Kitchen ergonomics: Health-conscious dimensions

Working at the stove, sink or worktop, all the stress falls on the muscles of the back and neck. And given that the hostess spends quite a long time in that position - the wrong dimensions of kitchen furniture can have a bad impact on the health and well-being of these body parts.

So, in order for the process of preparing dinner did not turn into a test of his own health, the kitchen design should adhere to the following rules

Countertops

The first and basic rule - the height of the kitchen countertop should be tailored to the height of the person who spends more time in the kitchen. The standard height for countertops is considered to be 85 cm. But these standards were developed in the 50s of last century. Since then, the population of the world a little "grown up" and the standard has lost its relevance. Now you can choose a countertop for your height, thanks to the developed industry of furniture manufacturing.

Select the optimal height is very simple. You should bend your elbow at a right angle and measure down 15 cm. At the same level and should be the future tabletop.

As for the depth of the table top - first of all it depends on the size of the room. The standard depth is 60 cm, but if the kitchen is small enough - a depth of 45-50 cm will be enough for comfortable use.

Suspended cabinets

Usually over the working surfaces place cabinets for storing utensils, cereals, spices and other things that need to be "at hand" when cooking. Therefore, it is logical to question the height of placement of these cabinets above the countertop. A distance of 60 cm is considered optimal. But in this case you should also pay attention to the height of the owners: it is recommended to hang cabinets at such a height that it is easy to reach the first and, ideally, the second shelf.

The depth of hanging cupboards also plays an important role, because if the cupboard is too deep, there is a risk of hitting the edge that protrudes over the worktop. A depth equal to ½ the depth of the worktop would be ideal. That is, if the depth of the countertop is 60 cm, the depth of the hanging cabinet above it should be 30-35 cm.

Finally, a tip from "HPL countertop": if the dimensions of the kitchen allow, you can safely increase the depth of the countertop by 10-15 cm from the standard! Then the kitchen cabinets will not overhang in front of your face, which does not seem to bother you, but it is much more pleasant to contemplate the space in front of your eyes!