This offer runs from 4 May 2012 to 3 August 2012, and applies to selected Neff ovens from the SlideAway range. This promotion cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer and is only available through Neff kitchen specialists such as Design Matters. NB: we only supply appliances as part of a complete kitchen order. Full details available from the Design Matters office. All claim forms must be submitted by 17 August 2012.

The team’s back from a great show at the NEC . Naidex National is the premier disability, rehabilitation and homecare event in the UK with over 300 exhibitors and thousands of visitors. This year it took place over three days at the prestigious Birmingham exhibition centre and we installed a fully featured kitchen in the Independent Living Show Home at the heart of the event.

This was a great opportunity to show how far accessible kitchens have come in recent years, and to exhibit a kitchen that might be fitted in a typical family home where both wheelchair users and ambulant family and friends could access the space. In the Naidex design, some worksurfaces are at fixed standard height, and others are height adjustable so that everyone has a comfortable place to prepare meals and drinks.  All the important kitchen elements are fully accessible and importantly, a little safer. One day all kitchens could contain these features. Imagine how much landfill could be eliminated if all kitchens could be used by the whole family, for life!

Only ten years ago kitchen designers were struggling to break away from cold, clinical colour schemes.  Now our designers have a full range of colours and wood finishes to choose from, and we’re not confined to delicate mfc (melamine faced chipboard). We can specify durable laminate doors on our kitchens (the same tough material commonly used for worktops) which will take knocks and scuffs from wheelchair footplates and walking frames in their stride. Kitchen cabinets can also be made to any dimension, which means they can be tailored to each client’s precise requirements, and still offer built-in flexibility. In the Naidex design above, we have specified midi-height storage units around the ovens, so that every cupboard can be accessed from a wheelchair or perching stool, and this height can be tailored to the reach of an individual client.

We specify a carefully curated range of appliances with extra safety features, including an oven with a door that slides into a recess beneath the oven cavity called the Neff SlideAway. In this kitchen we are also demonstrating an L-shaped rise and fall worktop, which accommodates both sink and induction hob. We are increasingly using this solution as it makes the essential elements of the kitchen accessible to every kitchen user and requires a single rise and fall hydraulic mechanism. We specify Ropox hydraulics which are durable and reliable.  The rise and fall worktop is made to our own carefully developed design from a water resistant material called Corian. The sink area is equipped with front-mounted taps, and a convenient instant hot water tap – the modern, safer equivalent of the kettle. The designer extractor hood can be operated by remote control for ease and safety.

The Design Matters team chatted with hundreds of  visitors during Naidex National. Next we’re looking forward to Naidex South in October, where this kitchen will be making a second appearance! If you’d like to keep in touch with us, you can ‘like’ our Facebook page which will ensure you get all our news on accessible kitchens, or follow us on Twitter - @designmatters3.

For more pictures and details of recent projects, visit the Portfolio pages of our web site. If you would like to discuss your own kitchen project, please contact us by email using this link or call us on the office number: 01628 531584 and make an appointment to see our fully accessible showroom. and meet Adam Thomas our award winning designer.

This offer applies to complete kitchen orders that include an induction hob. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Image is for reference only.

Contact the office by email for more details, or call us on: 01628 531584.

The house itself is being built by iHUS, and Adam Thomas is currently putting the final touches to the design and colour scheme of the fully featured accessible kitchen that we are having built specially for the show. We hope to be able to release more details soon.

Please pass the word to friends, family and colleagues and be sure to come and say hello at the show.

If you would like to make an appointment to see Adam during Naidex 2012, a limited amount of time has been set aside for this purpose. Please contact the office if you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, and bring along a sketch outline of your existing kitchen space if you would like to talk with Adam about a specific project.

We look forward very much to showing you our latest design ideas, and hope to see you there!

They won awards in the prestigious UK Property Awards and two awards at the What House? Awards. Octagon Developments regularly receive accolades for their world class developments, and these awards recognise excellence in what is known as the ‘Oscars’ of the property sector.

Design Matters is delighted to have been associated with this project, supplying and installing the kitchens with top flight appliances and accessories, befitting the luxe qualities of these stunning properties.

Read the full story using this link.

The new Metris range has been causing a stir at industry shows, and scooped the  Grand Designs Best Kitchen award in 2010.

Inspired by New York lofts this curvaceous range of kitchens softens the industrial look with deeply curved peninsula options that offer many practical benefits. The range has been carefully designed to allow appliances to be integrated, and curved drawer packs make use of more available space.

