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.

Our passion for beautiful kitchens and exceptional workmanship is the motivation behind the Design Matters team. Hot off the press this month are two great examples of the finest British craftsmanship; stunning projects using Edwin Loxley bespoke furniture which we have just posted on our Classic Kitchens portfolio pages.

The kitchen featured below is Premier Shaker style from Edwin Loxley in a combination of painted oak, and oak framed doors with pippy oak centre panels. This very simple shaker door style, with a narrow frame set into a wooden frame is shaker style in its purest form. Ivory brown polished granite and square knobs have been chosen by our client and the finished result is classically stylish. The adjacent room has been fitted with matching oak storage which is featured in more detail in our portfolio pages for this project .

The kitchen shown below is a shaker moulded door from Edwin Loxley, which has an interesting ‘bead’ detail on the door frame. This small addition gives it a slightly more traditional feel without becoming fussy. This kitchen was factory primed and hand painted on site for handmade perfection. Antique bronze door knobs and polished Ivory Fantasy granite complete the picture. The furniture extends to the adjacent dining area with bespoke cabinetry and display shelves. For more images, go the the page for this project.

The kitchen industry expects to see a resurgence of interest in wooden kitchens, to provide warmth and comfort as the recession lingers, albeit in high gloss finishes. Exotic wood veneers continue to become more accessible and more beautiful as new manufacturing methods produce real wood imitations of rare veneers previously only available to the super-rich. These manufactured veneer products make book-matched doors more readily available and more consistent in colour and finish.

Add warmth to your finished room with fabric blinds and softly textured worksurfaces such as flamed or honed granite, especially when your kitchen doubles as a dining/entertaining area and you want to deaden the ringing echoes created by hard surfaces.

One final design tip as we enter 2010 is candy-coloured accessories for a splash of colour and cheer in an otherwise grey climate. For more inspiration visit our Kitchen Styles pages, and speak to one of our design consultants.