Benchtop and splash back renovation ideas
susan_brotherton1955
6 years ago
We want to keep our oak kitchen but would like to have a more contemporary look by replacing the benchtop and splash back. I like granite but would welcome any suggestions with colour and materials.
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Courtney Allan
6 years ago
robandlyn
6 years agoRelated Discussions
i would appreciate some help and ideas for mini kitchen renovation
Comments (6)Hi Sabi, You have a great light kitchen with lots of window, so be wary of darkening the effect too much if you like the current feel. As all your existing storage is concealed behind cupboard doors, to add an extra dimension to the space, you could consider some open storage for display of all your 'nice' pieces. Your kitchen looks to be a traditional style, so it would be easy to find a tall (or even a bench height unit to give you more space) that fits in with your scheme. See the image I have attached below. Misshayley's suggestion of a glass splash back would work well, just remember that the colour of the year (Masala) may be "on trend" now, but designers rarely advise you go with on trend items that are expensive to replace. You could then select a few accessories to display in the kitchen area that carry that colour through the space. Perhaps a feature wall nearby painted in this, as it is less costly to repaint if you tire of it. Add some greenery to the room for a fresh look & great contrast with the Masala. Glass splash backs are great if you want to avoid the work of having to keep tile grout clean. regards, Lisa Elliott...See MoreSplash back for a white gloss kitchen with black benchtop
Comments (7)Hi Adriana, You can have whatever you want and works with your style. If you go with tiles then invest the extra money in epoxy grout that will make cleaning a great deal easier - regardless of what colour/style you go for. Dark grout with white tiles is quite modern and makes cleaning grout a little easier - personally, I don't favour it but that's just personal taste. I would check the ease of cleaning on any matt tile. To bring in warmth to your kitchen (as black and white can be a bit stark sometimes) look at bringing some colour in - even metallics in silver, bronze or copper or even opalescent tiles can be gorgeous and can also help bounce light in a subtle way back into your room while giving you a luxury look with depth and interest. Go to your tile supplier and ask for samples so that you can take them home and put them in the space and get a sense of how they'll work - sometimes the way they look away from the tile shop is completely different to how they look in the shop. Good luck!...See MoreBenchtop and splash back advice
Comments (11)I think lighting is important in your kitchen especially task lighting. I like the idea of a subway tile - not a sleek modern one but either a glass version perhaps with subtle colour - blue/ grey or green [ depending on the other colours in your room] or stick to the white but have a vintage finish. You could use this colour as an accent - I like the idea of some turquoise accessories. The grout could be a feature - if you do go for the black bench top you could introduce a darker grout. { although I am not a fan of dark bench tops as they never look clean.] Marble is lovely also if you can afford it - not sure of how well it wears with grease etc - probably ok if polished. There are plenty of pictures to inspire you in the kitchen tab on the site. Here is one example. https://www.houzz.co.nz/photos/calliope-rd-phvw-vp~7303261...See MoreStone, metaline or stainless for splash back?
Comments (16)Actually, @annb1997, think we will go with white mosaic tiles!! The more we thought about it and the more opinions I sought the more it seemed sensible to run the splashback up to the shelf height ie the range hood height. That then became prohibitive for stone, glass or stainless - the tiles are a quarter of the price of taking stone to 300 mm, so 600 mm would have meant crazy $$. Also, we had issues with the thickness of the stone - initially we were told it had to be 20 mm thick, which was impossible with our 14 mm window architraves, but were then advised the stone could be ground back to 12 mm - but then you're paying for something you're not using and paying again to remove it!! Will post a photo with the mosaics in place. What a journey this has been! Moral of the story: quiz your architect about potential issues when asking for a U-shaped corner kitchen ......See Morerachel2680
6 years ago
PROZugai Strudwick Architects
6 years agoYou could paint the doors white to make them feel more contemporary. They would be solid timber so would be good quality. The varnish on the wood tends to yellow over time. So if you wanted to keep the wood - you could strip back and revarnish in natural colour or even go darker, such as chocolate for a more dramatic effect. I would recommend repalcing the tiles with a subway tile which is really popular at the moment. Then choose a stone to suit. Here is a great grey subway we have used although here are some examples of the subway tiles we have been using. A lovely mottled grey in the bathroom and white for the kitchen looks great. So dark timber stained cupboards with a white tile or grey and then a white Caesarstone with a fleck through it or even the new look grey marble effect ones would look great. Good luck.
Tracy Oliver
6 years agoThe kitchen below has similar cabinets and floors but the finishes and styling give it a more modern industrial feel.
Tilly
6 years ago
KK1000
6 years agoKK1000
6 years ago
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