10 Best Kitchen Upstands Ideas

You need to take care of all of the details when it is about DIY kitchen upstand ideas. After all, you are designing or renovating the entire kitchen. And we know very well, upstand kitchen is often ignored when it’s about designing a new or existing kitchen. But, it is an essential element that you should choose and install carefully.

These kitchen upstands in the kitchen can serve two purposes: practicality and aesthetic. They are best at protecting your kitchen walls from unwanted spillages and splashes. Also, they help you add unique personality, signature style, and undeniable functionality to your DIY kitchen. So, let’s follow the footprints of this guide to get insights about the top 10 best kitchen upstand ideas.

Let’s dig in without any exaggerations!

What are Kitchen Upstands?

Before sharing the kitchens upstands ideas, let’s see “what are upstands in a kitchen?”

An upstand is commonly called “kitchen upstand” or “worktop upstand.” It is a simple border piece along the wall behind your kitchen counter. Their common size is about 60 to 150 mm high and 20 mm thick. These make a lovely choice instead of wall tiles or a splashback, and they are available in many styles.

Its primary purpose is to create a seal between the worktop and the wall. As a result, it protects the wall from splashes, spills, and moisture that can easily seep down and cause damage. The upstands kitchen is also used as a decorative function. They provide a clean and finished look to the joint between the worktop and the wall.

People often use the word splashback in place of upstand. They use the words interchangeably. But, both are different terms, and both types of slabs and surfaces have different purposes and uses. So, it is important to distinguish an upstand from a kitchen splashback.

A kitchen splashback is a larger panel that extends higher up the wall. It often covers the entire area between the quartz worktop and the wall cabinets. Moreover, it is used behind areas prone to more extensive splashing, like the hob or sink.

On the flip side, an upstand is a lower strip that provides protection to the immediate area above the work surface. It helps to hide uneven wall surfaces and expansion gaps in the worktop. Although made from the same material as the worktop for a seamless and coordinated appearance (such as laminate, quartz, granite, or wood), worktop upstands are also made from contrasting materials. They create a design feature in your DIY kitchen.

Top 10 Best Kitchen Worktop Upstand Ideas

Now it’s time to get creative with your DIY kitchen projects and ideas. Here, we are going to share the top 10 best kitchen upstand ideas. We hope you will find your favourite idea for your current “Do-It-Yourself” project. So…let’s begin with it below.

1. Install Extraordinary Quartz Upstands

Quartz is a man-made material which is available in your favourite style, design, and colour. It is useful to add quartz kitchen upstands and splashbacks along with your quartz worktop. If your already installed worktop is in any other material, like granite, laminate, or glass, it’s easy to match its design and colour with our quartz surfaces. You will never get out of stock in the matching designs and colours of quartz.

So, let’s make a bold statement with heavily veined quartz upstands from our experts at DIY Kitchens Worktop. Instead of a subtle strip, you are free to choose a quartz with striking, high-contrast veining that extends elegantly up the wall from your worktop. This creates an immediate focal point. To be honest, it mimics the luxurious look of natural marble.

But the inherent durability and low maintenance of quartz are some qualities you will rarely see in Italian marble. A dramatic, veined upstand worktop offers a sophisticated and artistic touch that is paired with plainer cabinets and walls above. It turns a functional element into a key design feature.

Thus, it is a perfect way to inject personality and elegance into your kitchen with a practical quartz material available through DIY Kitchens Worktops. We provide cheap worktop upstands for homeowners in the UK. Interestingly, we are the manufacturers, which means no middleman is involved. You can directly contact us and get quartz upstands firsthand.

2. Install the Smart Upstand

If you are a tech-savvy person or someone who just loves technology, you can think about technology in your kitchen. It makes many things easier. Now, the new technology can become part of your DIY upstand, too.

A smart upstand is one of the new kitchen upstand ideas. It takes a simple barrier and adds clever features to it. For example, lights can be put right inside the upstand material. Some designs include sensors that mean you can control things with a wave of your hand.

It can even connect to your whole home system. So, this technology-based upstand brings extra convenience. Everyday actions become smoother. Also, it gives a very modern look, and the kitchen feels advanced.

While adding tech, it still works as an upstand. It protects your wall from splashes. This innovative upstand blends practical use with smart features. It enhances both how your kitchen works and looks.

3. Add Natural Stones for Worktop Upstands

We are using natural stone surfaces in our kitchens in terms of worktops, kitchen upstands, and splashbacks. These natural beauties have been enhancing the beauty of our kitchens for centuries. You can select granite, marble, and quartz as natural stone surface options.

