The popularity of the kitchen as the ‘home hub’ is illustrated in a study by Lloyds Bank which reveals that the kitchen is now also the most valuable room in the house – worth an estimated £4,999 on average. A third of those surveyed for the report said they spent most time at home in the kitchen and over half entertained friends there instead of the living room. The report also revealed how, in the previous 12 months, UK homeowners spent an average of £413 on kitchen gadgets.
And so, with this extreme level of importance being placed upon the kitchen, it’s not surprising that a high degree of thought, planning and detail should go into kitchen design. Key to the room design is the choice of worktops which set the tone for the atmosphere of the whole area. Here, Howard Noh, Managing Director of leading worktop supplier Tristone Surfaces, analyses what’s ‘in’ and what’s ‘out’ when it comes to choices for worktop design.
“One of the current key themes is flexibility. Customers want their kitchens designed to make their lives easier – easier to clean and easier to use. Understandably they want to spend less time maintaining a kitchen and more time enjoying it.
“The current trend in colour is for more neutrals and naturals – especially painted finishes. Combined with bold accents of colour, neutral and natural colours can create a stunning effect.
“Curves are slightly less popular. Whilst they certainly add to the aesthetic appeal, are seen as more welcoming and can help the ‘people-flow’ in a busy room, they do come at an increased cost.
“Mixing and matching worktop finishes is becoming increasingly popular and can provide both a highly practical and visually stunning effect.
“Last but not least, and despite a supposedly improving economy, value for money is still all important whatever a client’s budget. Whilst PVC doors and laminate worktops allow clients to reduce the cost of their new kitchen we’re seeing customers that know the value of good design and better quality.
“Our products offer a practical alternative to solid-stone surfaces, but still offer that high quality bespoke finish. Their endless versatility means they suit any project and blend in perfectly with other materials such as glass or wood.
“In addition to the high quality finish, our products offer better value for money than the solid-stone alternatives and are also easier to maintain with less chance of cracking, chipping and scratching. That said, if they do get damaged, the surface can be easily repaired and restored to the original condition as when you first had the worktop installed.” Launched in 2001, Tristone is dedicated to providing competitively priced, high quality, solid surface products to customers.
