FOCUS | Multigenerational living
Roundhouse Studio accessible matt lacquer bespoke kitchen
The Zenuno15 34 I-F sink, from The 1810 Company, allows access underneath for wheelchair users
Neff Hide & Slide with HomeConnect voice control
according to Elizabeth Briggs, category manager for sliding, room and building at Häfele, they “are ideal for
accessible kitchens as wheelchair users
people with mobility issues don’t have to lean over one hot pan to reach another”.
Uncomplicated, simple-to-operate appliances may also households.
The kitchen should be planned in such a way that there is sufficient space between cabinetry, so that a wheelchair user can manoeuvre easily. Thomas recommends that you forgo a freestanding island in favour of a peninsular island and rise-and-fall worktops that can be easily adjusted to suit the needs of the user. This should mean that users should never have to carry anything across open floor space, making it safer for those with limited mobility. Seating should be integrated with breakfast bars and tables set at the right height for various users – some high, some lower – and pocket doors can also be useful for maximising space, provided they operate easily and seamlessly. Thomas also suggests that, contrary to popular opinion about kitchens for older customers, curves should be avoided. He notes that although it looks ergonomic, curved furniture, whether it’s concave or convex, can be more difficult to navigate around if you’re in a wheelchair. Lisa Robinson, marketing manager at Blum UK, adds: “Without doubt, ergonomic access to the inside of cabinets is one of the defining characteristics for a kitchen, or bathroom, for all ages. A cupboard with a fixed shelf requires the user to get down on hands and knees to reach the bottom shelf, and possibly pull out items at the front of the cabinet, to access things at the back.
“A base cabinet containing full-extension drawers, 52
some of which can be internal if a traditional door is aesthetically required, means that all items will be instantly visible and accessible.” In terms of appliances, Thomas and McGinty agree that there aren’t many that fit the bill and both suggest that the only suitable ovens currently available on the market are Neff’s Hide and Slide and those with Home Connect voice control are even better. Ovens should always be specified with a pull-out shelf beneath, so that wheelchair users can put pots there before moving over on to a work surface. It’s an extra safety layer that Symphony specifies as necessary.
be preferable for multigenerational
These homeowners want a kitchen that’s inclusive to some extent, but will go nowhere near anything that looks like an accessible kitchen. The kitchen is the hub of the home, so it’s just not something they’re after
Tony Passmore, managing director, Passmore Group
Features like telescopic rails within the oven are a must also.
Dishwashers and washing machines should be positioned off the floor, so they are easily accessible for wheelchair users or those with limited mobility, so they don’t have to bend or stoop. Taller and higher cabinets should always be fitted with pull-down storage so that everything is accessible. Induction hobs are a good idea, because of their inherent safety features – being cool to the touch and turning themselves off after pans are removed. Linear induction hobs are better still because,
A 2018 study from Centrica Hive found that millions of consumers in the UK are baffled by the number of buttons, symbols and switches on their appliances. Eight-out-of-10 consumers admitted to a ‘trial-and-error’ approach when using their
or
appliances, with 70% saying that manu- facturers could do more to make products easier to understand.
Indesit responded
with its Innex range of washing machines and washer-dryers and its Push&Go slimline dish- washers, which are designed to be easy-to- use for all of the family. The Indesit Innex
washing machine (BWE 91484X W UK) benefits from a Push&Wash function that begins washing with the push of a dedicated button, without having to adjust any of the settings. This function means that parents can easily ask their children to put a wash on, while the elderly also benefit from the simplicity of the appliance. Indesit’s slimline Push&Go dishwasher, which is available as both freestanding (DSFO 3T224 Z UK) and fully-integrated (DSIO 3T224 E Z UK) appliances, measures just 450mm wide, making it ideal for compact spaces.
· April 2020
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