Future-proofing Your Kitchen: Designing for a Lifetime of Comfort
When we visit you in your home, our design process starts with asking the right questions. One of the most important is:
How long do you see yourself living in this home?
More and more, we hear:
This is it — our forever home. We’re staying here as long as we can.
When we hear this, we immediately start considering key design elements to ensure your kitchen remains functional, safe, and enjoyable for years to come. We call it “future-proofing” — a thoughtful approach to design that helps you live independently for as long as possible.
Why Future-proofing Matters
Speaking as an older person myself, I know that no one wants to dwell on what challenges they might face 10 years down the line. But the reality is, small design choices now can make a huge difference later.
Preparing food in your kitchen is one of the biggest factors in maintaining independence at home. A well-designed kitchen can extend the number of years you can live comfortably in your own space—without unnecessary struggles or costly adaptations down the line.
With self-funded care now costing between £65,000 and £80,000 per year, making smart design choices today can save a significant expense in the future.
AGING IN PLACE Q&A
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER WHEN TRYING TO FUTURE-PROOF MY KITCHEN DESIGN?
Without question having the important appliances positioned at the correct height. Obviously the oven position stands out but also, and you may not be aware but both the dishwasher and washing machine can be positioned at a higher level.
I HAVE TROUBLE REACHING THE TOP SHELVES OF WALL UNITS AND THE TOP OF MY FRIDGE FREEZER, ARE THERE ANY SOLUTIONS FOR THIS?
Most definitely. For wall units you can install pull down shelves inside the cupboard. The top shelf of tall fridges or fridge freezers can be a problem for anybody, unless they are over 6 feet tall. One handy little gadget is a shelf turntable. This can be added retrospectively and really does help with the problem.
IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC I SHOULD CONSIDER, WHEN BUYING APPLIANCES, THAT WILL HELP ME ACCESS THEM?
As mentioned before, making sure they are set at the correct height is always important. Other features we find useful are; telescopic shelves in ovens and lift up racks in dishwashers.
Also, the Neff “hide and slide” oven can be an advantage but only in certain situations. There are pros and cons with this appliance so we usually need further discussion.
I HAVE PROBLEM LIFTING HEAVY WEIGHTS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN HELP ME WITH THIS?
There are many solutions to this problem. The main culprits tend to be full kettles and mixer units that need to put away, as they take up too much worktop space.
A boiling water tap easily solves the first problem but the mixer unit might be trickier. Lifting items at waist height, rather than bending or reaching high, is easier. So, having maybe a tall larder housing is useful so the mixer can be located on a shelf at waist height. Failing this there is an amazing lift up platform that also utilises the difficult to reach space in a “blind” corner.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE HARD- TO- REACH CORNER UNITS, WHAT IS THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THESE?
There are numerous, what we call, carousel units. Some, though, can’t cope with the heavier weights. The one we like to use is the Le Mans corner. You will lose a little storage space due to the shape of the shelves but it pulls right out giving you great access and will take heavier weights.
WILL IT COST ME MORE TO ACHIEVE A FUTURE-PROOFED KITCHEN DESIGN?
Typically, yes, but it will be worth it. The main reason it will cost more is because to achieve the perfect result you will want to use a company who can have their furniture customised, to size. Most kitchen are “off the shelf” and only come in limited sizes which can’t be altered. We can have our cabinets made to varying widths, depths and importantly, heights. This customisation and superior quality will cost a little more but not as much as you might think. And, when you compare it against the average cost of £65,000 per annum for a residential home it is great value for money!
Holts Kitchen Design Experts are specialists for all your future proofing needs. Certified by the London School of Business.