Breakfast Bar Worktops Guide: Tips and Ideas
Breakfast bar worktops have become a central feature in modern kitchen design, offering a versatile space for dining, socialising, and casual interaction. These worktops not only enhance the functionality of the kitchen but also contribute significantly to the overall aesthetic.
Choosing the right breakfast bar worktop involves considering factors such as material durability, size, shape, and style to suit individual needs and kitchen layouts. With the growing trend of open-plan living spaces, breakfast bars serve as a seamless integration between kitchen and living areas, making the selection of the perfect worktop more crucial than ever. This guide will explore the various aspects of breakfast bar worktops, from material selection to installation tips, maintenance, and styling, ensuring that your breakfast bar is not only a practical addition to your kitchen but also a statement piece that reflects your personal style.
Ideas Guide for Breakfast Bar Worktops
Add a breakfast bar to your kitchen for additional seating and eating space. Wickes has an extensive range of breakfast bar worktop options to meet any style or budget.
Porcelain slabs offer a clean and minimalist aesthetic, while wooden tops like oak, iroko, or zebrano add warmth. Additionally, placing LED lighting beneath glass tops enhances the contemporary aesthetic. This table offers a comprehensive guide on selecting, installing, and maintaining breakfast bar worktops, tailored to the unique aspects of Scottish homes and lifestyles.
| Topic | Details | Additional Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Material Selection | Choose durable materials like granite, solid wood, or laminate suitable for frequent use and the Scottish climate. | Factor in the local availability of materials and any regional preferences. |
| Size and Shape | Consider the kitchen size. Opt for curved or L-shaped worktops for space efficiency in smaller Scottish kitchens. | Account for the typical layout of Scottish homes, which may have unique architectural features. |
| Installation Tips | Ensure stable support structures. Use appropriate brackets and fixings, considering the weight of the material. | Adherence to local building codes and regulations is crucial in Scotland. |
| Maintenance | Regular cleaning with suitable products. Wood may require oiling; laminate needs gentle cleaners to avoid damage. | Understand the impact of Scotland’s climate on different materials for long-term upkeep. |
| Styling Tips | Complement Scottish kitchen aesthetics. Mix traditional elements with modern designs for a balanced look. | Incorporate elements of Scottish design, such as tartan patterns or local wood, for authenticity. |
Easy to clean
Breakfast bars are an easy and stylish way to expand the worktop in a kitchen and create an intimate dining area, making them perfect for small gatherings such as family meals. Our hard-wearing breakfast bar worktops are heat and water resistant for hassle-free cleaning and also come in several colours that suit any style of kitchen design!
Granite, quartz, solid surface, or compact laminate breakfast bar worktops are highly stain-proof and highly durable materials that require only periodic wiping down with warm, soapy water and a cloth or sponge for cleaning purposes to stay looking their best. Seal granite and quartz worktops annually, and wood or laminate breakfast bars every 12–15 months, depending on the frequency of acidic food spills.
Install a patterned laminate worktop for an eye-catching finish, perfect for breakfast bars. These worktops come in various finishes, from wood grain to a marble or concrete look, offering plenty of choices! Their non-porous surfaces also promote hygiene by inhibiting bacteria, mould, and mildew growth.
Easy to maintain
Your breakfast bar will likely become the hub of activity in your kitchen, making its upkeep and maintenance essential. Laminate worktops make an excellent choice, with wood effect, gloss, and sparkle finishes available to match any decor scheme and being heat and water resistant for easy hygienic upkeep and stylish looks.
When purchasing a solid wood worktop, make sure it comes from an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified source to ensure it’s sustainable. Solid oak worktops are popular due to their natural, rustic appearance, making them great additions to farmhouse or country kitchens. Regular oiling will keep solid oak looking its best, while coasters or trivets should protect it from scorching hot pans!
Quartz worktops offer an elegant, contemporary appearance with exceptional stain resistance compared to stone surfaces, and the non-porous surface makes it non-porous, which prevents mould and mildew growth, making it suitable for families to use safely and hygienically. If you opt for a quartz breakfast bar from a reliable provider with a bacteriostatic protection guarantee, this could be particularly important if children or elderly relatives use your kitchen frequently.
Versatile
Breakfast bar worktops are one of the finest features of modern kitchens due to their versatility and adaptability, allowing them to meet every individual style and aesthetic requirement. You can design them to fit along a wall or corner and include drawers or shelves to keep all essential utensils, glasses, and tableware within easy reach, creating a more functional workspace. Incorporating built-in USB ports or wireless charging pads into breakfast bars makes them even more multipurpose!
With so many materials to choose from, homeowners can design a breakfast bar to match both their kitchen’s overall aesthetic and budget. Laminate breakfast bars are often popular due to their affordability and durability—plus, many designs now come complete with wood-effect finishes!
If you prefer modern and contemporary kitchen designs, 12mm laminate worktops will create an eye-catching finish in your home. However, for a rustic or traditional aesthetic, 20-mm-thick worktops may be more suitable.
Composite and quartz breakfast bar worktops may be among the more costly options, but they can add real character and flair to your home. To create an individual look, why not mix and match with other worktops, such as your kitchen island or cooking area?
Aesthetically pleasing
Breakfast bars can add style and function to your kitchen space without coming off as an afterthought. They provide additional counter and seating space for food preparation or simply socialising with friends and family.
To create an unbroken look in your kitchen, choose worktop materials that complement those found throughout the main worksurfaces to establish continuity and harmony. This will ensure a fluid experience when working at your breakfast bar. Easy cleaning and stain resistance are among many desirable characteristics; wood or compact laminate are popular choices, with the latter boasting more modern aesthetics while offering a diverse array of colour choices to meet any design scheme.
If you prefer luxurious finishes, consider installing a granite or marble breakfast bar, as these will add an eye-catching feature to any kitchen. Or a contemporary solution like curved breakfast bars might suit better due to their round shapes and limited choice of materials available.
Add storage underneath your breakfast bar for optimal space usage and functionality, be it cupboards, drawers, or decorative features such as wine racks. This could add both function and beauty.