Principles for good kitchen design & work simplification

By admin on November 8th, 2007

Principles for good kitchen design & work simplification

Keep items within the users reach.
Store frequently used items between knee and shoulder level.
Avoid over stretching, bending or reaching.
Install user friendly cabinets, such as pullout pantry, walk-in or wheel-in pantry, lazy
susan corner cupboards, pull down cupboards, pull out baskets, pot drawers.
Reduce the distance to travel or move items, or have sufficient space to slide items.
Provide benches suitable for sliding, kitchen trolleys to move items.
Minimise fatigue
Have seating available to enable sitting whilst undertaking meal preparation.
Allow sufficient turning or circulation space.
The Australian Standards
Adaptable Housing AS 4299 1995 and Design for Access and Mobility: AS 1428.2
- 1992 recommend the following with regard to kitchen design. However different
users abilities need to be considered specifically. A kitchen designed for a wheelchair
user can be more easily modified for an ambulant person than the other way around.
Work Surfaces
Bench height between 750mm to 850mm for a wheelchair user.
Under bench clear space for wheelchair access of 820mm minimum length, and
between 500mm to 600mm depth.