16 Tips For Accessible Kitchen Design

December 30, 2025

Accessibility, long-term planning, and aging in place are continuing to gain popularity in new construction. Whether you need a more accessible and inclusive design or are specifically planning to age-in-place in the future, focusing on accessibility can create a safer and more convenient environment for people of all ages and abilities. This can be particularly beneficial in high-use rooms, like kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and living rooms. When it comes to universal design in the kitchen, here are some tips for accessible kitchen design:

Focus on wide clearances and open-concept flow.
Choose non-slip flooring.
Consider lower countertops with rounded edges.
Add knee clearance to work stations.
Prioritize lower storage.
Bring higher cabinets within reach.
Install easy-to-use handles.
Incorporate toe-kick functions.
Add extra lighting in the kitchen.
Be more strategic with switches.
Opt for lever or touch-activated faucets.
Consider access methods and locations of appliances.
Use colors strategically to define zones.
Pick adaptive cooking devices to suit your needs.
Incorporate contrast to improve visibility.
Use technology to your advantage.

1. Focus on Wide Clearances and Open-Concept Flow

Some of the biggest benefits of open-concept floor plans are the flexible layout and easier movement they provide. With enough space and a focus on open-concept design, you have the flexibility to make sure that movement is easy for people using wheelchairs or mobility aids.

You also don’t have to worry as much about walls and doorways with an open-concept design. Any doorways or other entrances or exits should have wide clearances to allow for easy access for someone using a wheelchair, walker, or another mobility aid.

36 inches is the minimum for wider pathways and doorways, but 42 inches is often a better guideline. When planning layouts and floor plans, ensure there is plenty of room for turning. In this case, a 60-inch diameter is a good guideline for a turning area. This is in line with ADA Accessibility Standards.

2. Choose Non-Slip Flooring

There are many flooring options available, but if you are focusing on accessibility and safety, it’s better to choose a non-slip flooring option. It should be durable and easy to clean, while providing traction and ease of movement.

Non-slip tile, textured LVP (luxury vinyl plank), or rubber flooring can be good options. Not only do these help reduce the risk of slips and falls, but they are also water-resistant and easy to maintain.

In addition to a slip-resistant flooring material, other tips for accessible kitchen design for the flooring include:

Avoiding high thresholds
Not having any uneven transitions between areas or types of flooring
Not putting down thick rugs
Not using unsecured area rugs or mats
Avoiding high-gloss finishes that can have a glare or become slippery

With flooring, you want to avoid anything that could make movement difficult or things that could shift and cause a fall. Similar to how some of the benefits of single-story homes are easier navigation and better accessibility, making sure your flooring is smooth, level, even, and clear of obstacles does the same for a kitchen design, which helps make it more accessible overall.

3. Consider Lower Countertops With Rounded Edges

Standard heights for countertops are typically 36 inches, but this may not work for everyone in the household. One of the tips for accessible kitchen design is to consider installing countertops at a lower height and opt for countertops with rounded edges. Not only can this help prevent injury from bumping into sharp corners, but lowered countertops are easier for people using wheelchairs to access.

For a more universal design that can accommodate people using wheelchairs as well as people using other mobility aids whose reach may be at a different height, you can go with split-level countertops and vary the height or incorporate different countertop heights in different areas of the kitchen. There are adjustable height countertop models available that allow you to raise or lower the countertop height to what you need it to be.

4. Add Knee Clearance to Work Stations

For a more universal and accessible kitchen design, consider both countertop height and clearance around work stations. If you have someone who will be seated while working in the kitchen, make sure the work station they will be using has open space for their knees, whether it’s the sink, a prep area, the stovetop, or somewhere else. At least 27 inches high for knee clearance is recommended.

5. Prioritize Lower Storage

Cabinets are a key way to add more storage to your kitchen design. For a more accessible kitchen, prioritize storage in the lower cabinets that tend to be easier to reach. You can configure the lower cabinets to have a variety of storage options that work best. Pull-out shelves and drawers can provide storage while making items easier to reach.

6. Bring Higher Cabinets Within Reach

Upper cabinets can provide a lot of storage. Extending upper cabinets to the ceiling may be a kitchen cabinet trend, but upper cabinets can also be difficult to reach. For a more accessible kitchen design, you can bring items in higher cabinets within reach by implementing pull-down shelves.

These are shelving units that are designed to be pulled out and down to bring higher items into reach. Adjustable cabinets are also an option. Similar to how there are models that allow you to adjust the height of countertops, there are also adjustable cabinet options that allow you to lower upper cabinets electronically to bring them into reach.

7. Install Easy-to-Use Handles

Another tip for accessible kitchen design is to think about handles and choose kitchen cabinet hardware options that are easy to use. Although knobs are classic cabinet and drawer handles, they can be difficult to grip and pull. Instead, choose handles that are loop styles or D-shaped. These tend to be easier to grip and use than traditional knobs or other smaller handles. Depending on the style, size, and materials, levers could be a good option.

8. Incorporate Toe-Kick and Push-to-Open Functions

Toe-kick lighting is a lighting underneath lower cabinets when there is a gap or recess between the cabinets and the floor. It is generally operated via the feet for touch activation or push activation, or is motion-activated, and is a cabinet lighting idea. This is also a feature that translates to other functions.

Storage in lower drawers can be designed to open with toe-kick functions. Push-to-open hinges on lower cabinets and drawers can make them easy to access, regardless of the handles on them. This can be a good option if toe-kick functions are less convenient or reliable for someone to use. Using both functions provides multiple methods of opening and accessing items.

