START WITH STYLE
Benchtop profiles can make a striking design statement, or they can be a small yet significant detail that gives the space a cohesive feel.
Interior designer Rina Cohen suggests drawing inspiration from your interior and considering the various elements within your kitchen design, such as cabinetry profiles, hardware and tapware. Is your style classic and decorative, or more modern and minimalist? Do you prefer a slimmer profile or a more substantial, solid-looking benchtop? An initial decision is the general profile shape, either square or rounded, and from there you can refine the specific look.
Round Profiles including a rolled, bullnose or pencil edge often complement a classic country or Hamptons-style kitchen, recommends Tameka Moffat of Tameka Moffat Designs. “Another benefit of curves is their gentle, user-friendly feel, which can make them particularly appealing in homes with young children or elderly people,” she says.
Square For a modern look, Tameka suggests angular profiles, which evoke a clean, minimalist aesthetic. From simple, cost-effective wraparound laminated square edges to a striking mitred waterfall edge, there are options to suit a range of styles and budgets.
Benchtop thickness Standard 20mm-thick benchtops are capable of most basic profiles, whereas slim 12mm-thick porcelain surfaces are quite limiting as they’re more fragile and can’t overhang without support. “To achieve a more luxurious solid look,” says designer Graeme Metcalf of Dan Kitchens Australia, “stonemasons can fabricate a mitred apron for square profiles, or ‘laminate’ (layer) the edge by stacking several pieces of 20mm stone for more detailed profiles.”
Mixing profiles Should you use the same profile everywhere? “As the island is often a focal point, it can be effective to use a wider 60mm benchtop and detailed profile, to enhance wow-factor and keep rear workbenches simpler, slimmer and more cost-effective,” says Tameka.
“THE BENCHTOP PROFILE YOU CHOOSE CAN MAKE A DEFINITIVE DESIGN STATEMENT AND OFFSET THE SURROUNDING DETAILS IN THE SPACE” ~ TAMEKA MOFFAT, INTERIOR DESIGNER