Quartz and Granite Kitchen Worktops and Trends this Autumn
Suddenly we are three-quarters of the way through the year and the nights are drawing in. Here in Charlwood we have already felt the weather turning decidedly damper and cooler. But at Affordable Granite we are busy, and Autumn is seeing things warming up at the heart of the home. Apparently, the turbulent political climate has made us all seek comfort in our homes again, and that means cosy kitchens.
As we look at our records over 2017, the last three months have seen a slight move away from mid-grey plain worktops to darker or lighter worktops with more pattern. Individuality seems to be the order of the day, with a trend seems towards a more personal style. Customers are looking for their worktops to make a statement or bring the Wow-Factor.
Contrast: In a previous blog I mentioned the trends for white granite kitchen worktops on white units , and for big-veined marble look quartz. The popularity of white worktops and strong vein marble continues, but now we are seeing more people choosing white or white-marble on darker cabinet doors.
A large Caesarstone Vanilla Noir Island ready to leave the workshop
Colour: While we don’t see white worktops going out of vogue any time soon, colour is definitely creeping back into the kitchen. We have fitted a number of marbled darker quartz worktops, and Ivory Fantasy Granite kitchen worktops remain hugely popular.
Character: Polished finishes in worktops can be easier to live with, but we have seen a significant increase in the popularity of specially textured surfaces in quartz and granite kitchen worktops. Sensa Moak Black granite and Steel Grey caress have both drawn customers, as has the Velluto finish from Unistone and Suede from Silestone.
A Silestone worktop showing the texture of Suede finish
Darker door options include graphite greys and deep marine & navy blues. For those who aren’t feeling bold enough to have a really dark unit, there are plenty of paler options coming onto the market. Check out colours like Duck Egg Blue from Magnet Kitchens. Customers are still choosing a lot of slab, handle-less doors in a gloss finish, but the kitchen companies we deal with tell us that they sense a slight trend back toward a matt or softer sheen finish. Traditional Shakers are getting a contemporary look, but at the same time solid in-frame doors and bespoke joinery remain strong.
The two-tone look is still really popular and is a good way of introducing a bolder colour into the kitchen. A lot of our customers go for a darker colour island or a different colour for a tall bank of larders or appliance housings. This can also be replicated in the worktops by using a statement worktop for the island and a plainer material around the rest of the kitchen. Blues matched with earthy tones are popular.
Whether buying a new kitchen or looking to upgrade or revamp an existing one, it is very often the detail that helps to give a more personal stamp to the most important room in the house. A white on white kitchen can be cosied up by introducing some brightly coloured small appliances in jewelled tones. How you dress your kitchen can be as important as the big choices.
Accessories: Brass accessories have been popular for some while now but we are also now seeing a return to richer copper and gold fittings.
Brand new 1810 Company Courbe tap with copper detailing and even newer copper sink waste unit
Fabrics & Prints: One of the key elements for this autumn is texture with tactile materials like Velvet making their way from high street fashion into fabrics for the home. To add individuality to any interior, choose one of this season’s bold floral wall paper prints, or try colour-blocking in bold colours. While cool greys are still popular, we see a tendency towards warmer-toned greys and taupes.
Greenery: House-plants are great way of adding a bit of colour to otherwise monochrome surroundings. If you have previously installed a very minimal kitchen and want to add a bit of warmth or introduce a more homely feel for the coming winter months choose pot plants with a natural pot or a brightly-coloured flowering plant.
Dulux recently announced the colour of the year for 2018 as “Heartwood” a warm taupe with a hint of heather. These announcements may seem to be commercially-driven bits of fluff, but for our part we feel they often confirm what we have been seeing in terms of recent customer interests and fashions. As suppliers of quartz and granite kitchen worktops, we want to serve our customers in as informed and intelligent a way as possible, and we are always pleased to be on trend!
The moodboards in this post are our take on the “Heartwood Feel”, as is the image of the marble-look worktops on blue units above, which includes the Heartwood swatch.
We are on the slope towards Christmas, now, folks! The Bank Holidays are gone, summer holidays are a distant memory and we have mists and fog and darker evenings to look forward to. For us in the granite kitchen worktops business it is a busy time of year, as many people aim to get their kitchen sorted before the Christmas holiday. Although our product is not seasonal in itself – no one buys a set of solid stone worktops for three months! – the seasons affecting fashion and home decor in general do affect us. Whatever your cup of tea in quartz or granite worktops this Autumn, we are confident that we can find products that you will love and which will suit both your taste and your budget. Send us your kitchen plans – even early-stage – for a no-obligation quotation. And have a lovely Autumn!
Naomi King – Sales Manager 
A stunning slab of Juparana Bordeaux arrives at our our warehouse from famous granite wholesaler Gerald Culliford, ready for installation in the season of “mists and mellow fruitfulness.” A great autumnal stone!
