Advice on kitchen worktops/splashbacks needed please

8 years ago

We are in the middle of re-modelling our kitchen which is a dark west facing room originally with dark tiled floor and black worktops. In order to make the room lighter we have picked pale tiles for the floor and dove grey units. We originally thought that we would go for white quartz worktops but when we brought home some samples we were worried that the cupboards, floor and worktop seemed to merge into each other.

We are now looking at the colours in the photographs below but would appreciate some advice. Our initial idea is to keep the walls white but open to suggestions.

Any advice on splashback colours would also be appreciated, we don't want a bland kitchen but at the same time would like to be able to change accent colours in kitchen and living area if we get bored.

Featured Answer

Carolina

8 years ago

Here are some other ones in light, tonally similar colours. Just see what you think.

Boxmoor · More Info

Fresh contemporary kitchen | Amersham | Buckinghamshire · More Info

Ackmar · More Info

If it doesn't appeal to you, you can always consider doing an island or tall bank of units, if you have those, in a darker colour?

Crediton Hill · More Info

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Comments (18)

Carolina
8 years ago
A light worktop will make a huge difference to the brightness of your kitchen. I think that the worktop options you've chosen are all a bit dark. Perhaps you can find something that is closer to the cabinet colour.
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked Carolina
dorsetdor
8 years ago
I agree- lighter is better. What about a sparkly white to contrast with the duller (in a nice way!) tones?
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked dorsetdor
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mayfieldinnorfolk
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you Carolina we haven't as yet been able to find anything nearer the cabinet colour. dosetdor we have some lighter samples (picture below) just worried everything might blend together.
Daisy England
8 years ago
Dove grey is a perfect colour choice for the doors. Perhaps look at the marble laminate worktops. There are several by different suppliers. Calcutta marble and veneto marble from recollection are two of them. You could also consider a glass splashback that you could have clear so it shows the colour of the walls through so gives you the opportunity of having different colours depending on what you paint your wall.
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked Daisy England
dorsetdor
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I love the door colour too but only just noticed it's glossy - a more block/solid white surface might blend less if you are worried? also it will pick up the white veining in the floor tiles (at least it looks white in the pics) and be a more matt contrast to the shiny doors. Then as Daisy says, a glass splash back would be lovely.
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked dorsetdor
Juliet Docherty
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Looking at the last image I think it is all looking too tonally similar. I think you need to consider changing one component to create some level of interest. Have you an image of your original kitchen to make a comparison?
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked Juliet Docherty
PRO
Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
8 years ago
Hi Caroline, while the samples you present show overall a very neutral balanced palette, I wouldn't be unduly worried - as you are obviously already thinking, it will be up to the choice of accessories and splashback to really jazz things up! There are so many ways you could go with this, though - a subtle dusky blue or heather with some metallics; a zingy sunshine yellow or lime, or tomato'raspberry reds, or a really vibrant purple like this year's Pantone colour of the year - all would work well! Really down to personal choice and how bold you are prepared to be.

I'd certainly seek to bring in further textures with metals and fabrics into the overall scheme. And one last suggestion to consider - check out the Silestone Alpina White worktop - it is a sort of sandy grey, but with a heavily grainy structure which adds a hint of warmth and fantastic textural depth. Worth seeing a whole slab to get the full effect!

Let us know what you eventually decide - and upload lots of pics!

Caldicot Kitchens
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
Carolina
8 years ago
I really like the lighter samples and think it will be lovely, not boring at all. You can bring in some wood for warmth and texture. Maybe a table, bar stools or even smaller items like a chopping board. It's a perfect blank canvas that you can do anything you like with.

I think this kitchen has similar colours?

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It would be interesting to see the layout of the new kitchen and pics of the space, to get a good idea of how it will look.
Juliet Docherty
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
My concern would be that if the room is not naturally light then it could look a bit bleak if everything is light, if the room has lots of bright natural light then everything pale can really work, like this. it may be worth looking at images of very light kitchens in very poor lighting conditions.

Rénovation d'une maison des années 80 · More Info
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked Juliet Docherty
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SUN STUDIO.London - Glassworks and Prints
8 years ago
Hello mayfieldinnorfolk

How timely, our revamped kitchen splashback website is now live, we offer over 9 categories of kitchen splashbacks. All of these are toughened and heat resistant up to 400 degrees. Kitchen splashbacks are our specialty, how about LED ones?

http://www.sunstudio.london/glass-splashbacks-2

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Let me know if you are interested, we keep our prices 20-30% lower than the competition while maintaining the top-tier quality. If you've already got a quote, we will make it much cheaper (Everything in-price).

Have a nice day,

Erwin (Sunstudio)
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked SUN STUDIO.London - Glassworks and Prints
mayfieldinnorfolk
Original Author
8 years ago
thank you everyone for your comments. Carolina I love the pictures you have added, we have been out today in searching of white worktops I think we are being swayed towards those with slight sparkle and mirror pieces which will hopefully help reflect the colour we add to the kitchen with accessories. Once the kitchen is in we will certainly be looking at splashbacks.
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SUN STUDIO.London - Glassworks and Prints
8 years ago
Great! We do the custom worktops as well:

We've made it for a Family House in Surbiton · More Info

Kitchen, Splashback, Worktop and Balustrades Installation in Apartment Block · More Info

Feel free to contact me at erwin@sunstudio.london, we will give you the best possible offer while maintaining the best quality possible in-price :)).
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked SUN STUDIO.London - Glassworks and Prints
nstomo
8 years ago
I chose grey cupboards and white quartz with sparkle. Floors are limestone tiles. Didn't do full kitchen as it's not very tidy ha ha!
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked nstomo
PRO
Terzofoco UK
8 years ago
and.....what about a light coloured farmer sink with apron front, to contrast the white of the worktop? like that:
what do you think about this light grey? we have many colloured options...

We are Italian producer of fire clay farmer sink.
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked Terzofoco UK
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Poggenpohl St Albans
8 years ago
For the splashback we often use bronze or grey mirror.
UK Case Study, Harpenden · More Info
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked Poggenpohl St Albans
amanda greenwood
8 years ago
Hi nstomo, that is the type of worktop we are looking at, can you tell me what make it is and where you got it from please, thank you
nstomo
8 years ago
Hi Amanda it was from alpha quartz in burton staffordshire. I think everywhere calls it something different, they were really reasonable and the fitters were excellent.
mayfieldinnorfolk thanked nstomo