Worktops are where a kitchen is won or lost
Cabinetry sets the style; the worktop is what you actually live on. It takes the heat, the knives, the red wine and the sunlight, and it is the surface your eye lands on first. It is also the single element people most often regret choosing quickly.
We import Italian ceramic tiles and worktops directly from Italy, and we have designed and installed them from our Stockton-on-Tees studio since 2008 — usually as part of a kitchen, sometimes as a worktop replacement on its own.
The surfaces we work with
Our range is built around large-format ceramic and sintered stone, because they hold up best in real kitchens. Each of these is a brand we hold and can show you:
- Neolith — a world leader in sintered stone: ultra-compact, hard-wearing surfaces with bold, architectural patterning.
- Laminam — Italian large-format porcelain from the Modena ceramic district. The slabs are big enough to run worktop, splashback and even cabinet fronts in one material.
- Level Marmi — by Emilgroup. The look of natural marble with the durability of advanced ceramics, in large-format slabs.
- Graniti Fiandre — a leading Italian maker of luxury porcelain stone surfaces, showcased in our tile showroom.
We also specify quartz, natural stone and timber where a project calls for it. If you have seen something elsewhere, bring the reference — it is usually easier to match than people expect.
Choosing between them, honestly
Most worktop decisions come down to four questions, and the showroom answers them faster than any brochure:
- How much heat and abuse will it take? Sintered and porcelain surfaces are the most forgiving of hot pans and knives. Natural stone and timber ask more of you.
- Do you want the marble look without the marble maintenance? That is precisely the gap ceramic slabs were designed to fill.
- Matt or gloss? Worth deciding in daylight with the actual slab. Dark matt surfaces look extraordinary and show more; anti-fingerprint finishes exist for exactly this reason.
- Where do the joins fall? On a big island, seam placement matters more to the finished look than the colour does — which is why we template rather than estimate.
Worktops in our recent projects
Rather than describe finishes abstractly, here are real installations:
- Macchia Vecchia, Wynyard — dramatic veining against a lava black Schüller kitchen.
- Dekton Carrera Gold with next125 Fenix — a pale, gold-veined surface against dark anti-fingerprint fronts.
- Marble Nero and Calacatta Renoir — a breakfast-bar layout in two contrasting stones.
- White cement ceramic, open living space — the same worktop carried through from kitchen to television area.
- White sienna ceramic, Hartlepool — worktops, breakfast bar and matching backsplash across a full-floor renovation.
More in the project gallery.
What worktops cost
We do not publish a worktop price band, because the honest answer is that it depends on the slab and the shape of your kitchen. Material choice, how many slabs the layout needs, cut-outs for sinks and hobs, upstands and splashbacks, and whether you want a waterfall edge on an island all move the figure independently.
What we will do is template the room properly and quote the whole thing in writing — supply, fabrication and fitting — rather than give you a per-metre figure that grows later. If the worktop is part of a full kitchen, our German kitchen price guide sets out the installed bands those projects usually land in.
Come and see the slabs
We have one showroom, and it is in Portrack — 15 Portrack Grange Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 2PH, open Monday to Saturday, 09:00–17:00, with parking on site. Samples are useful; full slabs are decisive, because veining and finish only make sense at scale and in daylight.
While you are here you can also compare Schüller, next125 and Nobilia side by side — and see how each worktop sits against the cabinetry you are actually considering. Book a free design consultation or call 01642 635635.
Worktop questions, answered
Do you supply worktops without a kitchen?
Yes. Most of our worktops go in as part of a kitchen, but we do supply and fit them as standalone replacements too.
What is the difference between porcelain, sintered stone and quartz?
Broadly: porcelain and sintered surfaces are fired at very high temperatures and cope best with heat and scratching; quartz is a resin-bound composite that is softer and less heat-tolerant but comes in a wide colour range. Natural stone is beautiful and needs the most care.
Can I have a waterfall edge on the island?
Yes — we have installed several. It uses more material and demands precise mitring, so it is priced into the quotation rather than added afterwards.
Can you match a worktop to tiles or flooring?
Often, yes — we supply Italian ceramic tiles alongside the worktop brands, so the palettes overlap. Bring photos or samples of what you are matching to.
How long do worktops take?
It depends on the material and the template, so we confirm your lead time in writing when we quote rather than publishing an average that may not apply.
Written by Amir Kamiabi, Founder and Creative Director at Haus of Design, with two decades in luxury kitchen design. Last reviewed July 2026.