Why Counter Height Matters More Than You Think When Redesigning Your Kitchen

There is a lot to consider when redesigning your kitchen, but one detail that DIYers constantly overlook is figuring out the right counter height when upgrading the kitchen. It's one of those details you don't necessarily think about when sitting down for breakfast at the kitchen island or enjoying a glass of wine at the counter when dinner is simmering on the stove. 

But counter height matters more than you think because you can immediately sense it when the height is wrong. You don't want to be perched too high while sitting at the counter, but you also don't want the counter to be too low while you're food prepping, which leaves many homeowners scratching their heads over the correct measurements when embarking on their kitchen remodels. Choosing the wrong counter height is definitely a kitchen renovation mistake to avoid, but luckily the formula for the correct counter height isn't overly complicated. Keep reading to find out why counter height matters more than you think when redesigning your kitchen.

Choosing the correct counter height ensures that you have an ergonomic kitchen. Ergonomics revolve around people's efficiency in their work spaces, and having a counter that's too tall or too short throws off the efficiency of your kitchen work. If your counter height is too short, you will be hunched over and straining your back while making dinner. But, if your kitchen counter is too high, you will have to bend your arms at a higher angle, and that, too, will affect your posture and workflow. This can be especially problematic if you're a short person, as even standard counter heights might be too high for you, leading to a sore neck or shoulders, per RTA Cabinet Store. 

To figure out your best counter height, the work surface should be about two inches below your bent elbows. In order to have an ergonomic kitchen, you can choose between two different heights. Per Kriar's Construction, the 42-inch counter is considered bar height, while the 36-inch counter is considered counter height. However, the lower of the two is the standard kitchen island height, according to RTA Cabinet Store, which means that it has the highest resale value.

Better Homes & Gardens notes that it will be harder to sell your home in the future if the kitchen is specifically built for tall people with high counters, but you can work around that roadblock by making the counters easily modifiable. You can add temporary slabs of wood under the counters to raise them while you're living there, or you can repurpose old furniture to create an island with adjusted tall legs. Either way will get you the perfect counter height when redesigning your kitchen.