Which Kitchen Worktop Colour Should You Choose?
Consider these popular colours and styles to get the look you want, no matter which material you use
These days, there are countless materials available for kitchen worktops, but instead of giving you the pros and cons of each material, I’m going to break down six popular colour styles so you can achieve the look you want with the material that suits your needs.
In more traditional kitchens, this is usually a better choice than a true minimalist white worktop, which can be too severe and fight with the elegance of other elements, such as knotty woods, Shaker-style cabinets or lantern pendant lights.
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Softly flecked or grainy whites also work well paired with brass accents. Again, the subtle richness holds its own without fighting for attention and keeps the worktop from feeling too austere – great for a dining island where you want people to actually feel comfortable dining.
Flecked or softly veined white worktops are good for you if:
- You have a traditional interior or a mix of trad and modern.
- You want the space to look big and light without feeling clinical.
- You want white worktops, but don’t want every crumb and speck of dust to show.
2. Pure white
Pure white worktops, generally only available in manufactured materials such as Corian or Caesarstone, bring a contemporary, minimalist freshness that no natural stone can match. Luckily, these materials resist stains well, so they can stay a crisp white for years with just a little care.
Pure white worktops, generally only available in manufactured materials such as Corian or Caesarstone, bring a contemporary, minimalist freshness that no natural stone can match. Luckily, these materials resist stains well, so they can stay a crisp white for years with just a little care.
This stark look works well in contemporary spaces. As mentioned, the severity of a true white can fight traditional decor, but in a modern space it feels appropriately crisp. It’s especially effective in small spaces, such as compact apartment kitchens, paired with minimalist white cabinets to give the illusion of a bigger space.
More: Do I Have Room for a Kitchen Island?
More: Do I Have Room for a Kitchen Island?
Here’s another use for white worktops: spaces that already have a great deal of bold character in the other finishes, such as grainy wood cabinets, can benefit from a super simple worktop as a visual break.
This is especially true for modern, flat-front cabinets in a wood finish with a yellow-orange undertone. A pure white worktop will keep the look feeling fresh and contemporary instead of retro.
Lastly, white and blue is a classic combination, so while off-white would also work, a pure white worktop looks beautiful paired with blue painted cabinetry. Despite both being chilly colours, the two together feel welcoming and always stylish.
Pure white worktops are good for you if:
- You love crisp, modern style.
- You have a small space that you want to look as big as possible.
- You want to break up modern wood cabinets or other bold finishes.
- You love a nautical white-and-blue scheme.
3. Wood
Warm wood, with its inviting air and natural richness, is a great choice for infusing a cool, breezy kitchen with some approachable character. Crisp white kitchens feel a little more homely and a little less austere with a wood worktop.
It makes a popular choice for kitchens that balance traditional and contemporary elements, especially since classic wood fits into both categories.
Warm wood, with its inviting air and natural richness, is a great choice for infusing a cool, breezy kitchen with some approachable character. Crisp white kitchens feel a little more homely and a little less austere with a wood worktop.
It makes a popular choice for kitchens that balance traditional and contemporary elements, especially since classic wood fits into both categories.
Wood worktops, naturally, also work well in spaces that already feature wood cabinets – that is, if you’re a true wood lover and don’t mind it dominating the palette.
Notice in several of these examples how wood only dresses the island. Wood in general is an excellent material to use for an accent surface (often on an island or a small “chopping zone”), contrasting with nearby stone or solid-surface worktops in a pleasing way.
Notice in several of these examples how wood only dresses the island. Wood in general is an excellent material to use for an accent surface (often on an island or a small “chopping zone”), contrasting with nearby stone or solid-surface worktops in a pleasing way.
Lighter woods tend to have more of a casual or rustic feel compared with darker-stained options. Light-stained or unstained woods can have a cottage-inspired feel or a Scandinavian vibe, depending on whether you pair them with traditional or modern accessories.
Darker woods tend to look a little more formal and polished than lighter tones. They lend a certain gravity to a space, which can work well in areas that are already bright and breezy with lots of windows.
When mixing wood counters with other wood finishes, it’s often best to stick to either warm or cool tones across the board. Red-brown woods are more traditional, while ash grey tones have been a popular modern trend in recent years. Whichever tones you prefer, they will be less likely to clash if you stick to one family or the other.
Wood worktops are good for you if:
- You want an accent worktop to contrast with other surfaces.
- Your white cabinets need a little warming up.
- You want your space to feel more approachable and intimate.
- You enjoy a dash of rustic charm.
4. Dark or black
Dark worktops, in tones such as black or charcoal, can appear very gothic in some situations and perfectly harmonious in others. If you have dark cabinetry, a dark floor or other rich and weighty finishes, a dark worktop will fit right in.
In this example, you can see the white worktop is the one that stands out compared to the island worktop, which almost blends into the deep wood drawer fronts.
Dark worktops, in tones such as black or charcoal, can appear very gothic in some situations and perfectly harmonious in others. If you have dark cabinetry, a dark floor or other rich and weighty finishes, a dark worktop will fit right in.
In this example, you can see the white worktop is the one that stands out compared to the island worktop, which almost blends into the deep wood drawer fronts.
If you’re going for a dark-on-dark palette, it helps to have lots of light sources, natural or added (or both). This will keep the space feeling cosy and sophisticated instead of cave-like.
