops]
[Storage]
[References]