Using natural stone in the kitchen

When planning your perfect kitchen it is all too easy to devote most of your time to the overall layout and style of the room and the task of choosing the worktops is often near the bottom of the list. However, it is important to remember that the most eye catching part of your kitchen will undoubtedly be the worktops which bring colour, depth and light to the room.

With so many different materials on offer it may be tempting to go for a less expensive product but if you are looking for longevity and style then granite, marble and stone are the perfect choice when creating a timeless kitchen which will add value to your home.

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Glorious granite

Granite is a superb worktop material and is enormously popular for use in today's kitchens. Granite surfaces will work well with almost any style cabinet and create added interest to a room. Whether used on surfaces, splash backs or on the walls granite is elegant, durable and natural. Each piece of granite is unique in texture and veining, and enhances both the look and sense of space in your kitchen. Granite is a quarried stone composed of quartz, mica, feldspar, and other minerals which give it a crystalline appearance. With a myriad of colours and shades available ranging from green, gold and brown to mauve, black and white, some kinds of granite have exquisite veining and detailed patterns. Available with polished (high gloss finish), brushed (smooth surface), honed (smooth, flat look), or flamed (roughened) surface finishes, it is perfect for both contemporary and traditional kitchens.

Something different

With such a selection of materials available the choice is endless and there are also some excellent manmade products available. The Silestone or Quartz Italia are excellent quality and Quartz Stones (man-made composites) are becoming increasingly popular. Functional, beautiful and hygienic, quartz worktops are made from 93% natural quartz crystals and 7% pigments, resin, mirror and glass. Only three other natural minerals; diamond, sapphire and topaz are harder than quartz making it ideal for kitchens and bathrooms.

One of the UK's leading experts on granite, stone and marble stone mason Steve Bristow shares his advice for selecting a kitchen worktop.

Contemporary

For ultra contemporary interiors I would say materials with less movement in them are most suitable. Dark granites give a high sheen mirrored surface and look really striking at night. You could go for a Star Galaxy, Zimbabwe Black or Labrador Black granite or for a really funky look you could consider the Nero Marinace.

Classic

For more classic or country inspired farmhouse kitchens warm earthy tones work well and Kashmir Yellow, Golden Glory and Baltic Brown complement natural unpainted timber cabinets.

Small kitchens

Light colours create a feeling of space in a smaller room such as Kashmir White or Topazio White. . If the room has well placed lighting something with a bit of sparkle gives some added detail - we recommend White Pearl, Labrador Antique or Blue Pearl.

Galley kitchens

A lineal granite can make a kitchen look wider, such as Icon Brown, Verde Savannah, Juperana, but equally a Bon Accord or Zimbabwe Black would look stunning.

Brights

For more colourful kitchens the composite stones such as Silestone and Quartz Italia have a large range of different colours, but for colourful granites we like the Rosso Multicolour, Balmoral Red, Raw Silk (more peachy), Verde Rose, or Verde Marinace for the brave.

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