New Designer Wheelchair Accessible Kitchen

A bespoke Freedom by Symphony accessible kitchen in gloss white

Substantial, elegant Freedom wheelchair accessible kitchen with sink zone between tall units to right, and hob zone on large island to unit to left. Client and Adam Thomas seated to centre.

The team at Tara Neil in Woodley, Berkshire recently installed a fabulous designer wheelchair-accessible kitchen for this lovely client. I had the pleasure of working with her to tailor the kitchen design to her precise needs, and the end result is absolutely stunning.

Large galley kitchen in soft white high gloss furniture by Freedom. Large island unit to near centre with plush upholstered bar stools, and tall units on back wall, centred around cooking zone.

On this occasion, the client contacted me for a kitchen design, and I introduced her to Pat at Tara Neil in Berkshire, for the project management, supply and installation of the kitchen.

The kitchen was designed using gloss white Freedom by Symphony furniture, and a gorgeous softly veined stone called Aurora Pink for the worktops and splashback. Our client has accessorized the space to heighten the glamour, and create a truly sumptuous look and feel which complements the rest of the house. She loves large family gatherings, and wanted a kitchen space that would be ideal for entertaining.

Client accesses sink area and tap with large knee space beneath.

The image shown above demonstrates the ideal scenario for a wheelchair accessible sink. On this occasion, our client has good reach, and did not require front mounted taps, so a shallow bowl sink and Quooker tap have been installed. The shallow bowl means she can wheel fully under, ensuring that her lap is covered to prevent spills and damage to clothing. The Quooker tap dispenses hot, cold and also boiling water, so that hot drinks can be made instantly without the need to lift and transfer a hot kettle.

Client opens lower drawer on full extensions runners by Freedom, and shows treats to her three small dogs.

Storage is always an important area to get right, especially in an accessible kitchen. Where larger knee spaces are required, and wall mounted storage is sometimes less easy to reach, pull-outs below worktop height are the solution. This pull-out drawer is on full-extension runners that bring the contents of the drawer into full view, and little friends are able to see inside due to the glass sides!

Pullouts below counter height by Freedom, provide excellent access to sorting bins and cleaning products.

The 'pull-out storage below worktop height' theme continues with cleaning products in a slimline storage unit close to the sink, and an accessible pull-out bin.

Integrated Neff Slide&Hide ovens in tall units by Freedom with pullout heat-resistant shelves beneath each oven to make transferring safer.

The kitchen has been equipped with Neff Slide & Hide ovens, and a microwave with warming drawer. A heat-resistant pull-out shelf beneath each of the ovens helps with safe transferring, stirring and seasoning. The Neff Slide & Hide oven is the only oven on the market with a special cavity in its base for the door, for added safety. The pull-out shelf covers the client's lap when she is accessing the oven, and is a place where hot items can be safely placed.

Client transfers pastries from pullout shelf, right, to pullout table, left. Large Freedom inclusive kitchen in soft white high gloss furniture.

The customer wanted rose coloured worktops, and this stunning Aurora Pink stone was sourced in India specifically for the project. The team at Tara Neil have done a superb job of the installation - note the 45 degree mitred corners on the island in this image.

The pull-out worktop and shelf link the two main work areas of the kitchen, providing a safe way to transfer pans. The pull-out worktop folds into the footprint of a single drawer when not in use.

Large kitchen/dining space with expansive island unit to near right showing hob zone, and tall units by Freedom to centre left with integrated Neff appliances.

Sockets on the island have been positioned to make them accessible from a seated position, and an induction hob with touch controls has been specified. Induction hobs are energy efficient, and much cooler to the touch after cooking than other hob types. And the toughened ceramic glass top is also much easier to keep clean.

Client seated in wheelchair to left of centre in a large kitchen in soft white by Freedom. Tall feature display unit to centre left, large central island unit and hob zone centred between tall units to centre right.

The completed kitchen is light, spacious and beautifully finished, and meets my client's wish list in terms of access, look and circulating space. It's such a pleasure to see it being enjoyed by the whole family.

If you're planning a new accessible kitchen, please get in touch as early as possible in the process so that we can work together on the kitchen design.

Contact me using this link for an informal chat.

View other recent projects here, here and here.