Give your kitchen a modern feel with an Oak Worktop
Last Updated on December 14, 2022
Sometimes people think wooden worktops are just for country kitchens with a more traditional look. Of course, they do work extremely well in those situations, but combining them with sleek monochrome units and shiny metal fittings can really bring a more modern kitchen to life.
Wooden worktops are bang on trend, with showy glossy surfaces falling out of favour in recent years. They are now seen as being particularly upmarket, and grace the pages of high-end home magazines all over the world.
Oak is a timeless material which looks great in a contemporary kitchen, as well as having many practical uses. It is a simple and functional item that is gaining in popularity, with its eco benefits also being of particular interest to the more modern and socially-aware person, who wants to increase their green credentials and reduce their carbon footprint.
Versatility
Many of us are now using our kitchens to work from home, so we need a worktop that offers a decent space to work in a material that will withstand the extra use. Oak is ideal for this, and many other uses. Children can sit at an oak worktop – or breakfast bar – and do their homework or even some colouring in without it actively damaging the wooden surface.
Cutting space for a hob or a sink is also easy with oak, which lends itself to being sawn and manipulated more so than laminate or marble. So, if you want a sunken sink, or some quirky design or layout for your modern kitchen, wood is the ideal choice to make it a much simpler process – both for you, a kitchen designer, us at House of Worktops manufacturing it, and the fitter.
It can even help to absorb sound in a busy kitchen, as the wood naturally deadens the noise around it; perfect for family spaces or raucous parties! Plus, the clattering of pans is no more.
Durability
Oak worktops are remarkably hardwearing, with the solid hardwood being sealed to make it resistant to scratches and water damage, when cared for properly. A regular oil of the wood will keep it in tip-top condition and ensure it lasts for years to come. In fact, oak – like a fine wine – gets better with age as the wood matures and the natural colour deepens.
If the wood does get damaged, it is easy to sand away any imperfections without damaging it any further, and then resurfaced and oiled to bring it back up to the standard you want. Make sure you mop up spills quickly, and don’t put hot items directly onto the wood, to protect the surface as much as possible, and you will find your oak worktop is extremely low-maintenance.
In addition, wood is far superior to plastic laminate when it comes to hygiene, as it has natural antibacterial properties, meaning the likes of e.coli and listeria are unable to survive on the oak surface, leaving your surface free of germs. Quite important when it comes to food preparation!
Aesthetics
The contrast between the natural golden colourings of a wooden worktop and the stark brightness of white cupboards and drawers lifts your kitchen to another level. It also works extremely well with dark colours such as navy blue. Oak is a particularly good example of this, with its lighter shades showing off the grain of the wood, and adding texture to the matt-painted or high-gloss finished units.
Plus, because each slab has its own whirls and grain patterns, you can be sureyour oak kitchen worktop is completely unique to you. It also adds character to a modern home, which can sometimes be lacking in uber-modern houses and apartments, thereby helping you to make your own stamp on your kitchen.
The wood can easily be cut to size, whatever dimensions and thickness you require, and edged accordingly. This bespoke approach provides you with an oak worktop to be proud of, in a modern kitchen setting. It can even be cut on site, and shaped to fit, if you find that your submitted measurements aren’t quite right.
Costs
Oak is in the mid-range when it comes to the cost of your kitchen worktops. Not as inexpensive as laminate, but neither is it as hefty a cost as the likes of marble or stone. In terms of value for money, it is probably the best all-round choice, and may even add some value to your modern kitchen when it comes to selling your property.
Oak is a long-term investment when it comes to your kitchen worktop. Because it is a long-lasting substance that doesn’t deteriorate or lose its visual appeal, you won’t feel the need to replace it for many years, and it will always complement the modern kitchen you have created, regardless of changing trends and fashions.
The added bonus of it being a sustainable product – all our wood is sourced from our own forests in the Balkans and we conform to sustainable practices in all that we do, from growth to manufacture to delivery – means that the cost to the planet is also lower.
Final thoughts
No matter what the style of your kitchen, an oak worktop will never look out of place. And you can accessorise it with other oak items such as chopping boards or dining tables and chairs, to really make the most of it and make your modern kitchen sing. Adding texture and warmth to sharp contemporary kitchen designs, oak worktops give you the best of both worlds for your home.
Take a look at our wide range of solid oak worktops and you are sure to find one to suit your requirements for a modern kitchen. Contact us if you want any advice, we are always happy to help you to create the kitchen of your dreams, whatever your style or budget.