The choice of the worktop is an essential step in kitchen design. Between materials, aesthetics, maintenance, and durability, many criteria must be considered to make the right choice.
Discover my decorator tips to help you find the worktop that meets your needs and your decor style.
Define your needs and budget
Before choosing a kitchen worktop, it is essential to analyze your needs and constraints. Your choice will depend on several criteria.
The budget
Prices vary greatly depending on the materials. Laminate is the most economical option, while natural stone like marble and Dekton are more expensive but offer great durability.
Type of use and maintenance
Do you love cooking daily or do you use your kitchen occasionally? If you cook often, prioritize a material that is resistant to shocks, heat, and scratches, such as stainless steel, Dekton, or granite. For a more decorative than utilitarian kitchen, wood may be suitable.
That said, some materials require more maintenance than others. This is the case with wood, which requires regular oiling to prevent staining or warping with humidity. Stainless steel, quartz, Dekton, and laminate, on the other hand, are easy to clean and require little maintenance.
Style
It is clear that the worktop must match the decor style of your kitchen. A wood worktop harmonizes perfectly with a rustic or Scandinavian atmosphere, while quartz and stainless steel are better suited for modern or industrial kitchens.
The different worktop materials: my decorator tips
Here are the different materials available, each catering to different needs and budgets.
A laminate worktop
Its affordable price and the various finishes available make it very attractive, but as an interior decorator, I do not recommend it in my projects. Indeed, I dislike the “fake” look of a laminate worktop and find that it ages poorly over time.
That said, it can be a relevant choice for a rental or a student apartment.
A wooden worktop
Wood has a warm quality that I really like: it is perfect for adding character to a white kitchen, for example. However, it is difficult to maintain, and today, I prefer materials that are easy to live with on a daily basis.
A granite worktop
Granite is a natural stone that offers a certain durability: it is easy to maintain, resistant to stains, high temperatures, and scratches. That said, its price is high, and this can quickly be a deterrent.
I love the granite worktop for its very interesting mineral appearance, which offers beautiful color nuances.
A quartz worktop
Highly regarded, a quartz worktop is appreciated for its many advantages. This engineered stone is made up of about 90 to 95% natural quartz, mixed with resins and pigments.
It comes in many colors and finishes, has great resistance, and is easy to maintain. However, it remains sensitive to thermal shocks.
A marble worktop
Marble is highly valued in kitchen design. We love it for its versatility: depending on its veining, it can appear either understated or bold.
Indeed, some varieties of this natural stone can be very neutral, like Carrara marble; while others can be more pronounced in personality, like Calacatta marble or Rosso Levanto marble.
A stainless steel worktop
Among the 2025 decor trends, we notice the great return of stainless steel kitchen decor. Indeed, this robust and minimalist material is appreciated for furniture facades, but also for the worktop, as seen in the kitchens of top chefs.
A Dekton worktop
Dekton is an innovative material made from a mixture of minerals compressed under very high pressure. It is particularly appreciated for its exceptional resistance to scratches, thermal shocks, and stains. Its non-porous appearance makes it very hygienic and easy to maintain.
Dekton comes in many colors and finishes, including imitations of natural stone, concrete, or marble, as well as solid colors.
However, its price is relatively high, and the installation of a Dekton worktop must be carried out by a professional stonemason due to its weight and hardness.
My tips for an aesthetic & functional kitchen worktop
Discover my decorator tips to perfect the decoration of your kitchen.
- Opt for a backsplash in the same material as the worktop. This will create a very pleasant visual unity and a minimalist style. For a bolder look, you can choose a different material, such as wall tiles.
- Choose an undermount sink for a minimalist and clean look. If you want a more rustic ambiance, a farmhouse sink will fit perfectly in your kitchen.
- Integrate pop-up or flush-mounted electrical outlets in a color that matches your worktop. This will allow you to easily plug in your small appliances directly into the worktop or backsplash.
- Entrust your project to a true kitchen designer. Indeed, they will know how to create a custom worktop that will fit perfectly in your kitchen.
Featured image: a stainless steel worktop by Nordiska Kök.
