By Tedra Schneider
Room 911
Tedra Schneider.
Many of my clients wonder what the right height is for a desk, a kitchen table, a vanity for the bathroom or a makeup table. Where do you place the mirrors? What if your spouse, partner or roommate is a different height? What happens to the placement of kitchen cabinets if you’re very short? All are good questions we should explore.
As someone who is vertically challenged (five feet tall, if I’ve had a good night’s sleep), I realize that one size does not fit all. My empirical experiences, along with many home improvement catalogues and articles, have solidified my thinking on these matters.
The word to remember is “ergonomics.” According to the International Ergonomics Association, “Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system…in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.”
In other words, if you’re in your kitchen and you cannot reach your cabinets, or if you need to comb your hair but cannot see in the bathroom mirror because you’re too tall or too short, you must adjust for your individual body type in regard to the object you need to use.
In the last house in which I lived I employed an architect who helped me design a kitchen where all the cabinets were below countertop level. I could empty the dishwasher in a jiffy, as the cabinets right next to it were the same height. Glasses, dinner, salad and dessert plates were all within easy reach. All cooking pots and pans were also underneath the kitchen countertop and had shelves that pulled out.
Without overhead cabinets, I was not only able to put the stepstool away but was also afforded an opportunity to see the outside vistas of the lawn, flowers and trees on my property.
What if your significant other is very tall? Simple: get another significant other.
All kidding aside, adjustments can be made to have different portions of the kitchen accommodate the both of you.
There are several possible heights for bathroom sinks. The counter height should be in the 32 to 34-inch range. Go to a kitchen design/bathroom store and stand next to sinks of different heights and figure out what is reasonable for the both of you.
The website Houzz.com suggests you find an average eyeline for those using the mirrors over the bathroom sink so everyone can see themselves. The countertop height for a makeup vanity should be between 24 and 28 inches, with the lower number being more helpful to lean in and apply makeup. Showerheads should be at least six feet, six inches up, and the shower controls around 42 to 48 inches high within the center of the shower.
Now for the quiz you have been waiting for. What height should a toilet paper holder be off the floor? And the most important question: should the toilet paper be spooled so it rolls from underneath or from the top?
Tedra Schneider can be reached at restagebytedra@gmail.com.