Multigenerational design | PRODUCT FEATURE


Symphony’s Freedom kitchen features a host of accessible features and functionality including a rise-and-fall worktop,


wrap-around units and Neff Hide & Slide oven with pull-out drawer underneath


peninsula breakfast bar.


For those who find it difficult to lift cooking equipment, Schüller offers a pull-out storage solution that removes the need for lifting. The equipment can be plugged in, then set on a countertop that can be pulled out for use then simply pushed back into the cabinet for storage. Additional shelving and integ- rated lighting, make it space-saving and stylish, InHouse – UK distributor for Schüller – says. Blum’s pull-out shelf is similarly useful and can be used in a variety of settings. Called Pull Out Shelf Lock, it locks into place, providing the extra worksurface needed in the kitchen, bedroom or living


area, and neatly slots away when not required. It holds between 30kg to 50kg of weight (depending on the runners used) – enough for heavy files or text books, or pots and pans.


Appliances


make wall cabinet storage easier to reach for users, making full use of the space available in the kitchen. Pull-out larders and base unit storage are also great options as they bring the harder- to-reach items at the back of the cupboard straight into view. “To create a space that promotes interaction, we recommend specifying a seating area such as a breakfast bar. This could perhaps be placed at table height to encourage everyone to spend time together while also being comfortable for all members of the family to enjoy.” Jon Stanley, vice-presi dent of marketing at Caesarstone adds: “A multi generational kitchen may need to have worktops at multiple heights. Lower countertops are easily access- ible by wheelchair users, while higher surfaces make the perfect workspace for teens doing homework. By creating multiple surface work areas at different heights, designers can create an inclusive scheme that avoids crowding in busy work areas. Caesarstone surfaces can also be designed with custom edges, so you won’t have to worry about your small child injuring themselves on sharp corners.” In terms of layout, try to ensure there is plenty of space for those with limited mobility, to get around. In such kitchens it might be worth leaving out the island in favour of a U-shape with a


December 2022 ·


Appliances should be carefully considered and positioned so that any user can easily and safely access them. As mentioned, Symphony and designer Adam Thomas recommend the Neff Hide & Slide oven because the door can be hidden out of the way and there is absolutely no risk of burning oneself on it. Otherwise, ovens with a side-opening door might be preferable to a pull-down one as they’re easier to get into. The Neff Hide & Slide is also now voice-activated using the BSH Home Connect App, making it the ideal solution, according to accessible kitchen experts. In terms of appliance positioning, having a washer/dryer/oven etc at wheelchair height will obviously make


things easier for wheelchair users but will also be easier for everyone else living in the home, as nobody will need to bend (or bend much) to get into the appliance. Fisher and Paykel’s DishDrawer


Multigenerational design is about futureproofing too. It means thinking about how people’s needs will change and making sure that spaces can adapt


Natalie Bird, brand marketing manager, Roca UK


dish washers and CoolDrawer fridge- freezer can be quite useful in this sort of kitchen as they can each be set at bench height. “This eliminates the discomfort created by a traditional dishwasher with its unique ergo nomic design, which allows the drawer to slide open and close as easily as a kitchen drawer,” says F&P.


A hot water tap is preferable to a traditional kettle for its added con - ven ience and the extra safety that it offers users.


Paul Illingworth, design man a ger,


at Adobe, com ments: “Taps that are designed to be used by people of all ages, including those with limited mobility or reduced dexterity, are outperforming other inclusive-style taps that sacrifice form over function. In addition, we are also noting that consumers are very keen on enhancing safety in the kitchen with huge interest in ‘key fob’ style controls which work in tandem with sensor technology to dispense steaming hot water from 4-in-1 taps.” Offering some final advice on multigene- rational kitchen design from a retailer’s perspective, Brandt Design com mercial director, Julia Steadman adds: “It’s vital to see how the household wants to use their kitchen and openly discuss with your customers what they like and dislike about the one they currently have. Be


Accessible without looking it


Roundhouse Design managing director Craig Matson on his accessible kitchen design


“The aim with this kitchen was to create something with plenty of accessible features, but which looked as much like any other kitchen as far as possible. “Key accessible features include pull-out shelves below the ovens, which enables a wheelchair user to remove hot items from the ovens and place them on a horizontal surface before positioning themselves to move it to another kitchen surface.


“The kitchen design needed to take the position of the associated worktop surfaces into account so hot dishes from the oven could be moved from the stainless-steel, pull-out shelves below the ovens to an adjacent kitchen work surface easily. “The corner rise-and-fall worktops enable both able-bodied and wheelchair users to use this part of the kitchen equally efficiently. The worktop contained


This drawer-based dishwashing system from Fisher and Paykel can be set at any height


prepared to ask about any mobility or sensory issues, as some conditions are not imme diately obvious to the naked eye and above all, see the person, not the perceived disability. “The ability to step into the end


1.28 million


UK families feature older generations


user’s world and understand potential challenges before you start putting together the blueprint is crucial, so build in extra time to ask questions and explore different solutions. Just as there is no standard height for a kitchen cabinet, there is no standard height for a wheelchair.”


So, on to the bath- room now, where accessible/inclusive design is signifi cantly more established than in the kitchen, largely because indepen dence


in the bathroom is perceived as essential in a way that independence elsewhere in the home is not. A multigenerational bathroom needs to have a non-slip floor, step-free shower access and, if there’s room, a bath for any little ones. Our experts


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both the hob and the sink, so it was a vital part of the usable element of the design. “Meanwhile, drop-down mechanisms in the wall cabinets give wheelchair users access to storage in the wall units that would otherwise be out of reach.”


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