Wheelchair-accessible kitchen cabinets allow wheelchair users to have as much ease when performing usual tasks in the kitchen as possible. Everything can be reimagined and redesigned, enhancing functionality for people of all abilities.
Types of Wheelchair-Accessible Kitchen Cabinets
An average kitchen countertop is 36 inches high. While this is still “accessible” for someone using a wheelchair, it can be inconvenient. What’s more, kitchen cabinets may be fitted above the countertop, making them difficult or impossible to reach.
Fortunately, there are some customizable cabinet options to consider when creating an ADA-accessible kitchen.
Pull-Out Shelves
Pull-Out shelves are a convenient drawer-shelf hybrid that eliminates hard-to-reach sections in the back of your cabinets. These shelving solutions allow you to pull them out and toward you, allowing wheelchair users to access the entire shelf instead of only the front portion.
Glide-Around Shelving
A Glide-Around shelf can transform an unusable corner cabinet into an efficient, well-organized storage space. Similar to Pull-Out shelves, these storage solutions combine the functionality of a Pull-Out shelf with a 360-degree rotating platform, similar to a Lazy Susan.
Unlike a Lazy Susan, however, glide-around shelving comes with fully extendable drawers and slots for storage on the side. These features make it a perfect solution for bulky kitchen essentials like mixing bowls, bakeware, cutting boards, and more.
Lazy Susans
Lazy Susans have been a fixture in kitchens for decades. Also known as turntables, Lazy Susans typically feature multiple levels of shelves that rotate around a central axis. These shelving solutions come in a variety of shapes, including the traditional round turntables, kidney shapes, and D-shaped versions, making them a flexible way to turn the deepest cabinets into easily accessible storage spaces.
Automated Cabinets
Last but not least, automated electric-powered cabinets – albeit expensive – can be another solution for increasing accessibility in the kitchen. Depending on your needs and the existing kitchen layout, the cabinets can go up or down at the click of a button, quickly bringing all your kitchen essentials within reach. Once done, you can raise the shelves back to their original position.
Design A Wheelchair-Accessible Kitchen
Kitchen cabinets are often positioned 16 to 20 inches above countertops and can reach up to the ceiling. This placement helps save space and makes storage more efficient in tight quarters. However, it can also mean these cupboards are inaccessible to those in wheelchairs.
Fortunately, there are other ways to make kitchens safer and more convenient for wheelchair users — without investing thousands into a major remodel. When paired with wheelchair-accessible kitchen cabinet ideas discussed above, these tips can help you transform your kitchen into a space you and your loved ones can enjoy.
Optimize The Use Of Existing Countertops
Are your countertops already at an accessible height? Then you’re one step closer to a wheelchair-accessible kitchen! Make the most of your existing countertops by upgrading the cabinets below with convenient features like Pull-Out shelving and storage for flat items like cutting boards, cookie trays, and more.
Use Non-Slip Liners
Whether installing new Pull-Out shelving or simply making your existing cabinets safer, consider using non-slip liners on all stationary and mobile surfaces. Liners offer padding to protect your shelves from scratching — and just enough grip to keep kitchen essentials safely in place, reducing the risk of dropping or breaking dishes, cookware, and small appliances.
Keep Utensils & Spices Within Easy Reach
Design experts suggest keeping everyday items nearby. Even if you have an electronic kitchen cabinet, bringing down the cabinet and putting it back every time you want to cook can be stressful. Instead, the best practice is to store commonly used spices and utensils in easily reachable places.
Install a Dishwasher Drawer
Dishwasher drawers offer several advantages in a wheelchair-accessible kitchen. The sleek, streamlined look blends seamlessly with your existing cabinetry. At the same time, a dishwasher drawer’s easy Pull-Out design removes the hassle and strain out of bending to load and unload dishes.
Improve Microwave Accessibility
Microwaves play a key role in daily meal prep, so it's crucial to keep them within reach. Unfortunately, microwaves are often pushed to the back of countertops or positioned high above a stove.
Improve microwave accessibility by considering options like installing a pull-out microwave drawer, storing the appliance in a well-ventilated cabinet, or placing it in an easily accessible pantry with plenty of room for a wheelchair user to navigate.
Use ADA-Compliant Hardware
The pulling mechanism on cabinets can play a significant role in improving accessibility. Interior designers generally recommend opting for cabinets that have loops or bar handles instead of knobs or pulls, which require greater grip strength.
It may be an even better idea to opt for touch-release doors and drawers forr maximum accessibility and ease of use.
Overcome Mobility Challenges with ShelfGenie
Our expert design team at ShelfGenie can help you create ADA kitchen cabinets that embrace your sense of style while offering maximum accessibility. Whether you’re building a brand new kitchen from scratch and want an expert eye or are looking to retrofit existing cabinets, your storage solutions can be made to the prescribed layout and positioning specifications down to the inch to ensure easy access. We even back every kitchen design with our Neighborly Done Right Promise™, so you can count on a job done right the first time.
Ready to transform your kitchen into a space you and your loved ones can enjoy? Find a ShelfGenie location near you to learn more about our process, or book a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our designers today.
