There are a number of reasons why you might be thinking about remodeling your kitchen, from updating older appliances to changing your style and several others. One that is often considered here as well, either on its own or in coordination with your other desires for a kitchen remodel: Making the kitchen safer and removing hazards that may be present.
At Ideal Kitchen & Bath, we offer a multitude of kitchen remodeling services for all our clients, including those who have this sort of concept in mind for their remodel. In this two-part blog series, we’ll look at some of the key kitchen areas where you may be looking to improve safety or remove hazards, plus what can be done to further your efforts here.
Stoves and Cooktops
As you may have guessed, one of the most common places where homeowners seek to improve safety in their kitchen is around the stove and cooktop area. This is understandable, as it’s also one of the main places where accidents can happen in the kitchen if proper precautions aren’t taken.
There are a few key ways you can make your stove or cooktop safer as part of a kitchen remodel, starting with the type of stove or cooktop you choose. If you’re looking for an upgrade here, consider models that come with automatic shutoff features if they’re tipped over or left on for too long. You can also look into models that have front-facing controls rather than ones located on the backsplash area behind them, as this can help prevent accidental burns.
In terms of the area around your stove or cooktop, one key safety addition you can make here is installing a backsplash guard. These come in several different forms, but they all work to protect your walls from splatters and spills while cooking, thus reducing the risk of fire hazards. You can also look into installing range hoods or other ventilation systems to help remove smoke and fumes from the cooking area.
Lighting Features
Another key safety consideration for any kitchen remodel is the lighting. In many kitchens, the lighting is either insufficient or placed in such a way that it creates shadows and makes it difficult to see what you’re doing while cooking. This can obviously lead to accidents, so improving the lighting in your kitchen is a great way to help make it safer.
There are a few different ways you can go about this, but one option is to install additional lighting fixtures in the kitchen. This could mean anything from installing new overhead lights to placing task lighting above the stove or sink area. You can also look into upgrading the bulbs you’re using to brighter, more efficient models – LED bulbs are a great option here.
For more on how to make your kitchen safer as part of a kitchen remodel, or to learn about any of our kitchen or bathroom remodeling services, speak to the experts at Ideal Kitchen & Bath today.
