Don’t miss out: How to plan to get the best new kitchen worktop

Planning a kitchen makeover is probably one of the most exciting home improvement jobs you’ll ever do. Not to mention the costliest! And as it’s something you’ll be living with for a very long time, you must get it right.

Now, we know it can be tempting to rush off to a kitchen showroom to pick out your cabinets first. But many different parts make up a well-designed kitchen, and each one needs careful research and consideration.

New kitchen worktops are one of the most important parts of your kitchen design. They take up a large proportion of the space and are probably the second most visible item (if not the first) after your cabinets.

Of course, you can let the kitchen supplier do everything for you (appliances, sink, worktops etc.). But that means you’ll only be able to pick items from their range, at their prices. And sometimes it pays to shop around to get a wider choice and better value.

In this guide, we show you how to plan for a new kitchen worktop, from research to installation. Helping to ensure you don’t miss out on getting the best new worktop for you.

Research

As soon as you start thinking about updating your kitchen and researching ideas, consider the worktop. You’ll be surprised at the number of choices you’ll need to make: the material, the colour, the pattern, design ideas and who will supply and fit it.

Your worktop should be integral to your kitchen design. So, if you plan your layout and order your cabinets first, you might miss out on some cool designs.

And if you don’t think about the worktop until your kitchen installation starts, you could be left with a kitchen you can’t use for a few weeks while you wait for bespoke worktops to be made.

So, when you’re planning a kitchen, start researching the following things early on:

Look at design ideas

Do this bit before you even think about your layout. OK, so if your kitchen is small, your layout options may be limited, but there are still some great design ideas you can incorporate. Like, installing worktops at different levels or putting in an undermount sink, for example.

Here are 12 worktop ideas to help get your creative juices flowing.

Consider your lifestyle

When you choose a new kitchen worktop, as well as the design, there are other factors to think about, such as your lifestyle, budget, décor and layout. These will all have an impact on what you can pick.

Look at these top 4 things to consider when choosing a kitchen worktop to start narrowing down your choice.

Research worktop materials and colours

Once you’ve thought about your design choices, lifestyle and budget, narrow your worktop options down to a material. There are lots to choose from (e.g., laminate, wood, sintered stone, quartz, acrylic, granite, marble), and they all have their own pros and cons.

Use this handy guide to find out what is the best kitchen worktop material. It includes performance and durability details of each worktop material and the design options they allow.

Once you’ve picked the best material, choose the best worktop colour for your kitchen.

Research new kitchen worktop suppliers and installers

As we said before, you could just opt to get your worktop from the same company who supply your kitchen. But it’s worth considering other companies too. You’ll have a far wider range to choose from and could get a better price and better service.

For example, at SEH Interiors, we know our Dekton® worktops are around 50% cheaper than most kitchen suppliers. And that’s because we don’t have expensive showrooms to run. We can also send you an online quote within 1 hour, so you don’t have to wait to get the ball rolling.

Order samples

Now you know your worktop material, colour and supplier, order some samples. Any good supplier should offer free worktop samples. It’s essential to view the colours and textures in your own home to see how they look in the light of your kitchen.

Once you’ve viewed the samples in your home, if you can, go to the manufacturer’s showroom to look at a bigger slab.

Book your installation

Once you’ve picked the perfect new worktop, get your order placed and your installation booked in as soon as possible.

Now, we mentioned earlier that you shouldn’t wait until your kitchen installation starts before ordering your worktop. That’s because, if you’ve chosen a made-to-measure worktop, the installers need to visit your home to measure up and create a template. And they can’t do that until after the base cabinets have been fitted. The worktop is then made off-site and installed later.

How long that process takes will depend on the supplier. Some suppliers can take weeks to fit you into their schedule, so if you don’t book in early, you could have a long wait.

But, if you choose SEH Interiors, we can visit you to create a template within a week of you placing your order. And we can fit your worktop 1-2 weeks later.

Need more help choosing a new kitchen worktop? Call the professionals

SEH Interiors have over 10 years’ experience supplying and fitting premium-quality kitchen worktops at affordable prices across the UK. If you need more help planning your kitchen worktop contact us. We’ll be happy to help.