Page 48 - Designing Ways 283

KITCHEN
WORK TOPS

Kitchen Worktops

by Stienie Greyling

kitchen worktop is not just a
decorative element, but a key
A ture of today’s kitchens. A
fea
kitchen worktop has to do a lot of work.

• They define how a kitchen looks,
• And they also need to be practical
and hard-wearing, and able be able
to cope with all the demands place
on them.

The choice of material plays a key role
for the kitchen countertop and must
offer a number of important features,
including:
• resistance,
• beauty,
• practicality and
• hygiene.

Wooden worktops – While we may
associate wooden worktops with a
butchers-block style finish, plywood is
sustainable and an affordable option.
Wooden worktops are classic and work
well in traditional, contemporary and
rustic-style kitchens. Choose from darker
styles like walnut or lighter oak finishes.
For a timeless look, oak, beech and marble
are good choices, whereas darker wood
can add a real statement to a kitchen.
Quartz worktops are made from
hardwearing natural quartz mixed with
resin. As an engineered composite
worktop, it comes in a wide range of
finishes, is highly stain resistant and also
very hardwearing.
Granite worktops – As a natural stone,
granite is extremely durable and resistant
to heat and scratches. It brings elegance,
sophistication and style to a kitchen and
bathroom. It is highly durable and less
porous than melamine and also much
more hygienic.
Porcelain worktops are an affordable
option that are also extremely hard
wearing and food safe. They are scratch
and stain resistant and can withstand
high temperatures. Porcelain is also non-
porous, making it easy to keep clean and
resistant to staining from notoriously
tricky ingredients.

48 Issue 283 • dw