Homes built years ago were often designed with the peak-of-young-adulthood in mind.  The historic placement of cabinets and countertops were sized to accommodate a 25-year-old man standing about 69” tall.  Those of shorter stature (typically women and children) had to reach higher and stretch farther to work in this environment.   Since kitchens have traditionally been the domain of women, this makes no sense.  For years, women have been cooking in environments that are not designed with their needs in mind!

Contemporary kitchen design recognizes that people come in varying sizes.  As we age, we lose height, making that variation even more pronounced.  Best practice in creating kitchens that are safe and a joy to cook in calls for multiple counter or work surface heights.

I recently designed a kitchen for a couple who are dramatically different in stature – he is of average height where she is smaller than average.   After much thought and experimentation, we landed on the following work areas:

  • a standard 36” high counter which (luckily) accommodated the dishwasher located below
  • a lower sink counter, set at 32” with a tall faucet and shallow sink bowl
  • a 34” cooking counter with a low-profile cooktop
  • a 30” counter with no cabinets below, effectively making a table (just pull up a chair)

This kitchen may be the extreme of varying counter heights but it provides choice for this couple.   They can choose the counter height that works for the task at hand – a lower counter for kneading dough and a taller counter for making sandwiches.  They can also choose the position from which to work: standing or sitting, either on a standard chair or perched on a higher stool.

This variety of comfortable work surfaces will serve them well as they age – allowing them to alter their work areas to accommodate a change in their energy levels or arm reach.  The new design also turned out to be welcoming to friends and family.  When the couple prepares meals or snacks, their guests feel comfortable sitting a the “table-counter”, enjoying their company and offering a hand with the work.

With a little ingenuity…

If you don’t have the luxury to create a new kitchen, you can still modify your existing kitchen without too much effort or expense.  Creating varying work surface heights can be as simple as finding a cutting board that fits snugly over an open drawer, making a new, lower work surface at a handy height.   This may have the added bonus of being low enough to sit at on a stool plus have clear space for knees below, so adding a stool to use at this lower work area may allow different positioning while you work.  This can take strain off your back and arms.

If you are taller than average, the strain of bending down to chop or assemble ingredients can be hard on your back and neck.  Thick chopping boards can be left on your counter to raise the surface on which you work.  The best ones are very stable because they have a vertical edge that leans against your counter edge to prevent movement while you chop.

Adding a small island or cart to your kitchen at a height that is comfortable for the cook is another way to add functional workspace.  This should be on lockable casters so you can draw it up adjacent to the area or appliance where you are working, increasing the functional work area without having to make extra steps.

Different work surface heights are appropriate for different tasks but one rule of thumb is that your easiest work surface is a few inches lower than your elbow.  Think of your kitchen as a work place that should be easy for you, the cook, to work in!