I learned the hard way that a beautiful kitchen means nothing if you can barely stand after chopping an onion. After years of designing spaces for clients in cramped city apartments, I’ve come to realize that ergonomics isn’t about looking like a wellness guru. It’s about the distance between your countertop and your elbow, the height of your sink, and the way you bend to grab a pan from a low cabinet. The first time I installed a pull-out sofa in a tiny studio, I thought about how every inch of that room had to work double duty. The kitchen, being the heart of the home, often gets the least thought when it comes to movement patterns. You twist, you reach, you stoop. Over time, that adds up to a dull ache in your lower back and shoulders. The fix isn’t expensive. It starts with understanding your own body’s natural range of motion.

Let’s talk about counter height, because this is where most people get it wrong.