VAMP UP YOUR BENCHTOP

It’s one of the most visible parts of your kitchen, so spending more in this area will ensure your budget is punching above its weight. “I’m always looking to elevate the benchtop where possible,” says Melissa. “If that means I have to forgo soft-close runners so I can afford stone tops, then I do. Also consider increasing your bench thickness to 40mm plus, and finish the ends with a waterfall edge.” Prices cascade downwards from real stone to laminate, but all offer options. “A laminate benchtop will give you the stone look for much less,” says Jeneile Kirk of Kaboodle Kitchens. She also suggests timber – “It’s very on-trend right now,” she says – or extending your stone benchtop up into the splashback.