Top 3 things to consider when choosing a worktop
When selecting kitchen furnishings, it is easy to be guided by your eye and not your brain. Whether your want it to look sleek and modern, or homely and rustic, choosing the right worktop is key in stamping an identity on your new kitchen. Following ‘Restoration Man’ George Clarke’s advice, “If the kitchen is going to be the heart of the home, then the space has to be right”. But, along with selecting the correct aesthetic, what other criteria should you look for? Here’s a quick and easy guide to what you should consider when selecting the perfect kitchen worktop.
1. Budget
Like any project, always keep in mind how much you’re prepared to spend on your workspace. It can be very easy to blow all your money on a nice looking surface, then find you’ll have to resort to buying cheap and tacky looking fittings. So make sure that, before you begin deciding upon measurements, you choose a material that is in line with how much money you have available.
Here is a quick price breakdown of the different options available:
- Stainless steel – £45 to £90 (per square foot)
- Laminate – £5 to £20
- Wood – £25 to £50
- Ceramic – £5 to £50
- Granite – £25 to £70
- Quartz – £35 to £100
2. Ease of maintenance
If you’re an avid cook, there’s nothing quite so satisfying as having a shiny new countertop upon which to prepare your meals. But the novelty of a gleaming new workspace is a different thing to the day-to-day drudgery of having to scrub a worktop that seems to attract rather than resist dirt and stains.
Always make sure you keep in mind how much maintenance you are prepared to do on your surface. Solid workspaces like granite may require an annual reseal, while others may be easily damaged from stains.
If you want ultimate ease in cleaning, look for laminate worktops, where a once-over with a sponge is often all that is required. A beautiful range of laminate worktops can be found here.
3. How much space do you require?
Not everyone is as ambitious as Heston Blumenthal when it comes to preparing meals, so – to cut costs and avoid wasted space – always keep in mind the maximum amount of room you need for your worktop.
A good way to do this is to look at some of the meals you have prepared recently, going through all the items used, and measuring out the square footage required. Make sure you get the perfect balance between ease of use and practicality.
Also, most worktops have a maximum length, so to avoid visible joints, be sure to look out for the measurements stated before making your decision.
For a comprehensive range of worktops on offer, with all the latest brands and styles, check out the Worktop Hub product list here.
