Milan Design Week 2015 Gives a Nod to Disabled Kitchens, Plus Some of The Best of The Rest

Milan Design Week, 14-19 april 2015, is a major furniture trade fair. This year a pop-up from IKEA has appeared that showcases their collaboration with designers  to create installations using its new Metod modular kitchen range. One aspect of the designs has been to include a kitchen where one or more family members have a disability. Thomas Sandell one of Sweden’s leading architects teamed with Studio Irvine to produce the concept kitchen.

“The first aim we had was not to create something that looks like it’s designed for disabled people,” said Marialaura Casadei, from Studio Irvine.  “Ninety per cent are really ugly and you make that person feel that they are different. We wanted a beautiful kitchen that everyone can use together.” (OMG she gets it! Ed).

They created a completely symmetrical kitchen that is mirrored down the centre, but with one worktop lower than the other for a sitting chef. Space under the counter accommodates a wheelchair and the area around the surfaces is kept open for easier accessibility.

We can only hope this goes into production and doesn’t incur the usual premium added to the cost of disabled equipment.

Similarly the ‘chopchop’, by german industrial designer Dirk Biotto, provides aesthetic and useful tools for any kitchen, disabled or otherwise. He has recognised that disability or a poorly designed space, can make small tasks difficult and cooking becomes a problem rather than an enjoyable experience. The design premiered at imm cologne 2015, and lets you configure the counter based on your specific needs. Interlocking steel tubes raise and lower the counter and perforated backplates are used to hang kitchen utensils. They are held on simple wing bolts paired with bent-steel components make moving the location of objects convenient and quick. They can also be used as grab handles. Utensils are visible, easily accessible, and ready to use.We’re waiting to hear if this is going to be produced commercially. I definitely want the grater…..

Following on from this other accessible/inclusive kitchens are now becoming the ‘thing’ at various suppliers in the UK such as Howdens, Magnet and Pressalit – as shown in the video below (ignore/mute the annoying music).

There are also bespoke designers such as Design Matters (expensive at £15k average but good quality).

But there’s nothing like this superbly stylish Skylab kitchen from italian supplier Snaidero. Not available in the UK but I hope other designers will take note and start to wake up to the idea that we have to depend/live with ‘equipment’ more than the able bodied community. We spend a lot of time at home and we want to live in lovely/stylish rooms.

I’m about to make my kitchen more accessible and I’m using some of these ideas. In the end I’m designing my own kitchen with a friendly builder and probably going to buy quality rise and fall units as separate items to fit my needs. Once it’s built I’ll post it here. Send me photos of any stylish accessible kitchens you may have seen/installed??