Planning guide
Accessible kitchen planning: voluntary choices, and which rules actually apply
Most accessibility features in a private house are choices, not requirements. Knowing the difference keeps the plan focused on the people who will use the kitchen.
Short answer
In a private single- or two-family house, accessible kitchen features are usually a household choice. The ADA Standards cover public accommodations, commercial and government facilities, and the Fair Housing Act's design rules cover buildings with four or more units. Start with who uses the kitchen, then borrow published dimensions only as references, confirmed by your designer.
- Who it is for
- Owners of single-family and two-family houses planning for a household member who uses a wheelchair or walker, has limited reach, or wants a kitchen that works as needs change
- What it covers
- Separating voluntary usability choices from legal standards, and the questions to raise with a designer
- When to read it
- At the start of kitchen design, before layout and cabinets are fixed
Which rules apply to a private house, and which don't
| Rule | What it covers | In a private single- or two-family house |
|---|---|---|
| ADA Standards for Accessible Design (U.S. Access Board) | Places of public accommodation, commercial facilities, and state and local government facilities | The portion of a residence used exclusively as a residence is not covered; the Standards can still be used as a design reference |
| Fair Housing Act design and construction requirements (HUD/DOJ) | Covered multifamily dwellings: buildings with four or more dwelling units built for first occupancy after March 13, 1991 | A detached single-family house or a two-family house is below the four-unit threshold |
HUD and DOJ's joint guidance also notes that state or local laws may require more accessibility than federal law. Whether any New York State or New York City requirement applies to your particular project, such as a house with a home business open to the public or a project receiving public funding, is a question for the design professional or the building authority.
Start with the people, not the standard
- Who cooks, and does anyone sit to work, use a wheelchair or walker, or have trouble reaching high or low?
- Is the need current, expected, or a just-in-case choice? That changes how far to go now versus what to prepare for later.
- Which tasks matter most: getting to the sink, using the cooktop safely, reaching everyday dishes, loading the dishwasher?
- Would an occupational therapist's assessment of the actual household help before design is fixed?
Simple storage choices help many households. The CDC's home fall-prevention checklist for older adults suggests keeping frequently used items on lower shelves, about waist high, and warns never to use a chair as a step stool.
Published dimensions as references, not requirements
Designers sometimes borrow numbers from standards written for other building types. For example, Section 804 of the 2010 ADA Standards, which applies where kitchens are required to be accessible, sets a 40-inch minimum clearance in pass-through kitchens and 60 inches in U-shaped kitchens enclosed on three sides, and, for kitchens in covered residential dwelling units, a work surface section at least 30 inches wide and no more than 34 inches high.
In a private house those figures are a starting point for discussion, not a rule. The right dimension depends on the person, the wheelchair or mobility aid, the room and the appliances. Compare them with the planning recommendations in kitchen layout and storage planning, and let the designer set the final numbers.
Choices to ask your designer about
- A lowered or adjustable-height work section, and whether knee space below it is needed
- Clear floor space in front of the sink, cooktop, refrigerator and dishwasher
- Drawers and pull-outs in base cabinets instead of fixed shelves, and storage for everyday items at mid-height
- Appliances with front or side controls, and a wall oven or side-opening door where reach is limited
- Lever or touch faucet handles
- Lighting at the work surfaces, not only overhead
- Wider openings and a clear route into the kitchen, where the house allows
Planning aid
Accessible kitchen planning notes
- Household needs written down: who, which tasks, current or future
- Confirmed with the designer that no public-accommodation or funded-program rule applies to this project
- Reference dimensions discussed and final numbers set by the designer for the actual users
- Clear floor space planned at the sink, cooktop, refrigerator and dishwasher
- Everyday storage planned at mid-height, with drawers or pull-outs below
- Appliance controls and door styles checked for reach
- Which licensed trade handles each plumbing, electrical, gas or structural change
Related service
From planning to a project
Plan this with us: Kitchen remodeling by area
- Kitchen remodeling · Queens Kitchen remodeling for Queens houses and two-family homes Compact mid-century kitchens replanned for storage and counter space
- Kitchen remodeling · Brooklyn Brooklyn kitchen remodeling for rowhouses and pre-war homes Galley and through-room kitchens planned to measured aisle widths
- Kitchen remodeling · The Bronx Bronx kitchen remodeling for apartments and houses Co-op and condo kitchens planned around the alteration agreement
- Kitchen remodeling · Manhattan Kitchen remodeling for Manhattan co-ops, condos and townhouses Layouts drawn around fixed plumbing risers and the existing gas line
- Kitchen remodeling · Staten Island Kitchen remodeling for Staten Island houses Refresh or full remodel decided before design, with reasons in writing
- Kitchen remodeling · Suffolk County Kitchen remodeling for Suffolk County houses Mid-century kitchens replanned inside the existing walls
Sources
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Standards, U.S. Access Board (undated (2010 Standards)). Accessed 2026-11-08.
- Joint Statement of HUD and DOJ: Accessibility (Design and Construction) Requirements for Covered Multifamily Dwellings under the Fair Housing Act, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development / U.S. Department of Justice (2013-04-30). Accessed 2026-11-08.
- HUD, DOJ release new guidance on design and construction requirements under the Fair Housing Act (HUD No. 13-055), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (archive) (2013-04-30). Accessed 2026-11-08.
- Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (STEADI) (2017 (PDF history; customizable brochure)). Accessed 2026-11-08.
Planning a kitchen around changing needs?
Tell us who uses the kitchen and what's hard today. In the planned process, layout and selections are settled in a written scope with the design professional before pricing.