Choosing the distance between the upper and lower cabinets in the kitchen

A lot of kitchen utensils and equipment are stored in the kitchen. In order not to search the entire room in search of the right thing, wall cabinets and shelves were invented, as well as solid structures that are installed directly on the floor. For safe and quick access, the optimal height is selected for both floor-standing and wall-mounted cabinets. Let's talk about how to choose the right distance between the top and bottom cabinets in the kitchen.

They begin the calculation with the growth of the tenants. An arrangement of wall cabinets suitable for people with short stature is not quite suitable for tall ones, and vice versa. A quick option is to arrange shelves and wall cabinets so that the top edge of the kitchen set is no more than 25 cm from the crown of the head. Another formula is also used: the middle shelf of the cabinet is placed at eye level.

The distance from the lower to the upper shelves, which is not matched in height for the height of the hostess, will cause her inconvenience when preparing food. As the initial data for the calculation, the area of ​​the kitchen, the location of the gas stove and refrigerator, the height of the ceilings in the house or apartment are also taken.

For low ceilings (eg 270 cm), skip buying a tall headset. The minimum distance between them and the work surface will not allow residents to easily reach the upper shelves. Here, medium-height cabinets are a versatile and optimal solution. In Soviet times, most of the kitchen sets were made "carbon copy". Today you can order a headset for yourself. The size of the kitchen utensils produced in the assembly is set by the table of values ​​according to GOST. Here, the number of cabinets and the size of each of them, recommendations for the arrangement of kitchen utensils and dishes, and ergonomic requirements are predetermined.

The lower kitchen cabinets can be twice as deep in depth as the upper ones - they have a height of 30 cm. Built-in appliances (microwave oven, single-chamber mini-refrigerator, toaster, etc.) will increase this value to 40 cm. As you further increase the depth of the top cabinet, you will bump your head against it more often. The most common depth of the lower tier is 60-80 cm.

To use the kitchen pleasantly and comfortably, on average, the distance from the tabletop of the workplace to the lower edge of the upper cabinets is 50-55 cm.The height of the upper cabinets is set by the ceiling height and is, on average, 70 cm.If the house or apartment has ceilings of 3 or more meters , then the height of the upper cabinets can reach a meter or more. The width of the hanging tier is 15-80 cm, it can be both spice shelves and spacious cabinets for storing dishes.

It is not recommended to place equipment in them. For example, a spacious microwave oven weighing 10 kg can become 3 more heavy when one of the dishes is warmed up in it or one of the dishes is prepared for 5-8 guests. The same microwave would emit hum and vibration during operation, adding stress to an already overloaded kitchen cabinet.

With a small kitchen area of ​​5-6 square meters or with a non-standard, for example, a polygonal kitchen space in a country house, try an original project. It is more expensive, but the overpayment pays off with a complete and free layout, which gives the impression of a larger kitchen. For both small and spacious kitchens, the height of the upper and middle tiers should be the same.

The correct layout will improve the overall appearance. Ignoring the same measurement rules will give the headset the effect of crowding, excessive tightness. If, when installing the support strip, the cabinets are outweighed, then a gap will form - the strip should also be raised higher.

The main values ​​of the distances are prescribed in accordance with GOST, but the hood with a gas stove also makes its own adjustments. If there is no hood yet, then the distance between the bottom edge of the upper cabinets and the electric stove is at least 70 cm so that the cabinet itself does not warp from the heat. But the hood is needed to eliminate the inconvenience when cooking, even in pans of many liters (up to 20 liters). All vapors and sprays are carried upward thanks to the powerful air flow.

The task of the hood is to remove waste vapors and gases from the kitchen from any height in the room. For electric stoves and hobs, the height of the hood's suspension above the device is at least 70 cm.For gas-fired hobs and hobs, the value increases to 80 cm.In both cases, if the cook is tall, the hood is raised 90 cm above the stove.

To protect the wall near the stove or hob, a plastic or tile panel is used. When using tiles as a protective wall apron, there is no need for a plank. The tile or plastic backsplash is sized to fit the planned kitchen to avoid gaps.

For housewives up to 160 cm tall, the upper cabinets are hung at a height of 165 cm from the floor. For women with a height of up to 175, the preferred height is 175-180 cm. From 175 cm and above, the suspension height can already reach 2 m. The height is counted from the upper edge. The general formula is a person's height and an additional distance of up to 25 cm.

Hanging cabinets high so that you can reach the shelves while standing on a chair is not recommended unless there are rarely used things. Even the cabinets or shelves adjacent to the hood should not be lowered too low. Most of the wall shelves are made of chipboard: under the influence of heat, a thin laminate (film) quickly dries up and peels off. The shavings from which the chipboard boards are pressed swells from steam and is no less flammable than natural wood.

Errors in calculating the height of the lower tier of a headset can lead to excessive and premature fatigue when cooking. A height that does not correspond to the calculated one by at least 5-10 cm leads to back pain - frequent and long bends cause stress on the vertebrae and back muscles. The simplest rule is to bend the elbow at a right angle in a standing position and measure another 15 cm from this point, at this level the tabletop is located.

For example, with a cabinet width of 40 cm, the tabletop should be at least 60 cm. If you take its smaller size, then half of the view will overlap during work. The upper cabinets also make it difficult to bend over: during work, a person will touch his head on the doors. Each of the kits provides for the replacement of the top board with a wider one.

The main items of the kitchen unit and the base are placed on the floor. This is a sink, gas stove (or hob with oven), dishwasher. The shelves are mainly used for pots and bulk products. For residents of average height, the height of the lower tier of 83 cm is suitable, this is the sum of the following values:

• cabinet legs - 10 cm;
• cabinets - 70 cm;
• workstation tabletop - 3 cm.

The legs are adjustable in height from 10 to 15 cm - it is possible to slightly adjust the lower tier to the height of a person. The worktop protrudes beyond the general limits of the lower cabinets by no more than 5 cm. In Khrushchev apartments, the depth of the cabinet is cut to 45-50 cm - this makes it possible to position a narrow washing machine or dishwasher. If there is a small TV or wireless monitor in the kitchen, place it on the cabinet farthest from the stove or hob.

A well-planned kitchen is the key to fast food preparation that does not cause a fair amount of fatigue. Try to keep food, cutlery and utensils as safe and easy as possible, and you'll want to spend more time in the kitchen than just preparing meals.

Find out more about how to make your kitchen comfortable below.