General information

Kitchen renovation overview

We have a small galley style kitchen and needed it to be wheelchair accessible as much as possible. We did not have the space or budget to make everything 100% wheelchair accessible, so we concentrated on the most important things, knowing that for some things help would be needed.

Our goals were to make the kitchen accessible for things that are needed on a frequent daily basis, with storage for things that are not used often or not possible to use with one hand at a higher level. We also wanted there to be a “home” for everything, to have the counter tops as open and uncluttered as possible, and not have anything on the floors to get in the way of the wheelchair. In short, I wanted it to be like a galley on a boat!

Because we rent, we wanted to keep as much as possible from the original Bruynzeel kitchen so that it could be converted back if we move. We also wanted any new editions to also be flexible so that we could take them with us if we move. We wanted a design that would look cohesive and not too trendy, even though we were mixing together 3 different brands of cabinets and 2 different types of counter tops. We also wanted everything to be DIY as much as possible to save money.

The biggest investment that we made was a wheelchair under rideable height adjustable worktop from Granberg Baselift for under the sink and induction cook plate. The reasons we chose this brand and model is that it has a narrow depth which we needed in our narrow kitchen and it could be mounted to the floor and should be easier to move if we ever need to. It also looked nicer than other brands and they made all documentation available on-line, which strangely most other brands did not think was important enough for us to know in advance (wake up – it’s even more important when designing for accessibility!).

We decided on custom made RVS Keuken stainless counter tops and backsplash for the adjustable worktop so that hot pans can be placed on it and also so it is easy to clean. It was made in 3 parts so that the part that is height adjustable moves independently, along with a stainless steel welded on back splash. The other parts are mounted on the dishwasher and a lower cabinet, which can standalone independently if we ever need to move.

Although stainless steel does scratch, that was not very important for us, and the only other burn proof options would have been quartz or stone, which we felt would have been too heavy for the adjustable worktop. It is also very easy to clean and we could tie it in together design wise with the stainless steel fronts on the dishwasher and cabinets. We were able to use the same stainless steel drawer fronts to cover the height adjustable worktop frame in the front and standard panels to make a movable panel for the plumbing underneath.

There is a single Reginox shallow kitchen sink with a flexible hose that is a bit small, but we wanted to have as much space as possible for food preparation on the adjustable worktop. We mounted an easy to use Hansgrohe faucet in the back corner of the sink along with a Grohe soap dispenser. The sink was placed far forward to avoid having glasses placed on the front that could easily fall off. We have all “most used” utensils hanging from an Ikea GRUNDTAL rail within arms reach above the worktop along with magnetic knife holder. We placed a Philips Senseo coffee maker next to the sink that can be easily filled and used from a wheelchair.

We chose Ikea METOD cabinets because they are modular systems that hang on rails so that they can be reconfigured if it ever needs to be. After looking at many options that were very pricey, we felt that they gave us enough quality and a lot of options for interiors, lighting, and fronts. Because Ikea can be difficult to fit appliances to we decided to go entirely with Ikea appliances. We found that the higher end of Ikea appliances gave all of the features that we were looking for that were only available on the higher end of more expensive appliances like Siemens, Bosch, Neff, Miele, etc.

We chose an Ikea HÖGKLASSIG induction cook plate because it is safe to avoid burns – the burners are only hot when a pan is placed on them and a few moments after it is taken off. We chose a cook plate with easy controls – it has separate controls for each burner that are a good distance away from the burners. It has enough space for 5 pans and a heat insulation shelf on the underside to avoid burns when using the wheelchair.

We also got new BK Q-linair pots and pans to use with induction that have glass lids that will allow for draining them with one hand and handles that do not get too hot to avoid needing pot holders that are difficult to use with one hand. There is LED strip lighting with an accessible remote control under the original upper cabinets so everything can be seen well.

We chose an Ikea HYGIENISK dishwasher that is easy to load and well lighted inside and placed it next to the sink so that it could be easily loaded and unloaded. We installed pull-out drawers near the cook plate to store spices, pots and pans and other items that are frequently used while cooking. A cool feature is that it show a timer on the floor of how much time is left in the program and it is very quiet.

We have an Ikea MOLNIGT wall extractor hood with recirculation because our building has central mechanical ventilation. It has washable in the dishwassher charcoal filters and simple button controls that are low enough to be operated from the wheelchair. We were somewhat limited on choices for the extractor hood due to space constraints, and although it is quite loud, we think it is adequate. We left all of the original upper cabinets in place, which are not wheelchair accessible, and are used for storage of canned and dry goods that are not used as often.

We moved the original white Bruynzeel lower base cabinets to the other side of the kitchen and fitted them with Ikea MAXIMERA pull out drawers that could more easily be used from the wheelchair. It was a bit challenging because the Ikea drawers are deeper than the Bruynzeel cabinets, but it worked by cutting the back out of the cabinets and cutting the fronts to attach to the pull-out drawers.

