This bespoke kitchen project was designed, manufactured and installed by JS DECO for a customer in Barnsley, West Yorkshire. The finished room combines a modern U shaped layout with high gloss acrylic slab doors in white and grey, Bardolino Oak laminate worktops and matching splashbacks, plus a hardware specification based around Blum components. The brief was to create a clean handleless kitchen with strong storage capacity, integrated appliances and a visually consistent finish across the whole room. The result is a fitted kitchen that uses the available wall space efficiently while keeping the room calm, practical and easy to maintain.
Project overview
This Barnsley kitchen was built as a contemporary fitted scheme with a strong emphasis on clean lines and integrated use of space. The U shaped arrangement allowed the room to be organised into clear preparation, cooking and washing zones, while tall housing and wall units helped extend storage vertically without breaking the overall visual rhythm.
The main design direction was based on contrast and control. White and grey high gloss fronts give the kitchen a bright and reflective appearance, while the Bardolino Oak worktop and splashback add a warmer surface tone that balances the sharper modern lines. Because this was a fully fitted kitchen rather than a standard off the shelf arrangement, the whole composition could be set out as one coordinated system rather than as a group of unrelated cabinets. This is also the kind of room specific approach explained on our How Bespoke Furniture Really Works page.
Location: Barnsley, West Yorkshire
Property type: Not specified in the original source
Layout: U shaped kitchen
Fronts: High gloss acrylic coated slab doors in white and grey
Carcase: Bardolino Oak laminated carcases
Worktop: Egger Bardolino Oak laminate on 38 mm chipboard core
Hardware: Blum push to open and soft close components
Key appliances: Integrated fridge freezer, oven, dishwasher, washing machine, hob and extractor fan
Notable constraint solved: A compact fitted layout with integrated storage and appliances arranged within a handleless modern kitchen
Design and planning
The layout uses three connected runs to wrap the room and make full use of the available perimeter. One side accommodates the sink and preparation area, the return section contains the hob, and the tall bank integrates larger appliances while keeping the front elevation visually ordered. This type of arrangement works well when the goal is to keep everything within easy reach while avoiding the broken feel that can happen when too many functions are forced into a single straight run.
In practical terms, the kitchen needed to support everyday use with a full set of integrated appliances while still maintaining the clean appearance expected from a handleless modern scheme. That required careful coordination of cabinet widths, appliance housing and drawer positions so that the elevations stayed consistent once all components were fitted. Where a project needs this level of planning from the start, our dedicated kitchen design service helps structure the room before production begins.
Design and planning
Cabinet engineering
The furniture specification is based around slab style acrylic coated doors in two tones, combined with Bardolino Oak laminated carcases and a matching laminate work surface. The choice of slab fronts supports the straight lined contemporary appearance, while the gloss finish helps reflect light around the room and keeps the elevations visually simple.
Blum components were used throughout the kitchen at a high specification level. The set includes twelve soft close push to open drawers, two 150 mm pull out baskets and two soft close magic corner baskets. Wall units were fitted with push to open, soft close horizontal doors, which helps maintain the handle free look across the upper part of the room.
Appliance integration
The kitchen contains a full integrated appliance set comprising a fridge freezer, oven, dishwasher, washing machine, hob and extractor fan. Integrating these elements into the furniture keeps the room visually quieter and allows the cabinetry to read as one fitted installation rather than as separate functional zones. This is especially important in a modern U shaped kitchen where too many exposed elements can quickly make the room feel fragmented.
Smart storage and daily use
The storage specification was clearly planned around practical daily use rather than just appearance. A bank of twelve drawers gives fast access to cutlery, cookware, utensils, dry goods and smaller kitchen items without forcing everything into deep cupboards. In a working kitchen this usually makes preparation and clearing down more efficient because the most frequently used items can be separated properly rather than stacked behind one another.
The pull out baskets and magic corner baskets are also significant in this layout. In a U shaped kitchen, corner areas can easily become awkward dead space if the cabinet interiors are not thought through properly. Here, those zones have been turned into usable storage, making it easier to reach items that would otherwise disappear into the back of the unit.
The overall effect is a kitchen that supports at least two clear everyday scenarios. First, food preparation and cooking can happen across connected worktop sections with storage positioned close to the main working areas. Second, cleaning and general household use are supported by the integrated dishwasher and washing machine arrangement, which keeps utility functions inside the fitted run rather than treating them as visually separate interruptions.
Materials and finishes
The material contrast is one of the key strengths of this project. The white and grey gloss fronts create a controlled, minimal look, while the Bardolino Oak laminate introduces a wood effect that softens the overall composition. Using the same decor on both the worktop and splashback helps unify the room and prevents the surface palette from becoming too busy.
From a maintenance point of view, these materials also make practical sense for a frequently used kitchen. Acrylic slab doors support the crisp modern appearance the customer wanted, while laminate worktops and splashbacks provide a durable and easy care surface for everyday cooking use. The worktop socket detail shown in the images also adds useful access to power at surface level without disrupting the main runs more than necessary.
Before and after analysis
The before and after images show a clear move from an older, more segmented kitchen towards a more integrated fitted arrangement. The finished room looks more coherent because the cabinetry, appliances and wall units now work together as one system. Surface continuity has improved, the tall units are better absorbed into the overall design, and the room now reads as a complete modern installation rather than a collection of separate elements.
The updated layout also improves practical use. Storage is more structured, corner space is handled more effectively, and the appliance positions are integrated into the furniture rather than competing with it. In visual terms, the kitchen now feels lighter, tidier and more controlled, while still retaining warmth through the timber effect surfaces.
Final result
This bespoke kitchen installation in Barnsley shows how a modern handleless scheme can be built around both appearance and daily function. The combination of gloss acrylic fronts, oak effect surfaces, integrated appliances and Blum storage hardware creates a room that is clean in style but still highly practical in use. Because the furniture was manufactured in our workshop and fitted by the JS DECO team, the final result could be controlled as one joined up project from production through to installation.
Who this type of build suits
This type of kitchen tends to suit customers who want a contemporary fitted look with integrated appliances, disciplined storage and a cleaner visual line than standard off the shelf combinations usually provide. It also works well for people who prefer a modern gloss finish but do not want the room to feel too cold or overly clinical.
Starting a similar project
For customers considering a similar kitchen, the process usually begins with an initial discussion about layout, materials and priorities. From there, the design is developed around the room, agreed before manufacture, and then prepared for delivery or full installation depending on the project scope. You can see how that process works on our How To Start Your Project With Us page.
