Kitchen Upstands and Four Other Design Choices That Have Lasted
Interior fashions turn over every year, but a handful of kitchen choices have stayed popular with our clients for long enough now that they are not really trends any more. These are the five we are asked for most, starting with the one that has quietly changed how most kitchens are finished.
Kitchen Upstands at a Glance
An upstand is a strip of worktop material run up the wall behind the work surface, usually between 70mm and 150mm high, in place of tiles or a contrasting splashback. It can be taken to full height behind the hob or sink. The appeal is continuity: one material, one colour, and a single junction to clean rather than a run of grout. Not every worktop material suits it, so it has to be specified with the worktop rather than added afterwards. Handmade Kitchen Company design kitchens around choices like this from our workshop in Essex.
Matching the splashback to the worktop
Kitchen design used to treat the splashback as a feature, deliberately contrasting in colour or material. That has reversed. Most of our clients now run the worktop material up the wall, either as a short upstand or as a full-height splashback behind the hob. It gives a calmer, more continuous look, and it is more practical: fewer joints, no grout lines above the worktop, and one surface to wipe. Not every material is suitable for an upstand, so choose carefully and decide at the same time as the worktop. Natural stone is a popular choice with our clients and works in both traditional and contemporary houses.
Brass hardware
Brass has become the default choice for adding warmth to a kitchen, and it works whether used sparingly or throughout. Small touches bring elegance without competing with the rest of the design, particularly against darker colours. Most clients start with handles, taps and lighting. Used more boldly it can carry a whole scheme. A brass sink, for instance, turns a purely functional element into the centrepiece of the room. Our posts on the
cover the hardware ranges in more detail.
Breakfast pantries
The
has become one of our most requested pieces, as more people work from home and want the kitchen to stay clear. Small appliances left out on the worktop crowd a kitchen and pull attention away from the cabinetry. A breakfast cupboard takes the kettle, toaster, coffee machine, microwave, cereal and everyday crockery, with power inside, and closes on all of it. It can be made as a statement piece or built to blend into the run.
Home bars
A
is now a common request rather than an indulgence. An unused corner, an alcove or the end of a run can take one.
display glassware and bottles, and a wine or drinks fridge below keeps everything ready to serve. Positioned away from the working kitchen, it also keeps guests out of the cook's way.
Green kitchens
Green has held its popularity longer than most colours. It brings something of the outdoors inside, it is versatile across shades from soft sage to deep forest, and it suits both period and modern houses. It also sits naturally alongside the timber, stone and other natural materials that clients increasingly ask for. Our guide to
green kitchen colours from Little Greene
covers specific shades.
Kitchen Upstand FAQs
What is a kitchen upstand?
A strip of worktop material fixed to the wall along the back of the work surface, typically 70mm to 150mm high, used instead of tiles. It matches the worktop exactly, so the junction between surface and wall disappears.
Upstand or full-height splashback?
An upstand suits most of a run. A full-height splashback is worth it behind the hob and sometimes the sink, where there is the most splashing and heat, and it removes the need for tiling in the most-used part of the kitchen.
Is an upstand better than tiles?
It is easier to keep clean, because there is no grout above the worktop, and it looks more continuous. Tiles still have a place where you want pattern, texture or a contrast, and they are usually the cheaper option.
Can any worktop be used as an upstand?
No. It depends on the material and how it is fabricated, which is why it should be decided with the worktop rather than added later. Quartz and natural stone are the usual choices.
Where does Handmade Kitchen Company design kitchens?
We design, hand-build and hand-paint bespoke kitchens from our workshop in Essex, for clients across Essex, Hertfordshire and North London.
today to start planning your kitchen. We look forward to hearing from you.
