Counter culture: The new choices in kitchen showrooms

Everything you need to know about the newest counter choice in most kitchen showrooms – porcelain

Hard to distinguish from a pricier natural marble, this warm golden veined 12mm Cuarzo Reno Coverlam porcelain is stunning with brass accents and pale furnishings in this Dublin kitchen. Supplied by Sullivan & Lambe, sullivanandlambe.ie.

Do you remember that small window of time when we applied tiling to our countertops? What could go wrong?

The grotty grout catching, ever dribble and spill, the lifting, the chips to the edges, the horrible visual stutter. We even ran the tile over the edges for extra hassle. Relatively soft, cheap, ceramic tile was favoured for its easy installation, making it even more vulnerable to the rudely smashed pan. If you’re concerned by a return to a fired material going onto your counters, welcome to the wonderful world of vitrified porcelain.