A quartz kitchen island makes for a show-stopping finish in any kitchen.
If you’re planning your dream kitchen, an island will help bring together disconnected units and increase usable countertop space.
As a material, quartz has several advantages over other popular countertop materials. It is scratch-resistant and heat resistant, unlike wood, and it is interesting and characterful, unlike stainless steel. Everybody’s taste is different, but the visual and physical qualities of quartz set it apart from the rest.
On the fence about which material to choose for your kitchen island? We’re big fans of quartz and are confident you’ll love it too. Below, we’ll look at the benefits of quartz in the kitchen to sweeten its appeal for your project.
- Choice
Whatever theme you’re going for with your kitchen, there’s a quartz worktop to suit it. The colours available range from whites to blacks, and from pinks to yellows. Flat colours are available as well as sparkly colours. Flat quartz colours don’t contain any metallic content, while sparkly colours do. This give them their glittery effect.
You also have a choice of brands. We’ve partnered with a range of leading quartz brands to offer you unbeatable choice. These include Compac Quartz, Silestone by Cosentino Quartz, Cambria Quartz, Caesarstone, Cimstone, Samsung Radianz Quartz, Ersten Quartz, Silkstone, Santamargherita, Luna Stone, Emperor Stone and CRL Quartz.
- Character
Let’s face it – stainless steel is a cold, characterless material. And let’s be honest – plastic laminate worktops aren’t exactly endearing. Quartz is a beautiful material and its wide range of colours and finishes make it perfect for any project. It’s full of character and a great choice for any kitchen where a wow factor is wanted.
Even more character can be added with a distinctive edge profile. An edge profile is the ‘cut’ that’s applied to the edge of the quartz slab. The most common edge profiles are the ‘pencil round’ and ‘Bevel’ varieties. More elaborate edge profiles include ‘Waterfall’, ‘Cove’, and ‘Dupont’. These catch the light in a more interesting way.
- Durability
Quartz is an extremely hard-wearing and durable material. Quartz worktops are manufactured. They are engineered to deliver superior durability over natural stone worktops. High quality quartz worktops are 95-97 per cent quartz with bonding agents and colouring agents to give them their unique character.
Because they have such a high quartz content, quartz worktops are pretty much indestructible in a kitchen environment. They don’t easily scratch or chip, except under extreme stress. Quartz is rated an 8 on the Mohs hardness scale (diamond is a 10). So, you can have confidence in a quartz kitchen island to last.
- Low maintenance
Quartz worktops are non-porous, so they don’t soak up water. This means bacteria, algae and organic matter can’t grow into the stone structure. To clean a quartz worktop, all you need is soapy water and a sponge. Quartz worktops don’t need sealing and they don’t need polishing. A wipe down is all they need to look their best.
To clean a quartz worktop, use warm, soapy water and vinegar. The soap will clean away dirt and grime, the vinegar will cut through grease. Other than a wipe down every day, most homeowners don’t do a deep clean for months. So, if you’re looking for a low maintenance material for your kitchen island, quartz is perfect.
- Desirability
Quartz has timeless desirability. It never gets old – it never ages. It is always fashionable, and it is always in demand. If you want a material in your kitchen that’ll impress family and guests as much in 20 years as it does tomorrow, quartz is perfect. No other material is as endearing as quartz in the kitchen (except perhaps for granite).
Since it’s always in demand and makes for a show-stopping finish in any kitchen, homeowners looking to sell up in the future might also find a quartz worktop beneficial for boosting property appeal. Choose a neutral colour – one that’s unlikely to dip in popularity – to benefit from this in the future.
Choosing the right quartz worktop
You are spoilt for choice when choosing the right quartz for your kitchen island. For peace of mind, opt for a leading-brand worktop. These invariably come with an extensive warranty and a guarantee for quality. For example, Silestone worktops have a 25-year certified warranty. It will also be beneficial see slabs in person, since photos don’t always capture the intricacies of a worktop or their true colour.