Let’s suppose you opt for materials like natural granite or luxurious marble, they bring unparalleled patterns and depth. Plus, these surfaces infuse your space with sophistication and a sense of enduring quality. These natural options offer remarkable durability and heat resistance.

As a result, they provide a robust and beautiful barrier against splashes along your worktop edge. But what if you are looking for similar high-end aesthetics with added practical benefits? This is where our engineered stones (as we have mentioned in previous kitchen upstands ideas), like quartz, offer a consistent look, exceptional stain resistance, and easy maintenance.

Whichever stone you choose, installing a stone kitchen upstand creates a seamless and elegant transition from your work surface to the wall. It offers both superior protection and a significant visual upgrade that complements diverse kitchen styles, from classic to contemporary.

At DIY Kitchens Worktop, we provide some quartz colours and patterns that give the same effect as natural stones. At the same time, these natural-stone-effect slabs and surfaces are budget-friendly and environment-friendly. If someone looks at them, they will never recognise if it’s a natural stone or a quartz slab.

That’s how our quartz upstand and splashback are made to blend into any environment and background.

4. Colourful Marble Effect Slabs

Do you want kitchen worktop upstands with more flair? Then, let’s move beyond simple styles to complete your DIY kitchen project. Using one of these kitchen upstands ideas, you can add real personality to your kitchen space. Hmmm…we are talking about our marble-effect quartz upstands, which are a great way to do this.

These kitchen up stands are not actual marble. They are made from quartz stone. But they look just like marble tiles or slabs. This gives you the high-end marble appearance. Plus, you will get the amazing benefits of quartz. Actually, quartz is super tough. It does not stain easily. Cleaning is very simple, too.

So, our marble-effect quartz comes in many colours and patterns. You can find options that add a pop of colour. For example, we have Calacatta Gold quartz. This has a bright white background. It features beautiful gold veins, and its look is quite luxurious. We also offer other styles. Some have grey veins. Some have veins with different colours. You can pick a pattern that matches your style.

Moreover, using colourful marble-effect quartz is modern and practical. It protects your walls from everyday splashes. Simultaneously, it makes a strong design statement. You can check out the range of marble-effect quartz to make your own kitchen upstands and splashbacks, available at DIY Kitchens Worktop. Find the perfect colourful upstand for you.

5. Try Perfection Using Patterned Upstands

If you want to give your kitchen upstands some real character, patterns are perfect for this. You can find a pattern that suits your kitchen style while doing your DIY kitchens worktop and upstand.

Our quartz options at your favourite showrooms of DIY Kitchens offer unique patterns that you can consider. They are not like simple tiles. Just see the trending Capri White. It has small flecks that sparkle slightly.

Calacatta Gold Quartz has bold, beautiful veins. These veins look like natural marble. We also have Atlas White quartz. It features delicate grey patterns. Alaska Quartz offers a different pattern style again. These different quartz worktops types give you pattern choices.

You pick the pattern you like most, and it is easy to match it to your kitchen interior. This makes your DIY project look custom-made. Also, selecting a patterned quartz upstand from DIY Kitchens Worktop makes your kitchen unique. It adds visual interest right at the worktop’s edge. This minor detail brings a big personality to your kitchen worktop upstand.

6. Consider Monochromatic Upstands

Are you thinking about a very clean kitchen look? Minimalism is a popular option for this. It means keeping things simple. You would have heard about “KISS Rule,” which means “Keep It Simple, Stupid!” So, this is our kitchen upstands ideas part.

One way to get this look is monochromatic design. This uses just one colour. Or, it uses shades of that colour. For your kitchen worktops’ upstands, this means matching them to your worktop. For this purpose, you can use the same material or the same colour of your existing worktop.

This matching of worktop colour or material with your new upstands for kitchens creates a seamless line. The upstand blends into the worktop and looks very sleek. It feels uncluttered, and there are no visual stops. Remember, this style fits perfectly in modern kitchens as it highlights clean lines.

Similarly, it makes the space feel calm. A monochromatic quartz upstand is subtle. But it makes a big impact. It gives a sophisticated finish, which is perfect if you love a minimalist feel. It makes your worktop and upstand look like one piece.

7. Open Shelving Upstand Idea

Every homeowner loves to have a kitchen with upstand. But, lots of people in the UK like open shelves in the kitchen. Plus, many people like to have kitchen islands in their homes. They give a light, airy feeling that looks modern.

