5 Creative Add-Ons to Enhance Your Porcelain Benchtop in 2023
5 Creative Add-Ons to Enhance Your Porcelain Benchtop in 2023
If 2023 is the year for a new benchtop or kitchen remodel in your home, you will be quite pleased with the compelling options now available. From the very latest technology to a variety of new colours and features, there’s no shortage of sensational ways to upscale your design.
At Archant, we believe that innovation is an essential part of stellar interior design. To help you forge ahead into the future, we’re highlighting 5 exciting elements to consider adding to your new benchtop.
By incorporating some or all these ideas into your porcelain benchtop, we believe it’s possible to craft the look and feel you envision while enhancing the functional quality of your kitchen. If you have a vision, we can help you bring it to life. Let’s get started!
1) Wireless Charging Capability
It’s no secret that our devices are now an integral part of our daily routine. This is also true in the kitchen, whether it be for music or an online recipe. The challenge, of course, has become maintaining ample battery life. This is where our new seamless charging point can improve your workflow.
The charging element can be built right into a porcelain benchtop. No longer will you need to search for the right cables as it’s all included in the installation and neatly hidden from view. And while kitchens are a prime spot to add this feature, they can also be used in an office, living room, commercial spaces, and more.
- To learn more about wireless charging can add real value to your benchtop, check this detailed article out.
2) Extending the Design with A & B Slabs
By joining two sheets of porcelain that mirror each other, you can create one continuous pattern that extends throughout the design. This process is called bookmatching, and it solves an important issue. If you were to mount two ordinary slabs side by side without bookmatching, the patterns of the porcelain would be interrupted. This detracts from the overall flow, making it feel disjointed.
With bookmatching, the patterns appear more natural. This type of visual flow adds real impact and comes together brilliantly to form one long bench. These unique A & B slabs can also be used as part of a splashback, or for walls and flooring.
- Find out more about the amazing potential of bookmatching here.
3) New Colours to Consider
If you’re still in the process of designing your benchtop, be sure to explore some of the latest colour palettes coming out of Europe. We’re seeing a big shift towards earthy tones, and more organic shades of green, browns, beiges, and ivory. All these new options allow for more creative ways to design your space.
Our large-format porcelain can be used in more ways than you might know. The trends from overseas include kitchens, bathrooms, planter boxes, outdoor spaces, and more.
- For an inside look at the 2023 trends in porcelain design, be sure to check out our full review.
4) Adding a Versatile Overhang
Ultimately, the perfect kitchen will strike a balance between storage, appliances, seating, worktop space, and style. A popular option we’re seeing more of is the addition of small overhangs. In this type of design, the bench extends over the cabinetry or island to add versatile functionality. Overhangs can be quite useful for creating additional storage or seating areas. The depth of the overhang can vary based on your needs.
To make sure your overhang is strong and sturdy enough, we’ve prepared some guidelines with the technical details you should know.
5) Enhance the Flow with Waterfall Edges
In kitchens across New Zealand, waterfall edges are becoming a sought-after feature. These installations are quite beautiful as the edge of the bench appears to flow down to the floor. This can be done on the sides of an island, or even to close off the front with a finished look.
While waterfall edges look great, they also protect once-exposed parts of a bench from damage. Adding this feature to the already robust durability of porcelain just solidifies its strength.
If you’re considering adding waterfall edges or even including an island in your kitchen, you’ll find more great ideas in this article:
Great Design is Forward Thinking
Part of our mission at Archant is to search the globe for leading trends and bring them back to New Zealand. And while some of the ideas above may be new to you, we expect them to become more commonplace in the year ahead. Designing for the future is an exciting opportunity.
What’s the Next Step for Your Benchtop Project?
We trust this article has stirred your imagination and inspired some ideas about how to enhance the porcelain benchtop in your project. At Archant, we know these are all important decisions, but you don’t need to work out the details on your own. Our Archant showrooms are staffed with leading design experts right here in New Zealand. From Auckland to Christchurch, Wellington, Havelock North, and beyond, we have you covered. Set up a one-on-one appointment to start working out your benchtop design.
