Surfaces & fixtures
Countertops, flooring, tile, sinks and faucets: what each material does well, what it asks of you, and what to check before buying.
- Choosing a kitchen sink: materials, mounting, bowls and the faucet to match
A practical guide to kitchen sinks: stainless steel gauges, fireclay, enamelled cast iron and composite; undermount, drop-in and apron-front mounting; single or double bowls; accessibility; and choosing a faucet that suits the sink.
- Farmhouse kitchen sinks: what to know before you fall for an apron front
Apron-front farmhouse sinks explained: where the design comes from, fireclay, cast iron, stainless and stone options, the special cabinet they need, installation order, ergonomics and everyday care.
- Fresh ideas in kitchen cooktops: induction, gas, radiant and modular hobs
How today's cooktops differ: induction, radiant glass-ceramic, coil, gas and dual-fuel; modular and flex-zone layouts; cooktop versus range; sizes, safety features, cookware and ventilation.
- Granite and natural stone countertops: what to know before you buy
How granite countertops are chosen, fabricated and cared for — slabs, thickness, edges, seams and sealing — plus how granite differs from quartzite, marble, slate and engineered stone, and what is known about radon and silica.
- Kitchen faucets: valves, spouts, sprays, finishes and water quality
A buyer's guide to kitchen faucets: how the valve inside works, spout shapes and sizes, pull-down and pull-out sprays, touch and hands-free models, pot fillers, finishes, flow limits, lead-free certification, filters and maintenance.
- Kitchen flooring: choosing a floor that handles water, traffic and dropped pans
The main kitchen flooring options — porcelain and ceramic tile, natural stone, vinyl, linoleum, laminate, wood, cork and concrete — weighed on water resistance, comfort, slip resistance, durability and upkeep.
- Kitchen tile: backsplashes, floors and the details that make tile last
How to choose and install kitchen tile for backsplashes and floors: ceramic, porcelain, glass, stone and cement tiles, tile size and layout patterns, grout types, substrates, edges and outlets.
- Slate kitchen countertops: properties, sourcing, finishing and care
Everything specific to slate as a kitchen countertop: how it forms, where it is quarried, the ASTM standard for slate dimension stone, how it behaves with stains, heat and knives, edges and sinks, and how to look after it.
- Types of farmhouse kitchen sinks: Belfast, London, apron-front and retrofit
A guide to the different kinds of farmhouse sink: traditional Belfast and London sinks, modern apron-front designs, single and double bowls, retrofit models for existing cabinets, reversible fronts, sizes, materials and the faucets that suit them.
