A quicky kitchen thread...which way round?

[bridgetmoans]

Okay, cream units and black worktops (my choice) or black units and cream worktops (DH's)? The former is the safe, sensible option, but the latter looks more edgey and I rather like it

That is all.

Dark units and cream worktops. Definitely.

(Is that the right answer? I'm a bit confused!)

5 housepoints to orangina
I need to stop being so bloody boring and safe
Thankyou for such a prompt reply!

Yay!

(Dons prefect badge)

You'll get your prefect badge if you give me your reasons

I thought I got the badge automatically with the housepoints......

(deflated)

Noooo you have to earn it. I have zero style when it comes to home decor, DH is worryingly always right

Depends how clean you are! I am not "clean", infact I am incredibly clumsy so red wine/oil/blah are likely to end up on my worksurface which means I would have to go for black! but it does sound nice.

Ok. I am an architect. I do mostly private residential work. I did a lovely job a few years ago with a dark grey oak kitchen (base units, no handles, just lovely sleek horizontal grooves) that we topped with a white silestone worktop and splashback. Wall units above were then matt white.

It were gorgeous and I'm saving my pennies to do the same at home.

Now can I have my badge please?!

Well I'm a clean freak, but DH is a grubby sod.
Mmmm..... of to bed to ponder

er..... badge?!

I would go for the dark worktops. I am clean (in that I am always wiping my worktops off) but, still, if I had cream I would be forever worrying about tea stains etc...

Silestone doesn't stain though.

Some pics of what I mean here...

Silestone doesn't stain though.

Some pics of what I mean here...

(sorry, don't think first link works.......)

I am advised dark SHINY worktops scratch easily.

(btw I am not dirty, I am just super clumsy if I can spill it I will spill it!) we have black granite which is v nice, fought long and hard with dh for it, bought a much cheaper kitchen unit as a result and it does look fab. Well i like it which I suppose is the main thing!

Thank you all. (And here's your badge orangina An architect really?!)

I've looked into black granite and heard conflicting views - I love it. The silestone in black had bits in it so put me off - it's got to be just black. The corian isn't recommended - by corian!

As for the white, I'll go and have a proper look at those photos.

We had a light beech worktop in our other house and I managed to keep that looking clean. For now we have a dark one and it's always full of crumbs.

Is white better than cream then? Would cream look dirty? I just had the idea that cream would be less stark iyswim and easier to keep clean. Also, this kitchen has to last forever and I'm fickle

You don't have to go stark white. My units are a Farrow & Ball All White - It's creamy rather than blue tinged - it's sometimes decribed as polar white or winter white.

Dark shiny laminate scratches but dark shiny granite is fine - if you are in a gard water area it's a pain as you really shouldn't use acid cleaners on it, so may be left with limescale stains.

We are in a soft water area, is that good or bad?
Maybe ivory/winter white is a happy medium. Whether for the tops or cupboards. Still can't decide!
Thank you Disparity, I seem to come across you a lot (namechanged recently) and we always agree

I like the edgy choice (I'm an architect too) but not sure of the practical side of things. Silstone isn't impossible to stain, very hard but not impossible and cream will be worse than anything else for this.
Are you going for black glossy cupboards -if so are you obsessed by fingerprints because it's highly likely you will be with this choice.
It is a nice choice but it is a 'lifestyle' choice that you would need to keep manicly clean, if your not this person (I freely admit that I'm not despite loving it in theory ) then it's not for you
The safe choice will be easier to live with and when the time comes to sell to the next person... It just depends what your looking for
(for reference last domestic kitchen I did for private client was White units, v dark wood counters, balanced with SS or exposed brick behind glass splasbacks.... It balanced modern with practical quite well for a family kitchen that didn't cost the earth
Let us know what you choose

I love the light work tops with dark units. I just never had th nerve to go for it. We ended up the other way round and My shiny work tops show water marks so I have to wipe with the cloth and then dry the instantly off. It's a pIta

Thank you for your views and advice
I've decided to take the plunge! What worktop material would you suggest wonky?

Ahh well done Bridget - Quartz is a great option - if money is tight have a look at ranges other than Silestone - which can be up to 30-40% higher. Compac has a lifetime guarantee and what's more Antonio Banderas likes it - if that kind of thing impresses you.

We got dark brown (high gloss) cupboards with a white worktop (it has little grey spiodgy bits on it so doesn't show every mark!) and I still love it after 3 years!

Have you thought about flooring? We went for White Lino (again with grey splodgy bits) to match the worktop.

And what about the walls? We spent ages going through colors & decided against my ILs suggestion of a "nice magnolia" and went for orange.. bright easy-jet orange (it was either that or lime green)

Reading this back it sounds a bit odd, but it is gorgeous, honest!!

Right. Quartz (have heard of), Compac (haven't but will look it up). There's one called Mia (sp?) which is a bit cheaper.

DH insists on lino for the floor, I thought in mid grey.

As for the walls it's going to be a matching ivory (or magnolia if you prefer ) as we've currently got orange so I'm a bit oranged out.

My accent colour is either going to be lime green or bright purple. From Next Home. Bread bin, something for the windowsill etc. Like I said earlier I'm fickle, these things can be easily replaced.

God I can bore for Britain talking about kitchens.

Off to google Compac.....