The heart of the home deserves a stunning design, but when it comes to creating a gorgeous kitchen, it's all about the carefully chosen details that truly elevate the space. Worktops, splashbacks and shelves play a crucial role in functionality and creating a cohesive and beautiful environment to enjoy with family and friends.
We’re here to guide you through some of these essential elements, exploring versatile materials like quartz, mineral and porcelain worktops that offer both beauty and practicality throughout your kitchen.
Choosing a kitchen worktop material
For decades, granite, marble, other natural stones and laminate worktops reigned supreme in kitchens. However, innovative materials offer exciting alternatives to these traditional surfaces and allow homeowners to choose a kitchen worktop that suits them and their style.
Quartz worktops
Quartz, for example, boasts exceptional durability and stain resistance in comparison to natural stone. It’s created to be a non-porous surface that requires minimal maintenance. Unlike other worktops which need periodic sealing or lengthy upkeep tasks with specialised products, quartz worktops are resistant to spills and stains, making them ideal for busy kitchens.
Case Study: Georgian Heritage by Cameron Interiors
Another benefit of choosing quartz kitchen worktops is that they are available in a vast array of colours and patterns, evoking the elegance of natural stone and the urban patinas of poured concretes with the added benefit of lower maintenance. From classic white marble veining to dramatic, dark swirls, or minimalist patterns, there's a quartz design to suit any homeowner and kitchen style.
Mineral worktops
Case Study: Mimi Bouchard’s Luxurious London Galley Kitchen
Mineral kitchen worktops offer similar advantages to quartz, adding a touch of warmth and a more organic feel to your kitchen. They are incredibly durable and resistant to scratches, heat and staining. Mineral worktops also offer a wider range of textures, with our mineral worktops available in a variety of finishes including polished, honed and rough concrete, adding a touch of elegance to a modern kitchen.
Porcelain worktops
Caesarstone 507 Marbannova Porcelain Worktop
Alternatively, porcelain adds a different layer of sophistication to the kitchen design conversation. Known for their sleek surfaces, bold patterns and colourways and unmatched resistance to scratches, stains and heat, porcelain worktops are a dream for those who are looking for both functionality and beauty. The process used in their creation makes them non-porous, eliminating the need for sealing and making porcelain kitchen worktops incredibly hygienic.
Seamless splashbacks
Gone are the days of mismatched materials and tiresome colour matching between worktops and tiles or glass splashbacks. The latest trend of creating a unified visual flow by extending the worktop material onto the splashback is here to stay and for good reason. This technique, particularly effective with quartz, mineral or porcelain surfaces, creates a sense of spaciousness and a truly beautiful aesthetic.
Imagine a stunning veined worktop cascading seamlessly onto the splashback, drawing the eye upwards and creating a focal point in your kitchen. This cohesive design approach minimises grout lines, making the space feel larger and is much easier to clean.
“5112 Aterra Blanca has lovely, soft veining and a warm and timeless look and feel. We decided to use this as a splashback and worktop, as well as in the breakfast larder for an ultra-sleek and stylish look.” - Case Study: A family kitchen blending modern and traditional
Here are some additional benefits of extending your worktop material to the splashback:
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Enhanced durability: Materials like quartz, mineral and porcelain are incredibly durable, making them ideal for key areas like the space behind your sink or hob.
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Low maintenance: A continuous surface means fewer nooks and crannies for dirt and grime to accumulate, making cleaning a breeze.
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Luxurious appeal: The seamless flow creates a sense of luxury and high-end design in your kitchen.
What do I need to know about using my worktop as a splashback?
Using your worktop material as a splashback can create a sleek, modern look, but it's essential to consider several factors before making a decision.
Heat resistance: If you have a gas hob, ensure your chosen worktop material is heat resistant. Porcelain, quartz and mineral worktops all excel in heat resistance, particularly compared to laminate or wood, and therefore make perfect splashback materials. You should also make sure your kitchen designer or fabricator completes the installation according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Splashes and stains: While worktop materials are often resistant to stains and spills, the splashback area is more exposed. Choose a material that is easy to clean and maintain such as quartz, mineral or porcelain, all of which are stain-resistant and can be cleaned with common household products.
