Every home—from the immaculate dens of design enthusiasts to the purely practical domains of busy home cooks—needs a place for its inhabitants to settle in, prepare meals and gather with family and friends. If you're remodeling your kitchen, your choice of benchtops, appliances, tiles and fixtures will be dictated by the styles you love and by your approach to the culinary delights.
From sleek, contemporary city penthouses to warm and homey farmhouse kitchens, most kitchen designs start with the benchtop. With so many materials to consider when choosing between kitchen benchtops, here's a breakdown to get you started:
Timber
From dark, glistening hardwoods to light, stripped pine, timber adds a touch of natural elegance to a kitchen that can be suited to nearly all design styles. Timber requires some maintenance to keep it looking great, but with a look that instantly says "home", it's well worth the effort.
Natural Stone
The crème de la crème of benchtops, natural stone is synonymous with style. While it often carries a hefty price tag, natural stone will add value to your home and is incredibly durable, requiring no upkeep apart from a coat of sealant every few years to maintain its lustrous surface.
Manufactured Stone
Offering the look of natural stone with a much reduced cost, engineered or manufactured stone benchtops are formed from smaller stone chips, bound together with a synthetic medium. While an engineered kitchen benchtop won't have quite the durability of the real thing, you'll be surprised by just how authentic they can look.
Laminate
Laminates are formed from acrylic and other synthetic materials to create a hardy surface that's easy to clean and requires no maintenance. Because laminates are available in a range of colours and finishes, from plain and bold pieces to benchtops echoing the look of many timber and stone varieties, they offer an economical alternative to natural materials, with a surprisingly convincing appearance.
Contemporary Materials
From polished concrete to stainless steel, the sky's the limit when it comes to designing your kitchen benchtop.
No place makes a home quite like the kitchen, and your kitchen says as much about you about as it does about your personal tastes and the ways you like to spend your time. Whether you're buying your kitchen wholesale or are intent on designing each element of the space, taking the time to consider your benchtop material will set you well on your way to kitchen mastery.
Share7 March 2018
As the parent of five children, I've picked up some tips over the years when it comes to childproofing the garden and creating an outdoor space that's safe and can be enjoyed by everyone. I started focussing on safety in the garden after my first child had an accident that could have been prevented. Thankfully, they recovered pretty quickly, but I realised how easy it is for young children to get hurt when playing outdoors. I started this blog to share what I've learned as a parent, and topics I post about include creating safe swimming pools, identifying toxic garden plants, choosing child-safe gates and maintaining outdoor play equipment. I hope you find my blog interesting and useful.