Because white can sometimes absorb and dampen nearby colours, a rich, dark worktop can actually be the better choice to bring out subtle colours in painted cabinets, such as the powder blue door units in this kitchen.
Choosing a dark grey rather than pure black will soften the look, so it’s usually preferable to stop at charcoal in most situations.
More: What Colour Should I Paint My Kitchen Cabinets?
Choosing a dark grey rather than pure black will soften the look, so it’s usually preferable to stop at charcoal in most situations.
More: What Colour Should I Paint My Kitchen Cabinets?
Here’s a situation where dark worktops are nearly a must. When you’re using a tinted mirror splashback to subtly open up the space visually, a dark worktop will echo the deep, moody surface for a perfect complement.
In this kitchen, the worktop picks up on the black elements of the appliances, the dark legs of the furniture and the rich and complex parquet floor, so it feels integrated into the design rather than being a single exclamation point.
In this kitchen, the worktop picks up on the black elements of the appliances, the dark legs of the furniture and the rich and complex parquet floor, so it feels integrated into the design rather than being a single exclamation point.
Lastly, sometimes you just want that classic black-and-white look. If you have a kitchen with crisp white cabinets and little actual colour, or you have just a few small areas of worktop, a dark or black stone brings some instant drama.
Again, it’s never wise to have just one large black element in your design, as it may stand out like a sore thumb, so you’ll want to introduce other sprinklings of black, such as elegantly simple black cabinet knobs and pulls.
Again, it’s never wise to have just one large black element in your design, as it may stand out like a sore thumb, so you’ll want to introduce other sprinklings of black, such as elegantly simple black cabinet knobs and pulls.
Dark or black worktops are good for you if:
- You have dark cabinets and want the worktops to blend in with them.
- You have colourful, fun cabinets, and you want the hue to really shine.
- You have a smoky mirrored splashback.
- You want to connect to other black elements in the space.
- You’re aiming to achieve a classic black-and-white scheme.
5. Mid-tone or grey
Soft grey worktops and other mid-tone shades, such as beiges or rich creams, are the most neutral worktop options. In this kitchen, with creamy off-white cabinets and golden yellow undertones in the splashback and wood, the creamy worktops add to a harmonious, peaceful look.
Soft grey worktops and other mid-tone shades, such as beiges or rich creams, are the most neutral worktop options. In this kitchen, with creamy off-white cabinets and golden yellow undertones in the splashback and wood, the creamy worktops add to a harmonious, peaceful look.
Softly flecked grey stone has a look similar to concrete, and it works perfectly in contemporary spaces with a bit of an architectural bent. It has the advantage of hiding the occasional spot while still looking clean and tidy and not too dark or busy. It’s great if you don’t always have a perfectly organised space, but still want a put-together look.
Because grey is one of the most neutral colours around, it makes another excellent choice to pair with colourful cabinets, especially in a space with different cabinet finishes, as it can help tie light and dark cabinets together.
If you have a black-and-white scheme, or espresso woods with white walls, and you want to soften the whole look a little, a mid-tone worktop will bridge the very dark and very light elements so they meet in the middle.
Grey is also a beautiful tone to pair with warm metallic accents. If you love a brassy tap or sink, a grey worktop will bring out those warm tones so they really shine.
Mid-tone or grey worktops are good for you if:
- You want a soft, friendly vibe with muted tones harmonising.
- You have colourful cabinetry or multiple tones of cabinets mixed together.
- You have a black-and-white scheme that could use a little softening.
- You love warm metallic accents and want to show them off.
6. Dramatic
Boldly veined stone worktops can either make you stop and gaze in admiration or have the opposite effect and overwhelm you.
Boldly veined stone worktops can either make you stop and gaze in admiration or have the opposite effect and overwhelm you.
In general, the bolder the veining on your worktops the less drama you’ll want to add elsewhere. This waterfall worktop (with the material wrapped down the sides) is relatively muted, but the large grey veins still bring enough character without any daring colours or other statement features.
The size of your space will be a factor in determining just how dramatic a bold stone looks once it’s installed. In this vast kitchen, the scale of the dining island extension suits the space perfectly.
This isn’t to say you can’t use a bold stone in a compact kitchen, just that it will feel even more dramatic in scale, meaning you’ll probably want to keep the other finishes very sedate. Notice how many of these spaces use the same dramatic stone for the worktop and the splashback, making for a truly singular statement.
A dark, richly veined stone can actually feel less dramatic when paired with dark cabinets. Whether you use espresso wood or a modern painted grey, coordinating a base tone in the stone with one of a similar darkness or lightness in the cabinets will help the two connect.
Ultimately, the only way to tell how a richly veined stone will look with your other elements is to bring home the largest sample you can or take samples of your other elements to the dealer to see which tones are strongest in the stone.
Dramatic worktops are good for you if:
- You have a large kitchen.
- You want the worktops to be the primary statement.
- You have dark cabinets to offset a dark, moody stone.
- You can’t get enough visual drama.
Tell us…
Which of these worktops appeals the most to you? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Which of these worktops appeals the most to you? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
One of the most common and coveted worktop finishes is a stone or manufactured slab material, such as quartz, in a white or off-white shade with a light, multi-tonal fleck or grain to give it subtle natural richness.
This snowy, sparkling look works well in many situations, since it’s neutral but also contemporary and fresh. The pale tone brings a sense of cleanness and lightness to the space with a twist of subtle sophistication.