Designed Around Independence
At the heart of the Hackett Project is a simple but important principle: good design should make everyday life feel effortless.
Designed specifically for wheelchair accessibility, the kitchen has been carefully planned around the realities of movement and use. Lowered work surfaces, accessible storage solutions and generous circulation spaces allow the room to be navigated naturally, creating an environment that feels open rather than restrictive.
Accessibility has been considered from the outset rather than added as an afterthought. The result is a kitchen that works intuitively for its user, supporting independence while maintaining a calm and confident architectural presence.
The Vision
The brief was to create a kitchen that could offer genuine accessibility without sacrificing aesthetics. Rather than separating function from design, the Hackett Project brings the two together through a restrained material palette, bespoke cabinetry and purposeful spatial planning.
The kitchen and media unit have been designed as part of one cohesive visual language. Clean lines and considered proportions give the space a sense of continuity, while the rich Pitch Black finish introduces depth and character.
The overall approach is minimal, but far from stark. Every decision has been made with both the practical experience of using the space and the atmosphere of the finished room in mind.
The Design Process
The design centres around a handleless Signature Slab kitchen, creating a clean and uninterrupted visual flow throughout the space. Removing traditional handles not only reinforces the contemporary aesthetic, but also contributes to the kitchen’s ease of use.
The cabinetry has been positioned and proportioned specifically to support wheelchair accessibility, with lowered work surfaces providing a more comfortable and practical working height. Accessible storage has been carefully incorporated, ensuring that everyday essentials can be reached with ease.
Generous circulation areas complete the layout, allowing movement through the kitchen to feel natural and unrestricted. Rather than making accessibility visually dominant, the design integrates these considerations seamlessly into the architecture of the room.
The same restrained approach continues through to the bespoke media unit, creating a sense of cohesion and ensuring that the kitchen feels like part of a wider interior rather than an isolated functional zone.
A Palette of Depth and Restraint
The material palette is deliberately understated, allowing the architecture and functionality of the space to take centre stage.
The Signature Slab cabinetry is finished in Pitch Black, creating a rich, muted backdrop with a sophisticated contemporary character. The deep tone gives the kitchen a sense of weight and permanence, while the simplicity of the slab doors keeps the overall appearance refined and uncluttered.
Paired with Cosentino ‘Laos’ worktops, the darker cabinetry is balanced with a contrasting surface that adds visual interest while maintaining the project’s calm, considered feel.
Carefully integrated lighting brings another layer to the palette. Beyond creating atmosphere, lighting has been positioned to improve visibility across key work zones, supporting the practical requirements of the kitchen while enhancing the room’s overall warmth.
A Layout Designed for Living
Every aspect of the layout has been shaped around ease, movement and independence.
The generous circulation spaces provide clear routes through the kitchen, allowing wheelchair movement to feel comfortable and unrestricted. Lowered work surfaces create accessible zones for everyday preparation and use, while integrated storage ensures that key items remain within easy reach.
The result is a space that feels intuitive rather than overly engineered. Accessibility is present in every part of the design, but it never overwhelms the aesthetic.
The kitchen and media unit work together to create a cohesive environment, with the same clean lines and restrained finish carrying through the space. The overall effect is open, calm and confidently contemporary.
Thoughtful Touches, Timeless Feel
The Hackett Project demonstrates that accessible design can be beautiful, sophisticated and highly individual.
From the handleless cabinetry and carefully considered work heights to the integrated lighting and generous circulation, every element has a clear purpose. Yet the space never feels clinical or purely functional.
Instead, the combination of Pitch Black cabinetry, refined worktops, clean architectural lines and carefully controlled lighting creates an atmosphere that is warm, composed and welcoming.
It is a project where practical requirements have become an opportunity for better design, removing physical and visual barriers while creating a space that feels effortless to inhabit.
More Than Accessible
More than simply an accessible kitchen, The Hackett Project demonstrates what can happen when accessibility and aesthetics are treated as one design challenge.
The result is a bespoke space that empowers independence while elevating the everyday experience of using the kitchen. Thoughtful planning, intelligent cabinetry and a restrained material palette come together to prove that functionality need not come at the expense of character.
Here, every detail has been considered not only to make life easier, but to make the space feel confident, calm and completely at home.
