Kitchen Design
Opt for subtle yet striking tongue-and-groove panels If you want to make your kitchen bench stand out but don’t want it to overpower the space, opt for tongue-and-groove panels. They’ll lift the look of your bench and add interest, traditional charm and understated style to your kitchen, but won’t hog the limelight. Paint the panels a different colour to your walls and kitchen cabinets for extra contrast and visual appeal.
Stainless steel Stainless steel is a fantastic choice for a kitchen island bench; after all, there’s a reason why they use it in commercial kitchens – it’s easy to maintain and a really durable surface for your kitchen. It performs great against kitchen nasties like heat from pots, water and steam. Don’t go down the steel route if scratches freak you out, stainless steel will most definitely scratch over time, and there is nothing you can really do to avoid it. PROS: You can buff out minor scratches with a Scotch-Brite, rubbing in the direction of the grain of the steel. But, unless you enjoy spending your time doing that more than using your benchtop for, y’know, kitchen things … there’s not much point. So embrace the scratches as one of the factors that add to the charm of using the material! Stainless steel is pretty much the only material that you can place a pot or pan off the stove straight onto the surface of, without adverse affects to the benchtop. As an added bonus, you can make your kitchen sink out of your stainless steel benchtop, which can be fabricated as one piece, so you won’t even have any joins anywhere in your bench surface. Very cool. Contemporary Kitchen by...
Laminate You may associate this material with the word Laminex or Formica, which are brands of laminate. Laminates are one of the most commonly used benchtop materials around as they are relatively easy to source and easy to work with. This material is, quite simply, layers of compressed paper, which is why it comes in such a great variety of colours and textures. The paper is then pressed together and bound with resin and then applied to a board (such as MDF) to create your benchtop. If you’re wanting to use this as benchtop, think about the size of your island because as a panel product, you are limited to board sizes, which could limit you with what you can do with your design. Anything that extends beyond the size of the board will mean having to deal with a (potentially) nasty join!
Solid timber bench tops Solid timber surfaces allow you to take full advantage of the natural beauty of a once living product. If you’re choosing a timber, be it veneer or solid, ask if the source of the timber is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, which ensures that it comes from a responsibly managed forest, and protects our natural environment. It’s important to remember that the product will need to be finished to protect the natural material. There are a few types of finish products, like timber oils and polyurethane sealers, which vary in gloss level. I always tread with caution when using polyurethane. While it is more durable than oil, it can be really easy to apply, so much that it can turn a beautiful natural material into a shiny blob. If you’re going down the poly path, ask for the finish to be minimal, so you can still see the grain underneath the sealer. PROS: If you do manage to scratch the surface, the top can be sanded and refinished to look as new! This is difficult to do in small pieces, and generally better done as an entire surface. CONS: As timber seasons, the moisture content diminishes. Because of this, sometimes timber can warp and bend once mad...
Tile Bench tops This is an unusual benchtop choice, but a great one. You can create interesting patterns and textures by being clever about the tile formats used, and the way they are laid. Tiles can also give you a ‘seamless’ finish, as there are multiple edges to break up the surface of the top. PROS: If you don’t have a straight substrate (the layer below the tiles), there’s a chance that your tiling can be uneven. This can be a charming attribute, but might prove difficult if you’re trying to cut those cookies on the benchtop! CONS: Although tough against heat and general wear and tear, tiles can be tricky to clean, as the grout between the tiles are a potential spot for getting food stuck. If you’re looking for tiles, go for larger format tiles with glazed surfaces – the less grout you need, the easier they will be to clean. WHO DOES IT WORK FOR? I like the texture that a tiled surface can bring to a kitchen. This option is also quite cost effective and one that avid DIYers can try themselves at home.
Solid timber feature pieces In contemporary kitchens, solid timber is being used less frequently in the entire cabinetry due to its relatively higher cost and also a greater awareness of the potential burden on the environment when timber is acquired from non-renewable sources. A great way to still incorporate the nostalgia and pure textural joy of timber is to choose one or two select feature pieces. This may be in the form of a benchtop, as seen in the design above, timber shelving, or one-off pieces of solid timber furniture such as stools. Timber evokes a unique, tactile reaction in us and even a small, well-thought out feature can add something intangible and beautiful to an overall design.
A fancy fridge Last but not least comes this baby. In a dream world a foodie would have an entire cool room in their kitchen to house all their fresh produce. Don’t laugh: chef Matt Moran has one in his kitchen. In its absence, however, you should invest in an amazing fridge that is sizeable enough to hold all that prized produce you’ve bought this week.
