As you are planning your new kitchen venture, have a think about how you can introduce the common-sense ideology of so-called “Universal Design”. Universal design takes its name from its all-ages, all-abilities approach to space planning.

The general concept is that if you remodel your kitchen with universal design principles in mind, your kitchen will be a safe, comfortable and practical environment for any cook. Universal design principles not only take accessibility into account, but also style, and what will benefit the most people, regardless of age or physical condition. Universal design also aims to do away with the expense and hassle of constantly adapting your home to your changing lifestyle needs.

The “Golden Rule”, which Universal design encompasses is common sense. Don’t forget to add a large dose of common sense when designing your new kitchen and you can’t go wrong! Universal design enables you to create a beautiful space in your home for cooking and entertaining, even if you have special requirements such as wheelchair access or extra lighting.

At the State University of New York in Buffalo, The Centre for Inclusive Design & Environmental Access has a number of recommendations geared towards the kitchen and how it can be made more accessible, safe, and comfortable for cooks of any age and capability. If you are visually impaired, the centre suggests installing under cabinet lighting and considering contrasting colours into your design scheme—light-coloured crockery will show up better on darker worktops. Consider white interiors for your cabinets also, as cans will stand out more on this background.

To maximise safety in the kitchen, especially when there are children or elderly people in the house, avoid rugs and slippy floor surfaces, such as polished marble or glazed ceramic tiles. Wood floors with a non-slip surface are recommended. Consider reinforcing the hardware inside lower cabinet doors and drawers in case they are leaned on for support.

Nobody likes all the bending, stretching and stooping that many kitchen designs require. Minimise the risk of straining your back or arms by raising the dishwasher 8 inches, having a range of work surfaces from 28 inches to 42 inches and taking advantage of our storage accessories like the PWS Pull-out wire drawers. These small additions can make the world of difference to the functionality and ease of use of the kitchen,