Love the look of wooden worktops but find yourself put off by the associated maintenance requirements? Laminate worktops offer a great substitute – providing an authentic feel and aesthetic but proving themselves much easier to upkeep.

In our latest Senses worktop collection we have a number of wood effect worktops to choose from, including oak finishes, butcherblock and walnut options.

But just which wood effect laminate worktops should you be opting for within your own kitchen?

Think of your kitchen colour scheme

Wood effects are often associated with country style kitchens and present a warm and homely feel.

Lighter shades are usually regarded to be more contemporary, whilst darker options are seen as more formal and traditional.

Typically it is best to work around your chosen worktop and then develop a colour scheme for the room based on this.

Darker worktops, such as our Noce Canya Dark, are best paired alongside cream or beige cabinets.

Meanwhile light oak effects, such as our Rovero Rock design, look great alongside neutral or grey cabinetry, as well as dark blue and green options.

The higher the contrast, the bigger the statement and the more your worktops will stand out and be the focus of your kitchen.

How much activity will your laminate worktops see?

All laminate worktops have scratch resistant properties, however any activity outwith standard wear and tear will have some impact on the appearance of your worktops.

Therefore darker worktops are probably less suited to busy family homes, as scratches will be more apparent on these surfaces.

On the contrary though, stains will be less obvious on a dark walnut or black oak effect worktop.

However only prolonged exposure to a harsh chemical would be required for this to take effect, as laminate worktops are non-porous in nature, however it is something you should still consider.

Are you trying to complement existing taps or sinks?

We understand that not every wood effect worktop purchase is for a complete kitchen refurbishment, sometimes you are just looking to refresh surfaces and keep costs at a minimum.

So if you plan to keep your existing tap and sink fittings in place, you will need to choose a finish that complements them both.

In our opinion, stainless steel accessories are best suited to our lighter oak options, meanwhile our darker options are better matched with gold or copper options.

However matte black and white looks great with all of our wood effect laminate worktops.

One of the latest additions within our new Senses worktop range are our two Fenix ntm laminate options.

One of the most innovative materials available in the interiors market, both our Bianco Kos and Nero Ingo décors offer a contemporary and extremely opaque look for your home.

But just what makes Fenix surfaces different from any other high pressure laminate and what benefits do they have to offer your kitchen?

What does ntm stand for?

Sometime you may hear Fenix referred to with ntm following the worktop décor name.

NTM stands for Nano Tech Matte and is a nod to the nanotechnology used to blend acrylic resins and the product’s high-pressure paper core.

Unlike traditional high pressure laminate, Fenix uses an Electron Beam Curing process, which does not use heat.

The EBC machine used in the curing process gives the finished HPL sheets a surface that is both color-fade resistant and has a high resistance to damage.

This low light reflectivity is what gives Fenix ntm worktops their extremely opaque finish.

Thermal healing properties

The most unique feature of any fenix worktops are their next generation acrylic resins, which allow for the thermal healing of any superficial micro scratches on your worktop surface.

Meaning, if by any chance, you were to slightly score your chosen laminate with a bag or such – you can then amend the appearance of your kitchen worktops with the use of heat.

Simply wipe the area dry, place a sheet of kitchen towel directly on top of the scratch, spray with water and place an iron on top at 120° for no longer than 30 seconds. Then wipe dry with a paper towel to reveal your repaired surface.

Please note: Despite the thermal healing abilities of Fenix ntm worktops, we still advise to not cut directly on top of your worktop during food preparation. Instead a chopping board should always be used.

Anti fingerprint technology

Another of our Fenix surface characteristics include its anti fingerprint touch.

A direct result of the electron beam curing process, this means you can enjoy the look and feel of an ultra matte effect without being overly concerned around ruining its appearance with grubby fingerprints.

The countertop will naturally deter the transfer of oil on your finger to “stick” to the anti fingerprint coating, thanks to its hydrophobic coating.

Purchase our Fenix ntm kitchen worktops online

Fenix worktops offer a great alternative to solid surfaces. Interested in buying one for your kitchen? Simply buy through our site or shop with us in-store .

All of our worktop options are held in stock within each of our showroom locations, meaning you can expect delivery of your new kitchen surfaces within two to ten working days.

We also have a range of matching breakfast bars, splashbacks and kitchen upstands available.

Stone effect laminate worktops are becoming highly sought after, thanks to their ability to replicate luxury real stone finishes but at a more cost effective price point. 

Ranging from marbles and concrete effects to sandstone designs, the styling opportunities are endless and make for a modern substitute to traditional wood effect finishes.

Whether it is an industrial inspired or modern aesthetic you are aspiring to have, this handy kitchen design guide should provide you with some insight in to the kitchen worktops you should be looking at online.

Working with marble effect worktop finishes

Oozing both quality and luxury, Carrara Marble is one of the most popular kitchen worktops available, however grey marble worktop and black marble worktop finishes are finding their way in the modern home.

But just what do you pair up these statement patterns with?

Our Head of Design always recommends to match the intensity of your selected stone effect when choosing colours.

Obviously tones such as white and also black shades will always work well, however for a little colour exploration, we suggest picking an accent colour within your marble details to influence your design choices.

Otherwise a darker pop colour always looks great with lighter palettes, whilst pastels and light browns look great with black marble worktops.

Combining textures within your kitchen

However, it’s not only colour you have to consider for your kitchen surfaces – you should also be looking at textures.

By combining different surface effects you can add a variety of dimension to your room, the higher the contrast, the better the results.

We recommend a blend of natural materials for 2022, both concrete and oak look great together and have been a popular choice amongst designers recently.

Also, offsetting matte worktops with high gloss cabinets and units can also look great.