Kitchen work surface

[cakesandphotos]

When we bought our house, it had been renovated to a very good standard. The kitchen is an Ikea kitchen with lovely wooden units, built in everything, it’s almost perfect. Except the work bench is white. Not sure what it’s made of but to be honest, it looks a little naff. The white marks easily and scratches and I don’t like it.

I really want to update it while ignoring DH’s protests that it’s not a priority and I’m being ridiculous Would it be too much to have a wooden work surface with all the wooden units we have already? Or should I go for granite or something non wood? My stepdad is in the business so he can source and fit but I want it to look right and I’m rubbish at visualising things! Any advice??

[JoJoSM2]

Ikea don't do wooden units. I think there's only 1 style with wood and veneered fronts. What colour are your fronts?

[cakesandphotos]

Oh, I just assumed it was Ikea. The sink and inbuilt fridge freezer and dishwasher are all definitely Ikea. They’re an oak colour I think, not sure what wood they are

[whiskyowl]

I am having a similar dilemma, cakes. I am erring towards the view that it is just too much if the whole thing is wood. There's the trouble of matching woods too - you don't want it to look close-but-a-bit-different, like you've tried to get a match but failed. In Ikea, it's a nightmare because they bolt down all the fucking worktop samples, making it hard to compare them to the tone of the doors. I had to go around the whole bloody store and buy a drawer front in one wood, then return to the kitchen section so I could hold it up next to the worktops.

Ikea do a couple of wood-veneered kitchens - Hyttan and Ekestad are rough and smooth oak respectively, Torhamn is ash veneer. Which is it that you have?

Voxtorp comes in a walnut effect, but I don't think it's actual veneer.

[cakesandphotos]

This is what we have. The previous owners did it about 6 years ago so it’s not ancient but I’m pretty sure it’s ikea based on the rest of the house

[whiskyowl]

I think that's the Ikea Torhamn - looks like it's maybe been stained slightly darker? Do you think?

[Bluntness100]

If you mean wooden work surface on wooden cabinets, it is too much. When we bought this kitchen we had that and it wasn’t great. If you can afford it go for granite, it will make the kitchen look very expensive. With those units I’d go black.

[5rivers7hills]

You can get granite overlayed onto the existing work tops - that might be a cheaper option.

[cakesandphotos]

The granite overlay might be an idea, thanks rivers I do like wooden work tops but standing looking at it, I think it would be a lot of wood

[flirtygirl]

Ikea did do solid wood doors before.

[NotMeNoNo]

I think that's a pine door they used to do.