Design and Materials

There are many places you can look for inspiration and advice on choosing the design materials for your kitchen. Home style magazines demonstrate numerous ways in which colour and style can be used, while showrooms also back this up with advice about each material. Bear in mind however that sales advice will be biased if they have a limited choice available. The most important factor when it comes to furnishing designs is ultimately your personal taste. Forget going for the latest hues advocated by the design gurus; go for something that suits your personality and that you will be happy to look at day after day.

Landscaping For Privacy In a large kitchen, one type of material used throughout the room may look rather repetitive and bland. This can be easily remedied by introducing some glass fronted cupboards to display your best kitchen items. Glass fronted cabinets are best installed off the ground to avoid breakage.

Walls

Kitchen walls are usually decorated with tiles, wallpaper and paint. Tiles are generally limited to the areas by the sink and around the cooker to avoid backsplash stains. Paint is an increasingly popular wall covering as it is a relatively inexpensive and quick way of redecorating. It is also much easier to redo it rapidly if you change your mind. Wallpaper is pricier than paint, but can provide pattern interest adding an element of character to the room. Both paint and wallpaper can be bought specially made for kitchens so that they are easy to clean and resistant to heat.

For wall colours, creating a striking look works really well. Depending on the size of the room, the overall colour will be quite dominated by that of the cupboards. This gives you a great opportunity to use an eye-catching colour that will bring life and excitement to a functional room, without making it overbearing.

Cupboards

The kitchen cabinets are the first thing to make an impression when entering the room. It is important to select a finish that will appeal to you for many years, and one that you think presents the most honest reflection of your personality. Whatever finish you finally choose, you should also be aware of its durability and maintenance, and whether you are prepared for any upkeep.

Wood: If you decide on wood cupboards, there is a further choice of solid wood or veneers. Solid wood is a natural material that responds to atmospheric changes and so must be protected against the humid temperatures that arise in kitchens. It comes in many wood grains and colours making each piece look uniquely beautiful. It can be glossed, painted, colour washed or waxed. As wood is such a quality product it will cost you more.Wood veneers are significantly cheaper and are less susceptible to changes in temperature. The look it provides is standardised across the cabinets, as thin slices of wood are cut from same piece.

Laminate: This popular material has an enormous variety of colours, shines and textures. Unlike natural wood, laminate requires virtually no maintenance apart from a simple wipe down to keep it clean. For this reason, it will also last quite a long time in good condition.

Worktops

Landscaping For Privacy Work surfaces require particular consideration for their functional abilities, though aesthetic quality follows closely behind. Worktops should complement the cupboard colours and be able to sustain plenty of wear and tear. That said, if you spend little time in the kitchen actually cooking, the look may be more important to you than its durability.

For strong, enduring work surfaces, get the thickest worktop that you can afford. The depth tends to range from 30mm to 40mm; getting the extra 10mm in a laminate worktop is particularly encouraged. Thicker wood surfaces will also be more resistant to cracks and warps.

Laminate: The cheapest choice, laminate offers the biggest selection in colour and texture. It is easy to wipe clean and therefore a hygienic surface. The downside is that if used regularly, it does not last long. Laminate can get scratched and burned, but it is stain resistant.

Wood: Wood is a beautiful material that instantly adds character and uplifts a room. Being a natural material however, it can get burnt and marked, and preparing meat on it can be unhygienic without the proper precautions taken. Wood is fairly unique in that it does not damage knives if you cut straight onto the surface.

Granite: This is the most common stone used in kitchen worktops, primarily because it does the job so well. It is extremely durable; resistant to burns, scratches and fading. It can be shaped and polished to your exact specifications, even including bowls and drainer grooves cut into its surface. As granite is such a high quality material, it is very expensive. It is quarried worldwide, with each set of patterns and colours revealing the location and geological conditions in which it grew, as well as its own unique pattern.

Stainless steel: Usually found in commercial kitchens, stainless steel achieves that professional, contemporary look. It is a durable material, though it can get scratched and dented. It can be shaped so that the backsplash and sink are made from the same piece of steel, which will prevent food debris getting stuck down gaps. It is very hygienic as it is the only surface that can be bleached. Stainless steel is another high quality material, and has the price tag to prove it.

This type of steel is usually found on kitchen appliances, but can even be bought for cupboards. The danger of using too much stainless steel is that your kitchen will look sterile and rather official, although it will be easy to clean.