With a range of fantastic new storage options, a new take on the walk-in larder and a range of cutting edge new kitchen concepts, Metris has a lot of surprises up its sleeve. Take a look at this interactive page for more ideas.

We do not display Metris in our showroom, however we are a dealer for this impressive signature kitchen range and can supply the full range to Private Developers. Contact John or Richard in the office for more information, or email us using this link.

In order to qualify for this valuable offer appliances must be ordered as part of an complete kitchen from Design Matters, and it must include installation. The order must include one Gaggenau product from each of the three qualifying product categories:

1. Ovens (including Combi-Steam and Microwave Ovens)
2. Cooktops or Ventilation Products or Coffee Machines
3. Dishwashers

The order must be placed up to and including 31 January 2013. This scheme applies only to appliances installed in the UK and ROI. Applications must be received within strict time guidlines.

Provided these terms are met, all Gaggenau items that form part of the order will qualify for the extended warranty.

Contact Natalie in the Design Matters office for more information and to apply for this sensational deal.

We are delighted to present a gorgeous new accessible kitchen recently fitted at the West London home of Geoff Adams-Spink, former BBC correspondent and producer and currently Director of Adams-Spink Ltd. Mr Adams-Spink has upper limb disabilities and severely impaired vision as a result of the morning sickness drug, thalidomide. Following an injury in the 1990s, he also has chronic back pain.

Geoff worked closely with designer Adam Thomas to create the perfect kitchen for his newly extended home. The goal was to create a modern, yet timeless kitchen that would be a real asset to the house. Geoff selected Access Matters light oak furniture in a simple shaker style. It was important to incorporate good visual cues into the design, so dark polished granite worksurfaces were added to the scheme along with light porcelain floor tiles. This makes it much easier to see the edges of the worksurfaces. Careful lighting choices also emphasise the perimeters of the floor and provide focussed task lighting on the large island unit.

The impressive Elica Om extractor hood can be operated by remote control, as can other accessories in the room. A striking blue glass splashback, above the hob, picks up the colour of the LED plinth lighting and provides an easy-clean surface in the main cooking zone. Appliances have been set at very precise heights to ensure good access, and heat resistant pullout surfaces beneath each oven allow hot food to be transferred safely. Neff SlideAway ovens were selected for this design because their doors disappear into a void beneath the oven cavity, creating a safer cooking experience.

Mr Adams-Spink believes that the beauty of his kitchen lies in the subtlety of the accessible features, which are not immediately apparent. And for us this room is the epitome of a well designed accessible kitchen; function and form in perfect harmony, and a totally bespoke solution for our client.

More images of this superb room can be found by using this link. If you would like more details about our accessible kitchen service, give us a call and arrange to meet Adam to discuss your requirements.

If you love the classic good looks of polished granite, then this offer is for you. Contact the office for more details, or speak to your Design Matters Design Consultant to make sure you are getting the best value for money.

To kick off 2012 we’re posting images of two beautiful new kitchens on the pages of our web site designed for private clients. If you’re looking for a classic, timeless kitchen from one of the finest British bespoke kitchen manufacturers then look no further than Edwin Loxley. All the kitchens featured on our ‘Kitchens’ web site are also available to private developers, so please take the time to view our latest work for private clients.

This Premier Shaker kitchen uses a combination of painted oak, and oak doors with a pippy oak centre panel. A slender door frame, set in to a plain solid wood frame is the classic shaker style. Restrained and tasteful. Our client has selected square knobs and Ivory Brown polished granite to complete the picture. The furniture extends into the adjacent room for additional bespoke storage, and more images can be seen here.

This Shaker Moulded kitchen by Edwin Loxley (below) was factory primed and handpainted on site for a perfect handmade finish. There is a very small bead on the door frame which adds a touch of detail, without becoming fussy. The adjacent dining room is also fitted with handpainted bespoke storage and display shelves. Our client selected an antique bronze knob and Ivory Fantasy polished granite. There are more pictures of this kitchen on the portfolio pages of our site for for private clients. See more using this link.

If you haven’t already used the Design Matters contract service, then please contact us for more information. We can offer specially negotiated prices on appliances with the leading appliance manufacturers, special rates for multiples and a comprehensive project management service along with the usual CAD, M&E and health and safety documentation that you would expect from any quality kitchen studio.

Contact John or Richard on the office number for more information, or email us using this link.