Visual impact: Consider the overall look you want to achieve. A seamless worktop-to-splashback transition can create a clean, minimalist aesthetic. However, if you prefer a more traditional look, you might opt for a contrasting splashback material such as an alternative worktop in the same material and style.
Cohesive shelving solutions
Shelving in your kitchen isn't just about storage; it's an opportunity to add a touch of personality. Open shelving allows you to showcase beautiful tableware, cookbooks and decorative accents, while closed cabinets offer a more streamlined look. Using a mixed approach of open shelving and cabinetry can be a practical solution to both options, allowing you to hide away some kitchenware and display others proudly.
5151 Empira White was used to create the worktops and backsplash, floating shelves and the pantry surface for Susan and Clive Tyldesley’s kitchen
To create a cohesive design and feel, consider incorporating the same material used for your worktops and splashbacks into your shelving design. This creates an interconnected flow throughout the space and reinforces the overall theme of your kitchen.
Consider these factors when choosing shelving for your kitchen:
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Storage needs: Evaluate how much storage you require for everyday items like dishes, cookware and pantry staples. Open shelving is ideal for frequently used items you want to keep within easy reach such as cookbooks and your favourite herbs, spices and sauces, while closed cabinets provide hidden storage for less used items or bulkier appliances.
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Aesthetics: Open shelving allows you to display your personality with decorative objects like your favourite ornaments or glassware and keeps the kitchen feeling light and airy. Closed cabinets offer a clean and minimalist look, ideal for those who prefer a clutter-free space.
Why use your chosen worktop for shelving?
The beauty of the quartz, mineral and porcelain worktop and splashback materials lies in their ability to be incorporated into your shelving design as well. Here's how utilising the same material for your shelves can elevate your kitchen:
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Unified flow: Extending the worktop and splashback material to your shelves creates a seamless visual connection, making the space feel larger and more cohesive.
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Enhanced luxury: The repetition of the material reinforces the high-quality aesthetic of your chosen countertop and splashback.
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Design flexibility: These materials can be fabricated into a variety of shelving styles, from sleek floating shelves to classic bracket-mounted options.
How to use your worktop as shelving
Both quartz, mineral and porcelain offer excellent choices for shelving, particularly for open shelving displays. Their non-porous surfaces resist staining and are easy to clean, making them ideal for housing cookbooks, decorative items and even spices.
4011 Cloudburst Concrete was used to create the full-height backsplash, shelf and waterfall island for the Beckenham Family Home.
Here are some design considerations when using your chosen worktop material for your new shelves:
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Thickness: For a more substantial look, opt for thicker worktops and shelves such as Caesarstone mineral and quartz worktops that are slightly thicker at 30mm. Conversely, thinner shelves, like our 12mm porcelain worktops, can create a lighter, more minimalist feel, perfect for a contemporary kitchen.
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Lighting: Incorporating under-shelf lighting can dramatically enhance the visual appeal of your shelving display, highlighting your favourite kitchenware or decorative accents. Also, carefully consider where you place your ceiling lighting as carefully placed downlights will pick up the intricate design of your worktop shelving, making it sing.
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Supports: For a minimalist look, consider concealed shelf supports like hidden metal brackets behind the shelving. However, exposed brackets can add a decorative touch and offer a more industrial aesthetic.
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Edge detail: The edge detail of your shelves can add a touch of personality. Think about if you’d like your shelving to match your worktop edge or if you’d like it different. Consider a sleek, polished edge for a modern look, or a bullnose edge for a more traditional feel.
Designing your dream kitchen
Designing your dream kitchen is all about creating a space that reflects your taste and inspires culinary creativity. By exploring the possibilities offered by modern worktop, splashback, and shelving solutions, you can achieve a kitchen that's as gorgeous as it is functional.
Remember, there are no hard and fast rules. The key is to choose materials that complement each other and resonate with your personal style. Don't be afraid to experiment and have fun with the design process!
If you’d like help deciding on the perfect worktop for your space, request a sample from Caesarstone to visualise it in your home.
