best of the rest…
“I’m finding both super-thin profiles and really thick, 60mm-plus ones are becoming popular with clients” – SALLY RHYS-JONES, INTERIOR ARCHITECT
CONCRETE
Concrete’s robust appearance is very much of-the-moment, but it’s expensive, heavy and tends to porosity, so it will need maintaining and resealing. “It’s a lot of work to form up, plus it needs to be done in situ most of the time,” says Sally. “You won’t know exactly what it will look like until it’s done, and the colours and texture can change, depending on how it’s been mixed.”
TIMBER
Beautiful, tactile, inexpensive, a renewable resource and relatively easy to shape, wood can have wonderful visual impact in a kitchen. As a benchtop, it will need regularly oiling or re inishing, and it won’t like knives, too much moisture or heat, although marks can often be sanded out if it gets too scru y.
ULTRA-COMPACT
Comprised of di erent minerals compressed to create a super-tough surface, Dekton by Cosentino is probably the best-known ultra-compact brand. Its low porosity means it’s highly resistant to water, stains, scratching and abrasion. The impactful new ‘Industrial’ collection is inspired by oxidised metals and organic patterns. As with porcelain, many ultra-compacts are surface-printed.
STAINLESS STEEL
The choice of professionals, and with a hefty price tag to match, stainless steel is hardy, hygienic, easy to keep clean and tough as old boots. Although it won’t maintain its unblemished beauty for long, the inevitable scratches will combine to develop their own characterful look over time.
SOLID SURFACE
Hard-wearing acrylic resin benchtops, such as Corian, can be formed into just about any shape – so, if you want a seamless, integral sink in your worktop, this could be the material for you. The entry-level range is surprisingly a ordable, and it’s non-porous and stain-resistant, although you need to beware of scratches and avoid resting hot pots on the surface. Some of the newest colours, particularly the Prima family, have statement-making style.