A live herb garden When you’re in the (pardon the pun) heat of the moment cooking for friends and family, you don’t have time to run outside in the dark and pluck leaves from your herb garden. This solves that issue. And if this was your kitchen, you’d have no excuses for not watering your favourite herbs, either. In this instance they’re positioned right above the kitchen sink.
Don’t limit yourself to using one type of wood or furniture stain in your kitchen. While creating a cohesive design with multiple timber tones and finishes can be difficult to pull off, the trick is to orient the grains so they run in the same direction (in this room they run horizontally). This will tie the look together and ensure the space doesn’t look too busy.
Acrylic polymer bench top If you have a family with small kids and a pet or two you’ll appreciate this affordable surface that can handle everyday wear and tear from drips, spills and knocks. CARE LEVEL: Low, especially on materials with a fleck design. Take care with hot or sharp items. It can be easily repaired.
Stainless steel Are you looking for a material that’s stylish and on-trend for a streamlined, contemporary kitchen – and are you prepared to maintain it? If so, stainless steel is the surface for you. This industrial-chic look is ideal for bachelor pads or those with minimalist tastes. Keep in mind the size of the area to be covered as it can be expensive. CARE LEVEL: Moderate. It will tolerate hot dishes, but fingerprints can be quite visible, so go for a brushed or textured finish or invest in specific stainless-steel cleansing wipes or cream.
Timber-effect laminate bench top (or stone-effect) Do you appreciate the beauty of nature and wish to feature it in your home, without a lavish price tag? A laminated surface is easy to install, provides a neat, chic look and is available in a wide range of colours and effects. CARE LEVEL: Moderate. Avoid placing hot dishes directly on the surface and use gentle cleaning products with a light pressure to prevent loss of shine.
Recycled glass bench top Recycled glass is another green building material that’s becoming increasingly common. Woodmeister Master Builders checked in with the homeowners whose kitchen is pictured hereand they gave it this glowing review: “These counters are very easy to clean. I use a light Scotch-Brite sponge and soapy water, or Method all-purpose cleaner and a sponge or paper towel,” says the home owner. “Nothing – including oil, coffee, juice, etc. – has stained these counters.”
Widen the aisles Whether you opt for the traditional work triangle or break up your kitchen into work zones, pay attention to your kitchen’s aisle widths. The recommended minimum aisle width is 105cm, but I prefer 120cm, especially in kitchens with multiple cooks. If you cook and entertain often and have the space, you could go as wide as 140cm. Wider than that, though, and your space will likely become inefficient, as you’ll spend more time walking than cooking.
Consider a zone for guests If you have an open kitchen and like to entertain often, you know how important it is to have an area where guests can hang out and chat while you prepare food and drinks. A large island or peninsula works well for this, since it can act as a barrier that keeps visitors from getting in your way while also giving them a place to perch while you work. Again, think about the items you use for serving and entertaining, and store them in the cabinets below so you can easily access them.
Provide landing areas next to major appliances For safety and efficiency, consider placing a benchtop landing area next to your major kitchen appliances, especially the range, cooktop, microwave and wall ovens. You want to be able to quickly set down something hot without having to trek halfway across your kitchen. This will also give you a cooking work zone; you can store items such as knives, cutting boards and pots and pans in the cabinets and use the benchtops for chopping and cooking prep.
Store what you need where you need it most In addition to grouping appliances and fixtures according to use, give yourself enough storage in each zone for what you need to perform the task. This timber-topped baking zone is perfect for kneading bread or rolling out pizza dough. All the bread-making and baking tools can be stored in the cabinets below. Someone can easily work at this station while another person prepares food in another part of the kitchen.
Group appliances and fixtures according to use To set up work zones in your kitchen, think of the tasks you perform regularly: storing food, prep, cooking, baking, serving, eating, cleaning, making coffee, chilling wine, etc. A work zone contains everything you use to perform each task. For instance, you should place your dishwasher next to your sink, with a compost bin and a garbage bin nearby to streamline kitchen clean up.
Work zones are really just the natural evolution of the kitchen work triangle. As kitchens grew in size and opened up to other rooms in the house, it became more of a challenge to place appliances in a neat triangular layout. We also have more appliances than ever before – dishwashers, extra sinks, microwaves, separate cooktops and wall ovens – not to mention more people working and socialising in the space. By sectioning off your kitchen into work zones, you’ll maximise efficiency in a larger space; and more cooks, as well as their guests, will be better accommodated.
Stainless steel A key feature in industrial kitchens, stainless steel never goes out of fashion. It’s favoured by professional chefs due to its hygienic nature and can be used for benchtops, cupboard doors and drawers, and shelving. It is prone to scratches and streaks but a good stainless-steel cleaner will assist.
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