Wooden Kitchen Worktops With a Difference
As we’re called Surrey Marble and Granite, you may be wondering why we’re talking about wood today. It’s not our area of expertise, but new designs are using wood and stone together in striking ways that we simply have to talk about.
With decades of stone working experience under our belts, wood seems like a soft touch. Unlike marble and granite, it can swell in the damp, crack when it dries, stain, scorch and even catch fire! The natural grain of fine wood is beautiful though, and we’re always pleased to see exquisite materials brought together in a creative way. Here are some of the kitchen design features marrying stone and wood that we’ve encountered here at Surrey Marble and Granite.
Reclaimed wood transformed into worktops
From ancient trees tumbled in a storm to recycled railway sleepers, there are lots of pieces of wood that have a deep history. Using the wood to create a statement breakfast bar or kitchen worktop is a great way to bring that history and beauty into your home. By choosing a piece that has meaning to your or links to the history of the building, you add to the character of your property. As an example, a breakfast bar using reclaimed wood can bring a sense of nature into the house.
Pairing wooden kitchen worktops with marble tiles
We don’t only create kitchen worktops – at Surrey Marble and Granite we work with stone tiles and slabs to create all kinds of features for domestic and commercial properties. Pairing a wooden worktop with a stone splashback is a great way to use natural materials in your kitchen. As stone is easy to clean and incredibly durable, it’s ideal for high impact areas such as behind the stove. You won’t have to worry about splashes of sauce or a splatter of hot oil as stone won’t be harmed.
Creating visual barriers
In an open plan area, you may still want to create visual breaks between areas that serve different purposes. For example, many people use tiles in the kitchen part of a room and carpet in the living room and relaxed seating area. Changing from stone worktops in the kitchen to wood in the dining area is another way to create a break while leaving your area open plan. An innovative idea is to use the two very different materials on either side of an island – one side is a marble worktop, the other a wooden breakfast bar.
When worktops need to move
At Surrey Marble and Granite, we love stone but we recognise it has its downsides. As an example, it’s much heavier than wood, making pine or oak a better choice for furniture that needs to move than granite or marble. In a small space, a custom-made wooden table can act as an extension to your granite worktops until you have guests, when you can easily pull it out from the wall and add seating. Likewise, rolling butcher blocks are another great way to add worktop space and their wooden top with the patina of years of cooking is part of the charm.