9. Add Extra Lighting in the Kitchen

The right mix of lighting in any room often includes natural light, overhead lighting, ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. For an accessible kitchen with universal design in mind, add extra lighting, layer it well, and make it adjustable. These are home lighting trends that can help create a universal kitchen design when taken a little further.

You want to ensure there is enough lighting for good visibility without causing a glare or being overly bright or harsh. There should also be plenty of task lighting and accent lighting to help improve visibility and safety while moving around the kitchen.

10. Be More Strategic With Switches

A good tip for accessible kitchen design is to be strategic with light switches. They should be placed in areas that align with movement and use of the kitchen, should be within reach, and should be easy to use.

Switches no more than 48 inches off the floor are recommended, but it may make sense to install them lower or use a different type of light switch to make them easier to use. Motion-activated lighting and smart lighting systems are popular options.

It’s also a good idea to consider multi-pole switches. If you have multiple entrances and exits in and out of the kitchen, being able to control the lights from any entry point is a useful, convenient function. Similarly, being able to control lights via a mobile phone or having an automatic turnoff after motion has not been detected for a certain amount of time can be helpful as well.

11. Opt For Lever or Touch-Activated Faucets

Another one of the tips for accessible kitchen design that is often a hallmark in universal kitchen design is to opt for single-lever or touch-activated faucets. You could even consider motion activation. These types of fixtures don’t rely solely on a strong or dextrous grip to function well.

Not only does this make faucets more accessible, but it also often increases convenience and ease of use for everyone. Plus, if you ever have something on your hands or need to turn the faucet on with something in your hands, a wide lever or touch activation makes it easy.

12. Consider Access Methods and Locations of Appliances

Another aspect of universal kitchen design is where the appliances are located, how they are integrated, and how they are accessed. Going into designing a kitchen with accessibility in mind can mean getting creative with appliances.

Integrated appliances that are designed and built to be under the countertop can keep them easily accessible. Appliances can also be integrated into drawers or cabinets in a kitchen island base to bring them within reach. Making sure appliances have front-mounted controls that are easy to read and easy to operate is also important.

12 Tips For More Accessible Appliances

Ensure appliances have front-mounted controls.
Make sure controls are clearly labeled and easy to operate.
Opt for appliances with automatic shut-off features.
Consider placing wall ovens at a lower level.
Opt for a side-hinged oven.
Choose induction cooktops to reduce burn risk.
Put in drawer-style microwaves and dishwashers that pull out at counter height.
Go for French door refrigerators with easy access to both the fridge and freezer.
Make sure the refrigerator has adjustable shelving inside.
Look for refrigerators with bottom-drawer freezers.
Ensure handles are designed for easy use, like levers or D-shaped handles.
Incorporate touch and/or voice activation where it suits your needs.

13. Use Colors Strategically to Define Zones

Being strategic about the colors and level of contrast in the kitchen can make it easier to navigate in low light or for people with cognitive challenges or visual impairments. Just as colors can define spaces in an open-concept floor plan, colors can also be used to define specific zones in a kitchen and identify their intended use.

For example, a specific color can be assigned to the cooking area to easily identify it as “the cooking zone” in the kitchen. This also clearly indicates that there may be heating elements or other things that have the potential to cause injury and that require more careful coordination and awareness in that area.

This can also be a useful way to create consistency in a kitchen for anyone who relies on learning the layout of an environment and needs it to remain as consistent as possible to make it easy for them to navigate and use it.

14. Pick Adaptive Cooking Devices to Suit Your Needs

In addition to universal kitchen design, one of the tips for a more accessible kitchen is to use adaptive cooking devices. Depending on your needs, there are several devices and variations of cooking devices and supplies that can make prepping meals much easier. You can also add features in specific areas to make things easier. For example, a pot filler on or near the stove means heavy pots of water do not need to be carried from the sink to the stove.

Even seemingly simple items, like electronic jar openers, one-handed cutting boards, and more, can make a big difference. As you’re working through overall design and some kitchen must-haves with your builder, also consider what supplies would be easier to use, whether that is design, functionality, material, etc.

15. Incorporate Contrast to Improve Visibility

Just as colors can be used to define specific zones within a kitchen, contrast can be used to enhance visibility. This is particularly useful for areas that are prone to accident risk.

Going for higher-contrast colors between cabinet edges and countertops or lower cabinets and flooring can clearly delineate where edges are in an area. Not only does this make them easier to see and find, but it also provides visual cues that can help reduce the risk of accidents, whether that’s bumps, trips, or falls.

When used in other areas, enhancing visibility can make things easier to use. Choosing high-contrast colors for cabinet surfaces and cabinet hardware can make the hardware stand out even more, which makes it easier to locate and use, especially for people who are navigating the kitchen with visual impairments.

16. Use Technology to Your Advantage

In addition to levers, handles, and switches that are easier to use, you can also use technology to your advantage in universal kitchen design to integrate assistive technology. Voice-activated assistants paired with smart appliances can remove the need for manual operation, which can increase accessibility, convenience, and independence.

When incorporating other tips for accessible kitchen design, like adjustable shelving or automated cabinet systems, you can choose options that will integrate with smart home technology for your kitchen and be able to operate via voice-activation if that is what you need and want.

Design and Build Your Dream Home With Custom Home Group

These are some tips for accessible kitchen design to keep in mind if you want to focus on universal design or aging-in-place home design. If there are universal design features you want, a good custom home builder will make sure your custom home is designed to include them.

Working with an experienced custom home builder with an in-house design/build process ensures you end up with a home design that suits your needs and your wants. If you’re ready to get started on your own custom home in Central Pennsylvania or Northeastern Maryland, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090. We can make your dream custom home a reality!