Quality worktops can make a huge difference to your finished kitchen. Here’s some help on picking the right one for you.
So, you have chosen the style of kitchen you like and may be considering some of the technology you want to include – but what about worktops?
For a long time, the quality of a kitchen has been measured by the worktop that sits on the units and granite was often used as an indicator of quality. And of course the granite worktop is by nature a unique material with no two slabs being the same, so you are guaranteed that your neighbour cannot recreate the kitchen you proudly researched and had designed.
The beauty of natural stone cannot be underestimated and the trend towards dramatic striated pieces is growing. Large swirly patterned quartzites are being used as statement island pieces as well as dramatic wall panelling but of course the sophisticated plains with veins are still going strong.
Polished granite adds drama to any kitchen and offers resistance to staining, whilst honed and flame-textured surface offer a softer, matt appearance.
Reconstituted quartz, and the newer low-silica surfaces, are man-made alternatives to traditional stone worktops, made by mixing natural minerals with resin. Silestone is a superb example of a quartz worktop brand and comes in a huge range of colours and patterns. It is tough, durable and stain-resistant, with the depth, clarity and cool, solid feel of natural stone.
Sintered stones such as Dekton, and other porcelain worktops, are soaring in popularity. They are made under great heat and pressure in a sintering process, a bit like a man-made metamorphic rock, which makes them extremely tough, scratch-resistant and heat-resistant. This is the one worktop material that doesn’t need a trivet or chopping board; just watch you don’t blunt your knife.
These porcelain worktops come in 12mm or 20mm thicknesses, and we can mitre the edges to build them up so they look really chunky. Our fabricator specialises in bookmatching, so mirror-matched slabs let the veining flow from one piece to the next. The most scratch-resistant colours have a matt finish, and many have texture pressed into their surface.
One of the oldest and most proven man-made worktop material is Corian. Invented by Du Pont it celebrates its 50th birthday this year. Very different to granite and quartz materials, Corian is made from bauxite ore and acrylic. The acrylic content gives its amazing capability to be joined virtually invisibly offering a near seamless worktop that can curve up the wall in a dramatic hygienic form.
Every day scuffs can be buffed out and the whole worktop can be rejuvenated with a sanding every few years. The Corian joining method means that any damage to your worktop can be repaired so it offers great longevity – an amazing feature to future-proof your worktop.
Corian sinks are seamlessly set into the worktop and offer the choice of plain white integral sinks or colour matched steel based bowls. Coved upstands smoothly take the worktop up the wall to upstand to full wall cladding height.
Integrated phone charging stations can be built into the worktop, shooting this worktop technology into the 21st century.
Wooden worktops have been very popular in recent years and come in a wide range of hard wood and engineered timbers. Protected by a blend of natural oils applied a couple of times a year, they create a soft and warm form of worktop with natural character.
Kitchensmiths’ supplier Spekva, from Denmark, only buys timber from sustainably managed forests and produces beautifully finished timber worktops. If a little maintenance is not for you, use wood for a statement breakfast bar or a bespoke table instead.
Only the best quality laminate worktops are used by Ktichensmiths. They are easy to maintain and can be coordinated with door fronts and textures elsewhere in the kitchen. There is a wide variety of colours, finishes, thicknesses and edge profiles.
Whichever worktop you choose, it is vital to choose a style you love, as well as a surface that will suit your lifestyle, as it is sure to last you a long time.
Practicality and look is always on a client’s wish list, and now it is possible to couple the beauty of marble with the practicality of being heat and scratch-proof with Dekton.AlexKitchensmiths Designer
