Case Study: Designing Freedom – A Bespoke Accessible Kitchen for George Clarke’s Beautiful Builds
Featuring on: George Clarke’s Beautiful Builds, Channel 4
Location: Matlock, Derbyshire
Client: Ben White and family
Retailer: Moorgate Kitchens
Designers: Mark Doble and Adam Thomas
Kitchen Brand: Freedom by Symphony
Homeowner Ben in his new Freedom Melrose Merlot Red and Costina Fresca kitchen
The Show
Renowned architect, George Clarke helps people decide how to split their budgets as they refurbish two vital aspects of their home in a new show: George Clarke’s Beautiful Builds.
The Brief
When Ben White and his partner were selected to appear on George Clarke’s Beautiful Builds, they had a clear vision for their dream kitchen: stylish, accessible, and built for modern living. Ben has been a wheelchair user for 11 years following a sky diving accident during training for the national championships and knowing that Freedom by Symphony specialised in inclusive design, he reached out to renowned accessible design consultant, Adam Thomas whose work he had been following for a long time.
Design Challenges & Transformation
Ben moved into the property with his family in 2021. The original setup featured a kitchen with an island in a fairly small space and a separate dining room, which was narrow and limiting, meaning that Ben could not do much cooking. Working closely with George Clarke and the show’s production team, the design Adam Thomas proposed repositioned the kitchen, blocked off a doorway and removed the wall between the two spaces to create a large, open-plan environment that could better support freedom of movement and accessibility. To make this possible the design involved Ben agreeing to relocate a set of new sliding doors from the kitchen to the dining room, creating easier access to the outside and Ben’s new garden office.
Adam tailored every design element with accessibility and aesthetics in mind, stating:
“It was lovely working with George on and off camera. He showed genuine interest and had lightbulb moments around the topic of accessibility when I demonstrated some of the principles. I’m delighted with the result and that Ben is so happy with the kitchen.”
George even visited Adam’s own home during filming, gaining first-hand insight into accessible kitchen design in action – experiences that directly informed the final space in Matlock.
The new kitchen position brings together the eating, living, work, and play areas transforming the way Ben and his family enjoy their property.
Kitchen Features
The resulting kitchen is a showcase of elegant functionality and innovative design, tailored for Ben’s needs:
- Freedom by Symphony Colours: Symphony Melrose Range in Merlot Red and the ribbed effect Costina Fresca, accented with bold brass handles.
- Worktops: Corian® Calacatta Greige surfaces, including a waterfall-edge rise-and-fall section and windowsills. Distributor CDUK and fabricator Counter Production worked around the clock and went over and above to source this new premium décor in time for installation.
- Adjustable Features: An all-in-one right angle rise-and-fall worktop section with a prep sink allows for height flexibility which is an essential for a truly inclusive kitchen.
- Appliances & Smart Tech:
- NEFF smart appliances including;
- Slide & Hide oven with its unique hide away door, reduces the risk of burns.
- Push to open DoorAssist fridge opens with a push on the door or by voice command.
- All the appliances are operable via the HomeConnect app or voice activated by smart speaker.
- ZIP Water HydroTap Celius Plus All-in-One provides boiling, chilled, sparkling and filtered water at the touch of a button.
- NEFF smart appliances including;
- Sink Configuration: Dual-sink setup for accessibility. One shallow prep sink and one deeper fixed-height sink.
Collaborative Design
Retailer Moorgate Kitchens played a pivotal role, with designer Mark Doble bringing Adam’s vision to life in-store. The Freedom team, production company, and Moorgate collaborated extensively, far beyond a typical kitchen install, to ensure every detail aligned with the needs of the homeowner and the production timeline.
“Working with Adam and George on this project was such a unique mix of excitement and challenge. The fast-paced world of TV doesn’t wait for anyone, with tight deadlines and constant pressure to deliver, every day was a race against the clock. But that’s also what made it so rewarding; there’s nothing quite like the rush of seeing everything come together just in time.
Ben and his family were an absolute joy to work with. From the very start, they were relaxed, easy-going, and completely trusted Adam and me to bring their vision to life. That trust made all the difference. In the end, we delivered not just a kitchen, but a space that truly felt like theirs.”
Adjustable height work surface
Homeowner’s Experience
Ben White, reflecting on the process in his TV interview, shared:
“Working with Freedom by Symphony was great. Throughout the process, all the way through, we were getting constant updates as to where things were at, when there would be fitting visits, when there would be more consultations, back and forth with the designs.”
“One of the benefits of good, accessible design is that it’s inclusive and is great for everyone. There’s now enough space in the kitchen for us to be cooking together as a family. We can lower the rise and fall worktop down and me and my daughter can bake. My partner, she can raise the unit up and we can have multiple people working and cooking food together whilst we’re preparing and cooking food in the kitchen space. The kids can be sitting at the breakfast bar and we can all be social as a family.”
Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Beautiful Builds
This kitchen will air as part of Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Beautiful Builds, where viewers can see the transformation unfold onscreen.
Freedom by Symphony is proud to have played a role in creating a space that isn’t just functional, it’s life-enhancing. As part of the episode, this project marks another step toward bringing inclusive design into the mainstream spotlight.
Mark Doble, Ben White, Adam Thomas and George Clarke