In one of the lower base cabinets we placed an Ikea GRÄNSLÖS convection oven. We wanted the oven apart from the cook plate so that 2 people can work in the kitchen at the same time – the appliances are in a work triangle configuration. The oven has a glass front that does not get too hot, has simple controls (knobs instead of all digital) and telescopic rails to be able to pull out the rails to check on progress without them falling down. We decided not to get a slide-front or side swing door oven because it would never have been possible to take out hot dishes with one hand.

We installed Ikea METOD horizontal wall cabinets with top hinges with the lower portion accessible from the wheelchair. The lower portion has JUTIS semi-transparent white glass fronts with LED spots with an accessible remote control so that it’s easier to view items inside from the wheelchair. The upper portion has GREVSTA stainless steel fronts to balance out the design with the other side that has stainless steel on the lower base cabinets.

We placed an Ikea HUSHÅLLA microwave with a side swing door with simple controls within reach from the wheelchair above the oven. Where the previous sink was we cut out the bottom to have top access to rubbish and recyclables and placed a cutting board on top that will be replaced with a hinged stainless steel lid. Because of the lowered upper cabinets the worktop is somewhat limited, but there is enough space to store some things and can be used for food preparation by someone standing.

We have a Samsung side-by-side stainless steel front refrigerator with a small door “party hatch” on the front for easy access from the wheelchair. It has extra  space in front for access from the wheelchair and has good lighting inside with easy to access shelves and a water and ice dispenser. We would have preferred a counter depth refrigerator, but could not find one with the options that we wanted  and Samsung offered the most compact version we could find.

We placed some Ikea stainless steel shelves in the back of the kitchen with frequently used items and above the refrigerator for wine and drinks storage. Under the adjustable height worktop we placed stainless steel shelves for pet food storage and feeding bowls so that they are off of the floor, but still allow space for the wheelchair.

We needed to be able to use the kitchen while we were renovating. I was able to assemble all of the cabinets and lighting myself in about 5 days so that we only paid for a contractor to install the cabinets and the appliances, which took about 3 days. We only went one night without the use of our sink and the contractor was very good about rigging up the sink temporarily over the Christmas holidays until we received the height adjustable worktop 2 weeks later.

I wanted to add a note about doing a mostly DIY kitchen that is mostly wheelchair accessible. When we started this project I met with kitchen companies that specialised in height adjustable worktops. I was appalled at the prices they charged and the lack of information and options that were given to fit our needs which were for both wheelchair accessibility and able bodied accessibility.

I had already done a lot of research into what we needed, but they seemed more interested in making “all-in” quotes with custom options than listening to us about what we needed, and more importantly, what was not needed. The only exception I made was having the Granberg Baselift installed by the local distributor because I was concerned over warranty, but in hindsight, I could have done that just fine with our kitchen installer.

So many things can be made accessible using standard kitchen options with minor modifications by paying close attention to what will realistically be used and how it will be used. Checking all specifications is time consuming, but it pays off in the end. I reckon we saved at least 50% by not going through specialised companies for cabinets or installation.

With a good installer who will listen to requirements it really was not very difficult, and I would encourage others to try it if you are able. We found our installer, Suidkaap Solutions online on a project website, and I would highly recommend them if you are in the Amsterdam area. If you are curious, this is the advert I placed, Ikea kitchen with many customisations. We will also be using them for some other projects around our house.

Overall, we think that we reached our goals and are very happy with our new kitchen.

Original Bruynzeel kitchen

Kitchen drawings

Kitchen layout (PDF): 2017-12-03 R.J. Pit – Keuken
Kitchen worktop (PDF): 2017-12-04 R.J. Pit – RVS Werkbladen

Kitchen ergonomics

Requirements

1. Galley style kitchen layout
   
2. Keep as much as possible of the original kitchen and move to opposite wall
3. Cooktop, sink and worktop wheelchair under rideable and height adjustable
4. Induction cooktop with space for 4-5 pans, simple controls and heat insulation on the underside.
5. Wall extractor hood for central ventilation system (motorless) or recirculation system (recirculation hood), washable filters (dishwasher)
6. Shallow kitchen sink with heat insulation on the underside (single rectangular)
7. Heat resistant surfaces close to the cooktop and oven for the temporary placing of hot pots
8. Stainless steel surfaces with a welded on backsplash that hot pans can be placed on that is easy to clean.
9. New base cabinet with pull out drawers for pots and pans and frequently used items.
10. Convection oven with a glass front that does not get too hot, simple operations (knobs instead of all digital) and telescopic rails.
11. Microwave with side swing door with simple operations within reach from the wheelchair.
12. Modified base cabinets with pull out drawers for frequently used items.
13. Wall cabinets with top hinges, the lower portion accessible from the wheelchair.
    
