No matter what a design consultant may call himself or herself - architect, decorator or interior designer - that person must be knowledgeable about safety issues as well building codes.

General code requirements don’t ensure that a home will be free of risks. Identifying and correcting hidden dangers should thus be an essential aspect of any renovation project.

Although it may seem odd for a designer to warn against an overemphasis on design, I have an obligation to point out that many accidents in the home result from focusing too much on appearances and too little on safe functioning.

Q. We’re thinking of removing the walls between our family room and kitchen in order to create a large multipurpose space. A friend with a background in design suggested we lower the family section by one step. That would establish an appealing visual definition for both halves of the space, she said.

Does this approach make sense to you?

A. First, I’m not sure what you mean by lowering an interior by “one step.” Would it be one tread and two risers, as shown in the photo?

Keep in mind, please, that any change in elevation between one space and an adjoining area can easily lead to accidents. It may not be a risk worth taking, especially since there are other, safer ways to achieve the visual definition your friend referred to.

Alterations in parts of the surround are often made to signal functional distinctions within a single “great room.” Low cabinetry, columns and applied moldings can be introduced in one section of a large open space to distinguish it visually from other areas. The family portion of a great room may be further defined through the addition of a rug and colorful seating pieces.

These sorts of modifications can be seen in the accompanying photo, which is taken from the book “Celebrating the American Home,” by Joanne Kellar Bouknight, recently published by The Taunton Press.

Keep thinking about safety as you select equipment and cabinetry for the kitchen portion of your newly combined space. Don’t be seduced by whatever appears newest and most beautiful.

Those offerings may actually present few risks, but do check whether the countertops are at a comfortable height, whether the range top allows you to look inside a boiling pot on a back burner, and whether you can see what’s cooking in the oven without getting on your knees.

It’s particularly important to outfit kitchens and bathrooms with all necessary safety features. It’s in these high-functioning parts of the house that most accidents occur. Mistakes and oversights can also be quite expensive to correct in a kitchen or a bathroom.

• Rita St. Clair’s column appears every Sunday. Write to her in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006.

source : www.dailyherald.com