Part of the Irwell Riverside development in Manchester, this project featured a bold black handleless kitchen created within a modular housing concept delivered in collaboration with Urban Splash and SIG. As with our broader modern bespoke kitchen furniture approach, the layout had to work around the real proportions and constraints of the space rather than rely on standard off the shelf combinations. In this case, the room formed part of a modular house at Irwell Riverside, where furniture, floors, and services were installed before the completed sections were transported to site.
Location: Irwell Riverside, Manchester
Project type: Modular housing kitchen installation
Layout: Main wall run with large island and extra high wall units
Front specification: Black high gloss acrylic handleless doors
Carcase material: Black matt MFC with PVC edging
Worktop: 12mm CompacMel Plus compact board
Hardware: Blum soft close hinges and push to open wall units
Integrated appliances: Oven, induction hob, microwave, under worktop fridge, under worktop freezer, dishwasher, built in extractor
Notable project factor: Furniture installed within a factory prepared modular construction process
Project overview
At the turn of 2015 and 2016, JS DECO joined another Urban Splash project, this time in Manchester. The wider architectural concept was based on modular house construction, where the completed units were prepared off site and then transported to their final destination. That gave the manufacturer far more control over coordination, sequencing, and production efficiency than in a conventional build.
From the furniture point of view, this created a different type of workflow. The kitchen had to be planned as part of a larger factory led process, while still delivering the quality, practicality, and visual clarity expected from a fitted modern interior.
Kitchen specification and layout
The carcasses were made from black matt MFC panels finished with PVC edging, while the visible fronts were produced in black high gloss acrylic. The overall composition included a drawer unit, three soft close drawers hidden behind single doors, two ladder units with integrated appliances, an under worktop fridge freezer arrangement, a large functional island, and a full run of extra high wall units.
Top cupboard doors were made in push to open specification, while the base unit doors used overhangs so they could be opened without handles. This kept the elevations clean and uninterrupted, which suited the sharp contemporary character of the room and reinforced the visual discipline of the design.
Integrated appliances and everyday use
This kitchen was equipped with a full range of built in kitchen appliances, including an oven, induction hob, and microwave by Siemens, together with an under worktop fridge, under worktop freezer, integrated dishwasher by Indesit, and a built in hob extractor by Caple.
The large island was particularly important to how the room worked in daily use. Because the space allowed for a generous central block, the designers could create a layout that felt more open, more practical, and more ergonomic than a single run arrangement. The main wall concentrated the cooking and appliance functions, while the island gave the room a stronger preparation and serving zone.
Materials and finish character
A major part of the finished effect came from the contrast between the black matt cabinet structure and the reflective acrylic fronts. The result was a kitchen that felt crisp, architectural, and distinctly modern, without relying on decorative detailing.
The slim surface was made in 12mm CompacMel Plus, referenced in the original source as a compact high density wooden fibreboard with strong mechanical properties and full waterproof performance. Its reduced thickness helped preserve the sharp handleless look and kept the island visually lighter than a thicker worktop would have done. This also connects naturally with the material considerations discussed on our kitchen worktop guide.
Wider project scope
Our role within this development extended beyond the kitchen itself. We were responsible for installing all types of fitted furniture contained in the finished houses, including made to order kitchens, bathrooms, and sliding door wardrobes.
We worked on more than 30 houses designed in this specification, including a white high gloss version of the same general layout. That comparison is useful because it shows how the same room proportions and furniture arrangement can take on a completely different visual character depending on the finish choice alone.
Final result
This project is a strong example of how a fitted kitchen can be integrated into a modular housing system without losing either practicality or design clarity. The final room combined extra high storage, integrated appliances, a large island, and a very controlled black gloss finish to create a layout that was both efficient to use and visually coherent within the wider architecture of the house.
For clients comparing fitted room specific manufacturing with more standardised systems, projects like this show the value of planning furniture around the actual space and its intended use rather than around a limited set of preset modules.
Discussing a similar project
If you have found this installation interesting, we are always open to cooperation with private and commercial customers, property investors, shop owners, and interior designers. You can contact us here and tell us about your project.
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