Heights of comfort
Experts say it’s high time we start furnishing our homes so that everyone feels comfortable no matter how tall they are.
SHARING a flat or a house with someone else means that your home has to fulfil different requirements. But while couples and roommates are usually able to negotiate a cleaning schedule and who has to take the trash out, things are a little more complicated when it comes to furniture.
Ever had a short roommate complain that the kitchen surfaces are too tall? Or does your partner, who is taller than you, regularly moan that the couch is unaccommodating?
Even though it’s not unusual that people who live together aren’t the same height, this is rarely taken into account when furnishing a home.
If average dimensions are used, neither person will be comfortable, says Detlef Detjen, a Germanybased specialist in healthy backs.
Instead, each household member should be able to live and work in a way that is ergonomically suited to them, particularly in areas that are used often, like the kitchen or the living room.
Kitchen options
Cooking can suddenly become a nuisance when you have to use a chair every time you need an item from the top shelf or if your back aches after 15 minutes of chopping veggies on a low kitchen counter.
Luckily, there’s something to be done about that. Putting up a sideboard with a higher work surface in addition to the normal kitchen counters is one possibility, says Detjen.
Another solution for people of different heights using the same kitchen are height-adjustable cooking islands.
“With the help of an electric motor drive, the working height can be raised or lowered by up to 20cm,” explains Christine Scharrenbroch from the German Furniture Industry Association.
While taller people frequently need to stoop down, those with a smaller built often have to depend on others, or wobbly chairs, to get what they need from tall kitchen cupboards.
But some cabinets now come with special shelves made of metal frames that can be pulled down from the cabinet by a handle, Scharrenbroch explains.
Another general tip: Ovens and dishwashers shouldn’t be installed on the very bottom, but at a medium height so that everyone can reach them easily.
Of course all these options don’t come for free, but if you can allow yourself to invest some money into a more ergonomic kitchen, it will make a huge difference.
Bathroom struggles and sofa time
Similar challenges await in the bathroom, where it’s difficult to find the ideal height for mirrors, sinks and shelves that will suit everyone. Luckily, there are also similar solutions.
Height-adjustable washbasins were originally developed so they could be lowered for wheelchairs, but they are actually great for everyone – from small children to grandparents who need to sit down while brushing their teeth – and come without the hospital chic nowadays.
Installing a height-adjustable mirror might be another way to make things a little easier, if buying a new sink is not an option.
Most people still opt for a conventional sink, says Jens Wischmann from the German Sanitary Industry Association, probably because we only spend a short time in front of it.
However, the experts recommend not installing the sink too low, as it’s uncomfortable for a taller person to have to stoop down all the time, while smaller people can easily compensate the difference with a small stool.
While we might not spend much time in front of the bathroom sink, living room furniture is another story. It’s therefore important to have armchairs and sofas that are suited for all sizes.
“Your back will thank you if your favourite seat is tailored to your body measurements,” Detjen says.
One option is set elements with different heights and depths. The armchair in particular should fit our individual body dimensions, recommends the expert.