Worktops &splashbacks
Discover ways to get creative with your kitchen surfaces, and which is best for your project
FeatureCHARLOTTE LUXFORD
Mix your metals
Paired with brass taps for a contemporary look, copper is a surprisingly practical worktop choice when treated, as it can withstand heat and oil splashes, plus has excellent antibacterial properties. Be aware however that it will naturally weather over time, and as a soft metal, scratch more easily.
The Sebastian Cox kitchen, from £15,000; bespoke worktop in Aged Copper, £POA; Mayan taps in Aged Brass, £375, all DeVol
Get creative
For a fun and inexpensive alternative to a conventional splashback, transform your kitchen walls into a blackboard. Chalkboard paint is relatively water resistant, but a small upstand is still useful to protect potentially wetter zones.
Ryburgh kitchen, from £15,000, Naked Kitchens. Artscut Royal Calacatta Gold quartz worktop, £500 per sqm, The Marble Store. For chalkboard paint, try Rust-Oleum in Black, £12 per 750ml, Sainsbury’s
TOP TIP
Don’t just rely on cut samples – view your chosen worktop or splashback in person before you buy, as materials can vary drastically
Choose sustainably
For a real style statement that’s recyclable too, this timber terrazzo-style worksurface is crafted from waste wood chips, sawdust and a non-toxic binder, and is handmade in Birmingham. For a stone look, try a recycled glass or plastic surface such as Diamik or Durat.
Kitchen in Brockwell Moss, from £20,000, Pluck. Timber terrazzo worktop, from £365 per sqm, Foresso
Add wow factor
Patterned and shaped tiles are an easy and affordable way to inject colour and interest into your kitchen. These bold, geometric designs create a striking splashback, plus it’s a creative way to transform your island into a focal point and prevent it from looking like one solid block of colour.
Neapolitan porcelain tiles in yellow, £92.70 per sqm, Ca’ Pietra
STYLE STEL
You can also take your splashback up to the ceiling behind open shelving to add depth and textural interest
Be ahead of the curve
Often an afterthought in the kitchen, the backsplash behind the sink has become something of a style statement in interiors – and they don’t have to be all straight lines, either. Try introducing a curved or scalloped design rather than opting for a traditional boxy upstand to create a focal po
