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04 May 2023 by Blum
The bending, stretching and knee-bending exercises you do at your weekly yoga class to keep fit are not really what you want to be doing every time you use your kitchen! Instead, all movements should ideally be smooth and easy − like the classical sun salutation yoga sequence. Here we reveal the secret to designing an ergonomic and functional living space, and we promise practical furniture like this will leave you feeling good for years to come.
Extensive user observations from our research and other studies have revealed that kitchen users in many households have to adopt awkward postures to reach the items they need. Have you ever had to get down on your hands and knees to look into a base cabinet to find the item you were looking for right at the back of the cupboard? Or do you have to balance on one leg, with a knee on the worktop, to get a cup out of a wall cabinet? When you are planning a new kitchen, take the opportunity to look out for practical solutions that make your daily life easier. With a little background knowledge, kitchens can be both beautiful and functional – without breaking the bank!
Wall cabinets provide the optimal storage space for glasses, dinnerware and much more besides. But a direct comparison clearly shows that the doors of wall cabinets stick out into the room and can get in the user's way. Often kitchen users have to dodge open doors, making it difficult for them to work comfortably in the kitchen. Plus, when there are two people in the kitchen at the same time, a bump on the head is often inevitable.
A lift system, on the other hand, opens upwards allowing unhindered access to and clear visibility of items stored inside. Everything inside is protected from dirt and grease (unlike on open shelving), yet within easy reach. The front can be left open while the user cooks, never gets in the way and leaves everything easily accessible. Closing it is soft and effortless, and can even be performed at the press of a switch on electrically opening lift systems.
The design of base cabinets is even more important than wall cabinets. Protect your back as well as your sanity by avoiding doors with fixed shelves behind them.
Drawers are practical and effective in any furniture around the home. Being able to see what's inside from above means you never have to bend down. Make sure that the drawers are full extension so that you can easily reach things stored at the back. Did you know that a pull-out with a depth of just 27 cm is available, which can be perfect, for example in the bathroom? If you have a large amount of space available, you can even incorporate drawers with a depth of up to 65 cm to provide maximum storage space!
It's not only reaching items in the bottom of a cabinet that can be a strain. Just opening the bottom drawer can require us to assume a really bad posture. Wouldn't it be great if the pull-outs opened, as if by magic, when you use your hand, knee or even foot to lightly touch them? An electrical opening support system like SERVO-DRIVE makes life easier, especially if you already have your hands full.
Many ingenious solutions that are tried-and-tested in the kitchen can also be used in other living areas. On the following pages we show you some inspiring examples for your home.
Pull-outs for socks or underwear are practical in wardrobes. But it's also definitely worth breaking old habits; getting acquainted with a new way of folding T-shirts means they'll also fit perfectly in drawers. Many organisational coaches as well as lifestyle and fashion bloggers suggest in investing in additional drawers where T-shirts and other items of clothing can be stored rolled up on end. A simple inner dividing system, such as an AMBIA-LINE frame, also helps to keep things tidy.
In the bathroom, too, it's satisfying when everything is organised and within easy reach. A SPACE TOWER, the storage unit from Blum, with individual inner pull out drawers is the perfect place to store both small and large toiletries alike. A unit like this is also ideal for accommodating medication or cleaning products, creating perfect order in your very own 'wellness oasis'.
Craft supplies, beloved soft toy families, and above all, a mountain of children's clothes need to be stored neatly and within easy reach. Full extensions help to accommodate all your children's favourite things so that even little princesses can get themselves dressed without any fuss. High drawer backs and side panels prevent small items from falling out and disappearing inside the cabinet. What's more, the pull-outs can easily support a weight of up to 65 kg, so there's no need to worry if one of your little darlings ever decides to do pull-ups on the drawer!
We hope this has given you one or two ideas to improve the ergonomics in your home. These small changes can often bring big benefits when it comes to function. With this level of functionality you can breathe easy and concentrate on what's important: feeling relaxed and comfortable in your home. How about a relaxing yoga session to round things off?
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