4 March 2021
The single most impacting feature of any kitchen is the worktop, without it a kitchen is simply not a kitchen. A practical surface where food is prepped and which unifies the diverse equipment contained within the modern kitchen.
In terms of décor kitchen worktops together with the cabinets provide definition, character and practicality to the overall design. Kitchen worktop ideas nowadays are light-years from what they were even a few decades ago. Traditional options included thanks to the advances in stone cutting and wood treatments that have come about in the kitchen.
A completely new generation of worktop materials has in addition opened up possibilities that could only have been dreamed of previously. Here below we examine the criteria for choosing your worktop and provide some kitchen worktop ideas that you may not have been familiar with before.
Terrazzo series by KRION®
Many individual factors come into play when considering the right worktop for specific kitchens. Not just relating to décor but also and perhaps more importantly to use. Even the most adverse to ‘boiling an egg’ amongst us is nowadays aware of the explosion of interest in all things food-related.
Depending on the amount of cooking we enjoy the worktop can be a valuable tool. On the other hand, for those who consider the kitchen more as a designer statement where aesthetics take precedence, then that also influences the choice. The following kitchen worktop ideas include practical considerations as much as looks.
No other colour packs the same punch as black in all fields of design. For kitchen décor, the black worktop can be stylish as well as practical. To get the best out of the black kitchen worktop combine with white cabinets and metal ironmongery for a timeless décor.
For a statement kitchen, choose dark wood cabinets where the grain can provide a striking organic contrast to the black kitchen worktop. Add a speckled feature with a black granite top which can be picked up by lighting and other kitchen accessories. In all the above cases the choice of backsplash is crucial to successfully exploiting the potential of the black kitchen worktop.
White in the kitchen evokes cleanliness and hygiene. It’s not surprising then that white kitchen worktops are so popular. They will require looking after however as they are prone to showing up crumbs, spills and general untidiness more than other colour options.
However, the white worktop adds light and brightness by reflecting natural and artificial light. Install a Belfast sink in white ceramic or a stainless steel insert to make a designer statement. Artificial task lighting should be carefully positioned to avoid glare.
The classic timber worktop can be considered as a continuous butcher’s block. Equally suitable for creating a rustic décor or a cutting-edge contemporary interior design kitchen the timber worktop has a warm tactile quality. Timber is an organic material which means that the surface must be oiled or varnished on a regular basis to avoid stains and improve its durability. With regard to hygiene and food preparation, the timber must also be treated to facilitate direct contact with food preparation.
Another option is to choose a ceramic worktop with a wood effect, which will give you all the benefits of ceramic (easy to clean, more resistant to scratching, more hygienic,…) with all the warmth and beauty of natural wood.
Ewood Camel Nature 150X300
For the purist who wants to keep things 100% natural in the kitchen, there is nothing like natural stone. Quarried from the earth around the globe the possibilities are literally endless, as no two slabs of stone are ever the same.
Combine one or more natural stones in the kitchen with the worktop and the backsplash. And for a statement kitchen where entertaining and dining are equally important clad the entire counter of the kitchen island with natural stone.
Tabla Montblanc Polished 2 CM
The revolution in material technology of recent decades has produced unimagined options for home décor. Including the kitchen where performance under critical conditions such as hygiene, resistance to temperature variations and humidity are critical.
These options include artificial materials that improve on Mother Nature with a customised performance in terms of resistance to temperature extremes, impact, UV light, bacteria, staining etc. Not forgetting properties that make cleaning and maintenance much easier and reliable.
KRION® is a man-made material composed of mostly natural minerals (ATH -Alumina Trihydrate) and some high resistance resins. The qualities that make KRION® specifically suitable for kitchen worktops is their formability whereby the sink and drainer can be moulded in the same material without any visible joints. This ensures not only visual continuity but also means there are fewer crevices for germs and bacteria to gather. The choice of 100 colours offered by the KRION® palette means that any kitchen cabinets can be matched or complimented. And because KRION® can be produced in an excellent thickness, a backlit backsplash will complete the modern high tech look.
While some advanced worktop materials are unashamedly modern then there are those worktops that improve on Nature. XTONE takes on the look and feel of stone and marble but gives it a 21st Century make-over. Anyone who has ever had a marble worktop will appreciate their susceptibility to staining and chipping.
Bevelled edge detailing and large format worktops are amongst the creative opportunities that are opened up with XTONE. Equally, it is resistance to temperature extremes, UV light, bacteria, staining, bending and is non-porous. An option that you can eat directly from, given its unique hygienic qualities.
Whilst a clear kitchen worktop is always desirable nevertheless a generous countertop can provide welcome additional kitchen storage.
Calacatta Gold Polished 150X300
Yes. And it represents a great result for relatively little investment. Cover laminate worktops with timber or marble tiles for the best results. Alternatively a thin cover layer of concrete can transform an entire kitchen and even a good quality paint can provide a bargain basement option.
Not at all. In fact depending on the material the white worktop can be just as practical and hygienic and easy to maintain as any other. The great advantage of the white kitchen worktop is its capacity to instantly brighten up a dark space.
Avoid exposed wires as much as possible in the kitchen, it looks untidy and adds to daily cleaning chores. Use battery operated kitchen appliances where possible. Collect wires into cable collectors (tubes that can run along counter tops). Make sure to have sufficient electrical sockets along the backsplash to avoid long cable runs. And if possible house cables in the baseboard of the base cabinets.
On the contrary the timber worktop can add charm and tactile warmth. But timber requires regular maintenance, a regular sand and varnish. Food safety requirements also mean that a wax or other treatment for handling food is also applied to the final finished worktop.
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