professorlilith Thank you so much for this idea book! I worry about how kitchen renovation ( still a few years of savings away) will last as my parents, my friends and I age. You have given me very practical ideas.

jamma33 Not mentioned in your article is the use of drawers as opposed to cabinet doors. An easy pull and the contents are right before your eyes, eliminating the need for arthritic knees to bend and bad eyesight to adjust to dim cupboards.

Sheridan Interiors jamma33 - I will be addressing other areas of the kitchen in upcoming separate articles, providing in depth information regarding the aspects of cabinetry, storage, appliances and fixutres, that make a kitchen user-friendly for all. Stay tuned for those articles.

BY DESIGN Builders Thank you for a great article with wonderful examples of Universal Design. With well-designed UD kitchens many times we need to point out the features as they are not blatantly obvious except maybe to the person with the appreciative need.
Another UD feature is in regard to lighting. Flexible lighting plans are the best choice which allow for bright task and path lighting as well as a low lighting option for sensitive eyes. We recommend dimmable lighting everywhere possible.
Lower cabinets with full-extension soft-close drawers are much easier to use than cabinet doors even if there are roll-outs inside. They also make it easier to see what is at the back of the drawer and prevent from crushed fingers when closing. (You cannot slam these drawers and many husbands try to prove us wrong while wives simply smile and say, "I want that!")
Everyday dish ware and glass ware may be more accessible in a deep drawer with removable carriers. Even small children can help set the table and parents need not worry about breakage.
Placing rubbish/recyclables in a lower cabinet removes clutter in pathways and reduces stumbles or worse, falls.
For upper cabinets, consider lift up doors and pull-down shelves. Bring the items to you instead of over-extending one's reach overhead.
Thoughtful planning will make your kitchen friendly and useful for most everyone. This is the strength of Universal Design.

Sheridan Interiors By Design Builders - all great points which I will be covering in depth in upcoming articles.

taureg This is a great article - but, please, think of those of us who live in apartments in cities, where kitchens are small so things like extra wide aisles aren't possible. I have a "large" kitchen 7' x 14' but the mechanical column limits both the entry space and the width of the aisle.

BuilderFish I'm fond of telling prospects and clients, "Counter tops and cabinets don't all have to be the same height" and then watching their expression as if it never dawned on them, or some even believe it's code! Just like blowing their mind by informing that the shower drain doesn't have to be in the middle of the floor.

Sheridan Interiors BuilderFish, you made me laugh at the shower drain comment. So true.

prospera Absolutely excellent article! Now I have a name for what I was taught by my Interior Design instructor back in the early 70's (Thea Ramsey). She stressed way back then that design should focus on future needs, not just the present. We all grow old and change and when designing living space, it is more cost efficient to put things in place, rather than have to retrofit.

At the time, my parents were building their retirement home and they were gracious enough to include me in the process so that I would benefit in the future. I have now been able to apply that experience (and what Thea taught me) big time in my own home. My parents home served them well from their 60's until my mother passed away a few weeks shy of 90.

They built a one story house. I actually moved to a new location where the land was more affordable to build one after she passed away. Nearly every point in this article was addressed, and my parents grew into the needs of the home. The only thing missed were steps (crawl space under the house) to enter and those were address with railings thinking back, I would have eliminated the steps in the build and replaced them with ramps.

It dawned on my when I had my child in a stroller, what a blessing handicapped restrooms were. Both fit in the stalls. We never know when an injury or illness will strike and what applies to the elderly will all of the sudden apply to those who didn't need it before.

It is much more exoensive (and usually not as esthetically pleasing) to have to retrofit. If you have the chance, build or remodel with that in mind. It will also pay off if you have visitors with special needs.

As silly as it seems, I got some if the best advice from the lady that I got my new kitten from. Before she turned her over to me, she told me to crawl around the house and imagine myself kitten sized and look for problems. I did and found a space under the refrigerator that could have trapped her had I not closed it. It was the simplest of fixes, but could have meant disaster had I not been given and followed that advice.

I look forward to reading your other articles on this topic I would like to see you cover every room in the house as well as outside space. I also second Jamma33 on the details like drawers. I have input for that. I have a bad back due to an injury and have pull out drawers in all my lower cabinets. They are a blessing and I probably couldn't enjoy cooking without them.

Thanks again. Your efforts and all of the input from others is greatly appreciated.

Sheridan Interiors Hi prospera, I'm glad you're enjoying the articles. It is my plan to review and share information for other areas of the house in upcoming articles.