What does your kitchen time look like? Do you have to bend, twist, stretch, duck, turn and reach? If yes, then you aren’t the only one. Several others, like you, have to spend like this in their kitchen to get the food done. And that is a real struggle.
Luckily, the architects and the designers pay increased attention to the science behind ergonomics. They are harping on developing rooms designed to bring in more efficiency, productivity, and comfort. Also, when you can ergonomically design the fixtures and appliances, it can be a pleasant experience to work in your kitchen using meticulous planning. Are you planning for that? If yes, here are a few smart tips that you can put to use:
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Customize the counters
Your counter is an essential part of the house, and you need to consider it well. It’s necessary to customize the counter heights instead of forcing your body to adapt to the standard sizes until you are in the correct height for it. Try to install two or more counters that are at different heights. For instance, you can opt-in for a low one, which is 34 to 38 inches tall, to use for food preparation, like stirring and slicing. The other one can be at a bar height, of 44 to 46 inches, for holding the foods that are ready to serve or the items you aren’t using currently, such as a melted bowl of chocolate that requires getting cooled before you add the egg whites.
Also, when selecting the custom sizes, a helpful rule here is to opt-in for the countertop height in association with the elbow height. When your kitchen acts similar to a social center, the family members and the guests can collate at the bar, which might be 48 inches, and can chat comfortably instead of leaning against a fridge or perching above the dishwasher.
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Choose your kitchen sink correctly
It would help if you exercised some thought here. It’s best to move away from the generic sinks that are available. You can think about a contemporary kitchen with farm sink if you want. Today, you will come across several service providers who can help you attain this. Get a sink that will complement the ergonomics and essence of your kitchen space. Taking a valuable suggestion from an expert interior designer can help you decide better.
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Your floors should have a bounce
Every floor has an important role to play! And instead of ceramic, stone, or terra cotta tile, you can opt-in for bouncy materials, such as rubber, wood, and even cork which are accessible on the legs and feet. If you want, you can also try to place small rag rugs and mats in certain places, for instance, by the sink, counter, or stove.
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You should opt-in for drawers instead of doors
Today, most homeowners are saying yes to drawers in their kitchens. It’s a brilliant idea to have cabinets with big drawers for cookware, small appliances, and plates that enable you to see and draw the content. It will prevent you from ducking beneath the counter or even crawl inside the cabinet to get what you want. And there is no need to blend it down thoroughly. All you have to do is pop the drawer open. Therefore, you can always opt-in for the side-by-side models in terms of refrigerators. However, regardless of any drawer unit you choose, opt-in for the one which has self-closing glides.
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You can flip over your cabinets
As you are working on the design, you should know how you want to use the cabinets to ensure that the doors can open correctly. In case they get placed incorrectly, it will lead to ample ducking and increase the maneuvers. The other option here are the European-style cabinets where the door flips up instead of being on the side.
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Storage, seating, and outlets
Detailing your kitchen décor is essential! Today, the multitiered storage racks have been popular for the upper cabinet. Hence, various other storage choices get installed within the cabinet doors. If you want, you can design the upper cabinets in a way that they extend to three inches down beyond the bottom frame. That way, you can operate a channel all the way across the upper cabinet bottom, and you aren’t able to see it. It would help if you also thought about the electrical outlets. However, anytime you wish to plug something in, all you need to do is reach up to plug it from any place you are standing. There is no need for lugging appliances around. It is beneficial for the island and when you want to get a recipe off from the laptop.
Additionally, it is also necessary to hold onto your classic kitchen stool. It is essential to have one handy. It’s best to design a good open space to accommodate one or two stools. That will add a sharp look to your kitchen space. The stool needs to have a cross-bar to have a little room for resting your feet. It will enable you to sit down when you are mixing food or other food preparation. Also, when you sit on the stool, you are primarily in a balanced and better posture.
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You can design for the lefties
Even the left-handers will want to pay close attention to aspects such as the stove placements. When you want to hand the utensils on your wall, you can locate the stove so that the wall is on the left, and it is easy to grab the spatula. It is also a good practice to keep the dishwasher on the left.
These are some of the guidelines and smart tips that you can use to make sure you are developing an ergonomic kitchen. You don’t need to do it all by yourself, as expert help is available. It would help if you fixed your kitchen décor idea the budget and get in touch with an expert interior designer who can guide you correctly through the entire process.
