The latest design magazines show that there seems to be quite a retro feel in the world of kitchen cabinet design right now with curves making a strong comeback: curved front drawer units, curved ends for peninsulas/islands and an endless variety of handles. curves. To make the countertops fit these new cabinet designs it can be difficult to fabricate common laminate to follow the lines of the curves, but since granite is solid, the countertops can be cut to match these quite easily and literally. , will follow the contours of the kitchen. .
Then the retro theme continues in colors and textures, cabinets with glossy fronts paired with very strong dark-grained woods. Many rich, warm woods are now available, such as walnut, zebra or cherry; The novelty is that the grain of these is horizontal, which gives it a fashionable retro touch. Also mix and match darks and light, using woods with high-gloss white doors. It may not be practical to have dark wood throughout your kitchen unless the room is very bright and spacious, but even in a large kitchen it’s best to keep the walls and floor a light color and pair them with lighter countertops. Darker woods can be beautifully contrasted with really light countertops like Kashmir White granite. At the other end of the scale, a smaller kitchen is good with bright white doors that reflect light and contrast them with a Tan Brown granite countertop that will add warmth and texture.
To make a bold contemporary statement, choosing a strong colored kitchen door, say red, black or aubergine, will do the trick and they will look fabulous with steel appliances. Definitely a look that goes well in a loft apartment or a large open plan living room. A smaller space would benefit from mixing in some high gloss white doors to add light.
There are a few things to consider when choosing granite countertops for these modern/retro kitchens:
- Nero Assoluto (smooth black granite) countertops look great in magazines, but in reality can be difficult to care for on a daily basis, being much more likely to show dust, fingerprints or smudges. A better option is to go for a slightly mottled black like Black Pearl or one that has a sheen like Black Galaxy.
- Kashmir White is a great choice if you have really dark cabinets, as it creates a fabulous contrast to the small reddish-brown flecks that go well with the look, especially with kitchens in burgundy tones and warm woods like cherry.
- Light granites will need to be resealed more frequently, as leftover spillovers from, say, a curry could stain them. If this is a concern, it might be a better option to choose a medium-toned granite like steel gray, which will also complement your stainless steel appliances.
- If there’s a lot of white in your kitchen, you might want to create a contrast with some of the brown granites (which are also very easy to maintain on a day-to-day basis) to add some warmth.
- If your kitchen countertops are likely to need a lot of joints, it’s best to avoid granites made with a heavily ridged pattern, as this can make the joints more noticeable.
So, as “natural” seems to be the buzzword when it comes to interior design right now, especially with the wide variety of natural wood doors, granite is a practical and very stylish option for your countertops.