Choosing the right worktop to compliment designer kitchens

The right kitchen worktop will enhance even the most basic kitchen units, turning an ordinary looking kitchen into a room fit for a design magazine.

Here at Kitchen Design Centre, we want you to understand your options so you can choose the very best materials suited to your home.

Here are some of the most popular work surface materials available on the market today.

Granite

For demanding kitchen environments, granite is the perfect choice.

The only compound harder than granite is diamond, so it will last for many years.

But it’s not just because of its durability that people invest in granite – it also looks fantastic.

Flexible, and with a choice of over 30 colours and eye-catching designs, granite is great for kitchen work surfaces because it’s resistant to water, heat and staining.

It will stand up against almost any treatment and is easily wiped clean afterwards.

Silestone worktops

Hygiene is extremely important in today’s kitchen and no material ensures cleanliness better that silestone.

With a layer of special antibacterial protection that won’t wash away for years, silestone is both scratch and stain resistant.

It’s perfect for any designer kitchen, since it is available in a wide variety of colours, textures and designs.

Silestone is over 90% natural quartz.

Corian Worktops

Corian is well known for its solidity and versatility.

Easy to clean, beautiful and unaffected by chemical cleaners, this is popular choice for designer kitchens.

Corian will resist mould, mildew, and bacteria.

Be aware, however, that although it is scratch and stain resistant you should be a little more cautious than with silestone. It must be dried whenever it is cleaned to avoid water stains and damage to the finish.

There are many styles and designs available with corian, including beautiful finishes like matte satin, semi or high gloss.

For anyone who is really interested in corian, it is made of acrylic polymer and alumina trihydrate.

Laminate

A laminate worktop is a cost effective alternative to silestone, corian and granite, but, even so it is extremely practical and looks great.

It is water and stain resistant and available in a huge variety of colours and finishes.

Laminate is available in premium laminate, high definition laminate, extra matt laminate, square edge laminate and glass effect laminate.