Worktops & splashbacks

Add a feature wall

Taking a splashback up to the ceiling behind open shelving will add depth and textural interest, as well as break up high banks of cabinetry. Choose a lighter laminate over a heavy stone surface, which will be easier to install and keep clean.

Wardley kitchen in Pebble & Nordic Craft, from £6,685, with Marmour Maximalist laminate splashback, £599 per m, Magnet

Make a statement

Jazz up a more pared-back kitchen with a striking terrazzo surface. Marmoreal is made up of four different marbles mixed with resin, for all the benefits of engineered stone (more durable, less porous) with all the beauty of marble.

Ikea & bespoke Hølte units with Matt-P doors in Verde Comodoro & Lam-P in Formica Surf, with worktops in Marmoreal White & Caesarstone’s Fresh Concrete, from £6,500, Hølte

Create a colour splash

A decorative tiled splashback will not only add impact by injecting pattern and colour, but it’s also a good way of tying a scheme together to create a cohesive look. Porcelain is a great choice for a splashback tile as it’s both hardwearing and easy to clean.

Atlas porcelain tile in Blue, £78.90 per sqm, Ca’ Pietra

Fake it

Marble has historically been synonymous with luxury, as it’s a high-maintenance, more expensive material to work with. Compact laminate can replicate the look without the price tag, but also create a more uniform look – the veining in real marble varies dramatically so no two slabs are the same, making it trickier to match worktops and splashbacks.

Marmo Grigio Zenith compact laminate worktop & upstand, from £162 for a 3m upstand, Bushboard at Solid Surface Kitchens

Go metallic

On-trend brushed-brass splashbacks will add warmth to a contemporary kitchen yet will still allow light from under-cabinet strip lights to bounce back into the room.

Line Lumina units in Highland Stone & Ligna cabinets in Farmhouse Oak with Metalix Brass splashback & handle rail, from £15,000, Masterclass

Be sustainable

After an eco alternative? Ideal for worktops, recycled glass is scratch and heat-resistant, and can be manufactured in any shade so you can colour-match it perfectly to your scheme.

Bright Plywood kitchen in Little Greene’s Orange Aurora & Green Verditer, from £35,000, Sustainable Kitchens

Mix it up

Get the best of both worlds with stone-and-wood combo. Stone and composites can be pricey, so introducing timber can help cut costs, plus it adds warmth and texture. Wood does need more upkeep though, so is