Posted on: August 15, 2005

Kitchens Go Universal

Accessible designs are shedding their geriatric image and making life an easier place to cook for people of all ages.

By Barbara Ballinger
CTW Features

Utter the words “universal design,” and many scratch their heads and have little clue what it means or think it applies to institutional-looking products designed to help aging adults or the disabled.

They’re wrong. The term refers to the design of products and environments that can benefit as many people as possible – old, young, healthy and infirm – according to the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University. The items themselves needn’t look different, particularly in the kitchen and bathroom where they’re most needed to make these functional rooms easy to use.

Why the misunderstanding? In part because it’s only in recent years that more manufacturers and designers are paying attention to this concept for multiple reasons.

The demographics of the country’s population are changing. More elderly live longer and seek designs that foster independence. Similarly, more baby boomers want to remain active, yet don’t want to be told they need specific features, explains Cyndi Jones, director of The Center for an Accessible Society, which provides resources on disability related issues.

The price tag of technological changes to make products more accessible keeps dropping, say those involved in developing them, like Judd Lord, manager of industrial design for Delta Faucet Co. in Indianapolis. But not everything has to be re-invented; some products can be used in different ways, says Paul Radoy, manager of design services at cabinet manufacturer Merillat Corp. in Arian, Mich. Example: glass cabinet doors help those who are forgetful remember where they keep objects.

More companies are improving their products’ aesthetics. What’s in? Sleek, clean grab bars. What’s out? Clunky models, says Dallas designer Sharon Flatley of Flatley & Associates.

There’s been a greater overall recognition that anybody can experience a life change in a New York minute. Think Christopher Reeve, or lesser known Rosemarie Rossetti, 51, who was bicycling with her husband Mark seven years ago on a cloudless day when a tree fell on her and paralyzed her from the waist down.

The couple hoped she’d walk again. When she didn’t and found it difficult maneuvering around her home near Columbus, Ohio, they began to plan a new accessible home.

“Every time I needed to transfer pots of water to the stove and back I’d call Mark. `Mark, come here I need something,’” she says. They hired Columbus architect Patrick Manley and Brookfield, Conn.-based designer Mary Jo Peterson. Among the challenges is making the house work for both of them since Mark is 6’4”, says Peterson, author of Universal Kitchen and Bathroom Planning (McGraw-Hill, 1998).

Not everyone can build from scratch, but universal design features can be added from the get-go when redecorating or remodeling rather than incorporated later in a more expensive retrofit.

How much choices cost runs the gamut from an inexpensive Lazy Susan to make a corner cabinet more accessible to a pricey refrigerator drawer at counter height. But the benefit of either, and others, is enormous. It means a better quality of life, says Kathryn Wasemiller, professor and interior design program director at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. As interest increases, universal design may be a resale-marketing tool. Here are key features to consider:

Wider openings

Instead of normal-width doorways that make maneuvering tough, Flatley advises larger openings of at least 36”.

Countertop height and surface

The typical 36”-high countertop can be too high for someone in a wheelchair. Lowering cabinets to 30” to 32” makes it tough for taller people to work comfortably. Peterson recommends a mix of heights. For countertop materials, Flatley prefers smooth surfaces that allow pots and pans to be slid along.

Lighting

With eyesight usually declining with age, sufficient illumination in work areas is essential, says Flatley. Her preference is xenon lamps that offer the crisp white light that halogen bulbs do, but are safer since they don’t give off as much heat. Flatley puts these lamps underneath upper cabinets so light illuminates work surfaces. Wasemiller recommends switches at a height everyone can reach.

Flooring

Nonskid textured flooring like wood or vinyl cuts the chance of falling, says Chicago designer Leslie Stern.

Cabinets, drawers and pulls

Several options are available. Studio Snaidero in Madison, Wis., manufactures cabinets with soft edges to improve mobility and safety, says Heather Ahrens, director of sales and design. Her company also produces cabinets that can be placed lower to eliminate wasted backsplash areas and be easier to reach.

Other helpful options are hydraulic lifts that raise and lower cabinets, though they can be pricey when used in lots of cabinets, says Mary Yearns, professor and Extension Housing specialist at Iowa State University in Ames, Ia. Drawers should be on slides to pull out and make it easier to reach into the back of a cabinet. Long handles are easier to grasp than knobs, says Ahrens.

Handles

Lever handles for faucets and doors rather than knobs allow those with arthritis and other problems make turning water on and off and getting into a pantry easier. More cutting-edge designs allow the touch of an elbow or a tap to turn water on and off, says Delta’s Lord. Some designs have infrared sensors to signal when water should flow. Still other designs identify when dirty dishes stacked in a sink need cleaning.

Appliances

New dishwasher, refrigerator and freezer drawers can be placed at different heights, says Wasemiller. Putting in a second sink can cut steps. Shallower sinks with controls closer to the front are easier to reach, says Manley. He designed the Rossetti’s kitchen with two workstations at different heights. While high-end manufacturers debuted many of these products, competitors are introducing more affordable versions, says Flatley.

Small essentials

All sorts of gadgets and gizmos ease tasks. Oxo International’s Good Grips kitchen utensils meet the universal design test, are snappy looking and appeal universally. For those with impaired hearing flashing lights offer prompts. Kohler Co. has developed its PRO CookSink, which performs functions of a standard sink plus steaming, boiling, poaching and blanching, so pots don’t have to be removed.

Color

Those with declining eyesight need contrasting colors to identify surfaces and objects. Stern suggests palettes like black and white.

Window treatments

For kitchens that need a window covering for privacy or to control natural light, Stern recommends designs on a remote control to avoid difficulty opening and closing shutters or raising and lowering blinds.

Eating area

If space and budget permit, a choice of a counter and table give everyone a preferred place to sit, eat and relax, the main point behind universal design. “It should work for everyone without calling attention,” says Manley. The only telltale sign of disability in the Rossetti’s home, for instance, he says, is a lift in the basement.

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