14. Refrigerator standalone side-by-side with small door, water and ice dispenser
15. Dishwasher near sink with lighting and easy to load.
16. Shelf under worktop (pet feeding station) ~25 cm  wide
17. Storage for rubbish and recyclables

Lift systems

Brochure: Baselift 6210 Brochure

Manual: Baselift 6210 Manual 

Specifications Baselift_6210_Specifications

Specifications

Control button (bediening) 61320

Control button in Alu-design (Worktop lifts)
Corded for recess
Dimensions: 8.2 x 8.2 x 1.7 cm

Safety strip (klembeveiliging)

61460 Safety strip 0.8 cm
61461 Connection pack to safety strip 0.8 cm

Granberg Interior AB
Importgatan 30
602 28 Norrköping
Sweden
+46(0)11-19 77 50
E-mail: info@granberg.se
Web: http://www.granberg.se

Dealers

MCS Keuken & Comfort
Planthofsweg 51
7601 PH Almelo (1.5 hours)
Netherlands
Telephone: +31 0546-769002
E-mail: info@mcscomfort.nl
Web: www.mcscomfort.nl

Cabinets, drawers, lighting

IKEA cabinets

Distribution order: 2017-12-01 Ikea Distributie order

Counter top, backsplash and sink

RVS Keuken Stainless counter top and backsplash

Eén (1) keukenblad voor een Granberg in hoogte verstelbare werkblad:

• onderzijd met gelijmd 40 mm hoog watervast verlijmd multiplex
• onzichtbare naadloze ingelast ondiepe Reginox spoelbakbak 10 cm
• sparing voor een inductie kookplaat
• hoek sparing voor een kraan
• sparing voor een zeepdispenser
• gelast achterwand met MDF materiaal 10 mm
• glad finish geborsteld
• strakke rand afwerking

Twee (2) keukenblad voor Ikea onderkasten:

• onderzijd met gelijmd 40 mm hoog watervast verlijmd multiplex
• gelast RVS achterwand met MDF materiaal 15 mm
• glad finish geborsteld
• strakke rand afwerking

Stainless sink

Vlak inbouw/inleg of naadloos ingelast in RVS werkblad

Reginox L184035SK 10cm RVS

Faucet

Hansgrohe Focus 240

ééngreeps keukenmengkraan met uittrekbare vuistdouche

Artikelnummer: 31815000

Diameter uitsparing 1 (mm) 35

Soap dispenser

Grohe Cosmopolitan

Artikelnummer 40535000
EAN: 4005176905490
Diameter uitsparing 1 (mm) 30

Induction cooktop

• inductie
• inbouw,
• 4 kookzones
• Makkelijk in gebruik
• 1 kookzone die bij te schakelen is tot een braadzone
• Aansluitwaarde min. 6000 watt
• Eenvoudige bediening
• Restwarmteindicatie
• Veiligheidsuitschakeling
• Timer voor alle kookzones, Kookwekker

Ikea HÖGKLASSIG

NYTTIG Scheiding voor kookplaat

Wall extractor hood

Extractor hood for central exhaust sytem or recirculation system (reciirculation hood), washable filters (dishwasher). Buttons on the front (not underneath). Lamp. Not loud. Not expensive filter replacement.

• Filter uitneembaar
• Filter uitwasbaar
• Indicatie filter
• Geluidsniveau 59 dB off minder
• Afzuigcapaciteit recirculatie 360³/h of meer

Ikea MOLNIGT

Convection Oven

• 60 cm breed cabinet
  
• 60 cm hoog cabinet
• 60+ liter netto inhoud
• Temperatuurregeling van 40 °C – 275 °C
• Grill, Hetelucht, Gelijktijdige boven- en onderwarmte, Onderwarmte
• Koel front
• side-hinged doors (draaideur open links) or inschuifbare ovendeur (NEF Slide&Hide)
• at eye level
• nishoogte 60 cm
• Draaiknoppen, Druktoetsen
• Binnenverlichting
• Braadthermometer
• Telescopisch uittreksysteem
• 2 roosters with enough room for 2 pizzas
• Zelfreiningssysteem

• clock timer

Ikea GRÄNSLÖS

Install manual granslos-heteluchtoven-pyrol-functie__AA-1415304-4

User manual EN granslos-heteluchtoven-pyrol-functie__AA-1894749-1

User manual NL granslos-heteluchtoven-pyrol-functie__AA-1894762-2

Microwave

• side-hinged doors (draaideur open rechts)
• at eye level, about 1200-1630 mm high

Ikea HUSHÅLLA

Installation manual hushalla-magnetron__AA-1514901-1

User manual EN hushalla-microwave-oven__AA-1755542-1

User manual NL hushalla-magnetron__AA-1513080-2

Dishwasher

Ikea HYGIENISK

Install manual hygienisk-inbouwvaatwasser__AA-1939465-1

Userl manual EN hygienisk-geschirrspuler-integr-__AA-1938532-1

User manual filling hygienisk-inbouwvaatwasser__AA-1939447-1

User manual NL hygienisk-inbouwvaatwasser__AA-1938516-1

Refrigerator side-by-side

Minibar, ijsmaker in deur of in kast, deur open alarm, RVS,niet diep.

Samsung RS.G5PURS1/XEF

EAN: 8808993377015

User manual DA99-01745B_NL

User manual DA99-01745F-26 EN

Quick Setup Guide EN

Connecting Side by Side Refrigerators to the Water Supply Samsung UK