Ask the Expert – Adam Miles

September 27, 2024

With a focus on sustainability, durability, and design flexibility, Athena is setting trends, not just following them, explains Managing Director Adam Miles

What are the latest trends in kitchen worktops that you are seeing in the UK new build, and how is Athena Worksurfaces catering to these trends?

At Athena Worksurfaces, we observe that smaller independent kitchen design and builders often lead worktop trends by customising to individual tastes, while large developers need scalable solutions across a set of standardised options to keep costs down.

In terms of thickness, there’s a noticeable trend where 80% of retail surfaces are now opting for 20mm over the traditional 30mm. At Athena, we embrace this shift, ensuring that our thinner profiles maintain the robustness needed for both bespoke and broad-scale applications.

The shift from quartz to porcelain is driven by porcelain’s superior resistance to scratches, heat, and UV, alongside its aesthetic versatility. Our partnership with Mirage introduces eco-friendly, high-performance porcelain at competitive prices, aligning with the market’s demand for sustainable, stylish, and practical kitchen surfaces. We’re not just following trends; we’re setting them with products that blend innovation, sustainability, and design.

How are customer preferences evolving when it comes to materials and finishes for kitchen worktops?

Customer preferences in kitchen worktops are indeed shifting towards durability and aesthetics that mimic natural elements. There’s a noticeable trend where homeowners are seeking materials that not only withstand the rigors of daily kitchen activities but also offer the elegance of natural stone without the high maintenance. Porcelain has surged in popularity because it is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. This material can beautifully replicate the look of marble or other stones but with a matte finish that’s currently, in vogue.

Moreover, the evolution in customer preference isn’t just about durability but also about sustainability. There’s a growing interest in eco-friendly materials, with consumers becoming more environmentally conscious, seeking worktops that promise a lower environmental footprint over their lifecycle.

With sustainability being a key consideration, what eco-friendly options does Athena Worksurfaces offer for kitchen worktops, and how are these being received by developers?

Sustainability is more than just a buzzword for us. We’ve teamed up with Mirage, a fantastic Italian brand known for its eco credentials, to bring sustainable porcelain worktops into the mix. This ensures our porcelain is made with up to 60% pre-consumer recycled material. That’s a big deal because it means they’re reusing what would otherwise be waste, right from the get-go.

Not only that, the embedded carbon in Mirage porcelain is less than 29% compared to the industry average’. And when it comes to global warming potential, or GWP, our Mirage porcelain scores a 17. To put that into perspective, other products of similar specification are averaging around 40 (the lower the better).

Developers are catching onto this trend, and the feedback has been great. They love that they can offer something that not only looks stunning in any kitchen but also tells a story of environmental responsibility. It’s becoming a real selling point, showing that luxury and sustainability can go hand in hand.

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