The good news is that people with limited mobility no longer have to put up with a kitchen designed for able-bodied people. It is possible to create a cost-effective, disabled-friendly kitchen using a range of off the shelf accessories to tailor each design to suit the user's unique requirements.

Worktop Lifting Column 

If a person with limited mobility lives in a household with able-bodied people, this can create problems when designing a kitchen to work for everyone. Worktop lifting columns provide a solution by allowing users to adjust the worktop height to the most comfortable setting. The worktop can be lowered for people who may be in a wheelchair and then raised to a normal height for other members of the family. This unique solution allows wheelchair users to maintain a level of independence and live a relatively normal life without compromising anyone else.

Vertielectric Bottom Rail

It's not just worktop heights where disabled users have problems, cupboard heights can also be an issue, but not if you use the VertiElectric bottom rail to mount adjustable cupboards to the wall. This allows cupboards to be individually mounted on an electric rail, which can be operated with a large press pad. The cupboard is then lowered to an accessible height, before returning to its original position. The bottom rail can be fitted to most standard cupboard designs, so the look and feel of the kitchen is not compromised in any way.

Vertiinside Adjustable Shelves

If there's no room for independently fitted adjustable cupboards, VertiInside adjustable shelves can be fitted instead. This shelving unit fits inside the cupboard itself, where it remains hidden until use. Then, with the touch of a button, the shelves slide down to worktop level, where they can be easily accessed by wheelchair-bound users. Available in multiple widths to suit any kitchen design, the VertiInside adjustable shelves are a cost-effective solution.

Ropox Large Press Pad

Many disabled people have trouble moving their hands and fingers, which can make everyday tasks, such as turning on light switches, extremely difficult. The Ropox large press pad is designed to solve this problem: the extra large surface area makes it easy for people with limited movement in their hands and fingers to operate the switch. The switch unit itself can be mounted low down, making it easy to access for wheelchair users.

Pull Down Wire Shelf

Sometimes an electrically adjustable cupboard or shelf is too much, and for these circumstances, a manually adjustable wire shelf might do the trick. Suitable for most kitchen designs, this lightweight wire shelf is available in two sizes and provides an excellent, accessible space to store fruit and vegetables or dried goods.

The above is just a small selection of accessories that we have available. If you would like to know more, or want advice tailoring a kitchen to suit a disabled client, contact our specialist team today, and don’t forget to check out our blog for more helpful tips and advice for your next kitchen project.