Quartz: For quartz worktops, expect to pay prices up to 10% more than granite. This extra expense buys you a scratch, stain and burn resistant surface that is hygienic to use. Quartz is non-porous, which means that bacteria and mould cannot penetrate the surface.

Corian: This is a solid surface material of which Corian is the principal brand. It combines natural minerals and high-performance acrylic as a solid worktop. Laminate, conversely, is constructed through layering. Again, Corian is a hardwearing surface that withstands scratches and burns. Should it get damaged however, it is easily repairable. Corian comes in range of colour and style options and can be made almost seamless. It is costly, setting you back twice as much as wood and three times more than laminate.

Flooring

Kitchen flooring materials are often the same as those for worktops as both areas require durable and stain resisting surfaces, as well as wide range of colours and styles.

Vinyl: Vinyl is one of the most popular flooring materials as it quite resilient to the kind of traffic and accidents that occur in the kitchen. It feels quite cushiony underfoot and can bounce back into shape because of this texture. It is available in a huge variety of styles and can be installed in sheet or tile form. While tiles are easier to fit, water can damage the seams and cause the tiles to come loose, although it won't discolour the vinyl.

Vinyl is a low maintenance product, only requiring the odd sweep and mop to keep it clean. It is stain resistant but not completely stain proof, so ensure that spillages are quickly cleaned. It is also fairly hardwearing against scuffing, but will not resist the pressure of high heels on its surface so be careful not to dent or pop it.

Laminate: The design of laminate flooring is made to resemble hardwood and sometimes stone, whilst only requiring the easy maintenance regime of vinyl. Unlike wood, laminate is not easily stained by liquids and will resist fading for at least ten years. It is quick to clean, and can manage the heavy human traffic that kitchens receive. One of the biggest draws however, is that you can achieve a close look of wood as much less expense.

Unfortunately, if liquid does penetrate any cracks if could break the laminated layers. Perhaps surprisingly, laminate is more susceptible to chipping than real wood, and as it is off lesser quality it will not achieve quite the same smooth, finished appearance of solid wood flooring.

Stone: Choices of stone flooring include granite, slate and marble. Stone can make a good kitchen floor as it is very hardwearing and resilient. It works well with underfloor radiant heating, which is just as well considering that stone flooring has a tendency to be very cold. It will necessary to apply sealants to prevent stains, and you should keep some spare tiles in case any get chipped. Stone flooring looks very attractive, but it can also be slippery, particularly marble.

When purchasing the tiles on the basis of what you have seen in a showroom, make sure that you will getting that exact style when they are delivered, or whether it stipulates anywhere that the colour may differ slightly from that which is shown.

Tile: The 3 makes of tile used in kitchen flooring are ceramic, porcelain and quarry. Ceramic tiles are composed of compressed clays with metallic oxide glaze. Porcelain tiling is thicker as it is baked at a higher temperature, and it is coloured throughout the tile rather than just on the surface like ceramics. Quarry tile combines shale and clays and is also coloured throughout.

The benefits of installing tile flooring in the kitchen is that it is a durable surface, though with time some tiles can crack, so it is worth purchasing a few spares in case. Glazed tile is stain resistant and does not need special maintenance, though unglazed surfaces will need occasional treatment with sealants. Tile is a suitable surface for underfloor heating, but can be slippery underfoot.

Wood: For a classically beautiful finish, wood is the choice for traditionalists and those with contemporary tastes alike. The truly classic finish with oil and wax needs to be maintained with an annual wax, and for this reason is perhaps not the best choice for a busy area like the kitchen. Wood floors that are sealed with polyurethane only require a regular vacuum or sweep, any recoating will not need to be done for another five years.

As it is a natural material, inadequately protected wood can be warped by water seepage and needs to be protected from fading in strong sunlight.

Linoleum: Lino is comparable to vinyl, but unlike its counterpart, it is more environmentally friendly. Both are available in sheet form, but vinyl is synthetic whereas lino is a combination of felt or canvas coated in linseed oil, cork and resins. This makes it a comfortable and quiet surface on which to walk, and it is very hard to dent or damage with fatty spills.Its disadvantages include the fact that there is a narrower choice of styles than vinyl as it fell out of popularity. Damage can occur if water spills are not mopped up fairly quickly.

Carpet: Probably the least favourable choice of kitchen flooring, carpet is prone to stains and requires drying time if liquid is spilled on it. It is also the least durable, and will show wear around frequently trod areas like the sink and cooker in a relatively short time when compared to the previous materials. That said, carpet is comfortable underfoot and quiet to walk on. It will also be the warmest surface for your feet.