Generations Magazine -Creating Ageless Kitchens - Image 01As we grow older, the need to renovate our home to meet evolving needs grows … but so can the headache from all of the labor involved.

Your home should represent who you are and your lifestyle. It should be a space that has great energy and is a source of pride. And, sometimes simple, strategic changes can make your house a home for life. Enhancing your home, especially the most frequently used room — the kitchen — doesn’t have to involve major work to make a major difference.

As we age, everything around us seems to get taller, heavier and out of reach. Some seniors seem to “shrink” and probably have the most problems in the kitchen where they aren’t able to reach high shelves. Sore joints can prevent them from stooping down and pulling things out from low drawers. A quick and effective fix to these types of physical limitations could include installing cabinet systems that allow kupuna to pull down and push up cabinets. Even small changes such as installing single-level flooring and layered lighting can make a world of difference. And with convenience and safety in mind, the placement of appliances should always be reviewed. For example, simply lowering a microwave oven to a reachable surface can prevent spills and burns.

Besides being the place to prepare meals, the kitchen is often the place where friends and family congregate. As such, it can benefit the most from a design update from which people of all ages can benefit and appreciate.


Ventus Design
www.ventusdesignhonolulu.com
808-396-5477 | rlewis@ventusdesignhnl.com