But things can easily slide off the back of open shelves. This is where a special upstand comes in. It is not like a worktop upstand, as it sits at the back edge of the shelf itself.

Moreover, its main job is simple – to create a barrier. This stops items from falling off. And that’s how it keeps mugs and plates safe. Its main purpose is to hold everything neatly in place.

This premium kitchen worktop stand also helps the look because it makes the shelf edge look clean. It protects the wall surface behind, which is a practical feature. In your DIY upstand kitchen project, you can make it from wood or use metal.

Or, match it to your shelf material to add a finished touch. It makes open shelving more functional. Plus, it helps keep that clean, open look you want.

8. Shiny Reflective Upstands

It’s time to bring more light and sparkle into your kitchen. Choose an upstand material with a very high shine or shimmer, like a highly polished surface. Polished quartz is perfect for this look. Glass is another option, but it’s quite expensive. These surfaces act like a mirror.

It reflects light from around the room and makes your kitchen feel brighter and seem larger. A reflective upstand adds glamour and creates a dynamic visual effect. While looking shiny, it still does its job: protecting the wall from spills and splashes.

However, a high-gloss upstand needs regular wiping. But the bright look is worth the effort. DIY Kitchens Worktop offers polished quartz choices ideal for creating this shiny and shimmering finish.

9. Add Texture with Upstands

In this kitchen upstand idea, we are talking about adding texture. This brings a new feeling to the kitchen wall. For this purpose, you can use a material with grooves or ridges to add visual depth. A fluted design is one option. A reeded pattern is another.

Textured upstands catch light in interesting ways; Shadows play across the surface. This gives the upstand a man-made appearance and makes it a minor element of a piece of art. Besides that, the texture adds personality.

It provides detail near the worktop edge. It shows attention to small details. However, always get quartz options that offer a textured finish.

10. Upstands with Built-In Light

Imagine your upstand lighting up the entire kitchen area. You can put lights right into or under the upstand itself. This is a modern design idea, and you would have seen it on Pinterest’s viral videos and images. It creates a beautiful glow along the wall line.

Thin LED strips work very well for this. They can be hidden neatly. This integrated lighting adds a cosy and mysterious atmosphere to your DIY kitchen. It provides gentle light on the worktop area and makes the upstand a striking feature, especially in the evening.

The light highlights the upstands shape. It also shows off its colour or pattern. This idea blends practicality with ambient lighting. Still, it protects the wall from splashes. Adding light just makes your upstand functional and visually impressive.

Suitable Colours For DIY Kitchen Upstand Ideas

Choosing the right colour for your upstands for kitchen worktops matters the most. This colour choice makes a big impact and changes how your whole kitchen looks and feels. To choose the right colour, you need to see your kitchen’s design or style.

Then, consider your kitchen cabinets’ colour. Also, decide what colours you personally like. The upstand colour should work well with these things. This helps create a pleasing look.

In this section, we are going to share some universally accepted and most trending colours of upstands that match with any other worktop colour too. Let’s see below.

• Classic White

We all know it, classic white is always a popular choice for upstands as compared to black kitchen upstand and worktop. It gives a super clean look and its style is timeless. More specifically, white upstands make a kitchen feel bright. They can help the room seem larger.

Moreover, white matches so many cabinet colours. It works well with different kitchen styles too. That’s why we offer many white quartz upstands. Just look at Ultra White for a pure look. Our Calacatta white offers beautiful patterns and Capri white is another lovely choice. So, choose classic white for an easy style.

• Neutral Colour

We at DIY Kitchens Worktop (now owned by MO’s STONEX) understand that picking a kitchen colour can feel like a big decision. Want an upstand choice that stays stylish? Just take neutral shades as your best helpers in doing that difficult DIY kitchen project easily.

Soft colours like gentle beige are an option for neutral shades. Lovely grey tones are also very popular, and taupe gives a nice, warm touch. These colours bring a calm feeling to the room. Plus, they add a quiet sense of class, too.

A neutral upstand fits almost anywhere. It looks great in traditional kitchens, and it is perfect for sleek, modern spaces as well. This choice gives you an elegant look. It is a style that will not shout, “I’m out.” It brings balance to your overall kitchen design.

• Monochromatic Match

Let’s talk about how colour itself creates a look. After all, matching colours is very powerful. In this case, you can consider choosing an upstand colour, and make sure it is exactly the same colour as your countertop.

This is a simple colour idea, but it creates a seamless look. You will get one solid block of colour where the upstand sits. In simple words, this colour choice gives a monochromatic aesthetic. It means using just one main colour shade across that area.

Furthermore, this look works really well in modern kitchens. It is perfect for minimalist style, too. The consistent colour highlights clean design and helps the space feel visually uncluttered. It is a sleek look based purely on colour harmony.

• Contrasting Pop

If you get bored with the similar colours in your kitchen, make your upstand catch the eye. You can choose a contrasting colour. This creates a dynamic look.

Also, it adds visual interest. The upstand becomes a focal point in the room. For instance, a black upstand offers strong contrast. This works well with white cabinets.

What about trying some other colour pairs? You have many options. Maybe picture deep blue. It looks sharp with cabinets that are light grey. Or take green. A green upstand adds energy. It works well next to wood colours.

Similarly, dark grey is softer. You can pair it with cream units. So…playing with these colours is fun. It gives your kitchen lots of character. In fact, it helps you enjoy doing your DIY-kitchen project.

• Pastel Elegance

As we have mentioned before, colour selection holds importance for your kitchen space. It helps shape the overall feeling. That’s why you can consider using pastel shades for your upstands. This colour family offers a distinct aesthetic quality.

Blush pink is one lovely example. A soft, mint-green tone is another choice. These specific colours impart a sense of elegance. Honestly speaking, they provide a gentle visual appeal to the area and help create a subtle atmosphere.

Pastel upstands complement specific kitchen styles. Vintage designs work very well with them, and shabby chic interiors also benefit from these colours. Their soft character fits the charm of these design styles. So, that’s how picking pastels brings a unique feeling, and it provides an element of gentle beauty to your kitchen finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are Kitchen Upstand Ideas Great?

It depends on what you like and need. They offer several good points. For example, upstands protect your walls from splashes. Messy spills will not hit the paint. An upstand also gives your worktop a nice finished look.

It helps tie the kitchen design together. Some upstands can even have lights inside. You can add smart tech features, too. But you should think about your kitchen’s style. What kind of look do you want?

Also, consider how easy cleaning is for different materials. So, choosing the right upstand comes down to your own taste. It comes down to your home’s needs.

• What Are The Benefits Of Kitchen Upstand Ideas?

Upstands bring several good things to your kitchen space. As we said, they protect your walls from stains. Water damage is also prevented. This helps cut down on cleaning effort. Also, upstands give your worktop area a polished look.

They hide small gaps at the wall line. This creates a more finished appearance. An upstand can match your decor and add a final touch to your design. Sometimes, smart features can even be put inside them to give extra use and modern appeal.

• What is an alternative to kitchen upstands?

An alternative to a kitchen upstand is called a splashback. It is similar to a wall panel. It is fitted onto the wall right above your base cabinets and countertop. Splashbacks are similar to upstands in their job. But they cover much more area.

An upstand is usually just a short strip. A splashback covers the whole wall space. It goes from your worktop all the way up to the cabinets hanging on the wall. It can even extend higher in certain spots. For instance, behind the hob where splashes happen often.

• Why Do Kitchens Have Upstands?

Kitchens have upstands for practical reasons and for looks. Upstands stop water and food splashes. They keep the mess from damaging the wall behind your worktop. This makes cleaning easier in the kitchen. They also give a tidy finished look.

Upstands hide small gaps where the countertop meets the wall. You can match the upstand colour to your kitchen style to add a final detail. Their useful side and good looks together make upstands a common part of kitchen design.

• What is the best height for a kitchen upstand?

Many people choose around 100mm height for a kitchen upstand. This height finds a very good balance as it is both useful and it looks good. It protects your wall well from splashes and keeps the paint safe. The size also looks sleek and gives a clean modern line. Frankly speaking, this height works best visually.

Conclusion:

As you can see, we have come to the end of our joyful guide about kitchen upstand ideas. We always recommend that our readers do DIY kitchen worktop, upstand, and splashback projects. More specifically, we want men in the home to do these projects and let the women just relax while sitting on that new countertop, eating dinner next to premium quartz worktops, and enjoying the beauty of their brand-new DIY kitchens.

In this guide, we have learned about so many kitchens upstand tips and ideas, and how to execute them. Now you have lots of inspiration for your own DIY kitchen project. Plus, DIY Kitchens Worktops has the quartz and stone options you need for doing it. Let us help you make your upstand kitchen vision a reality. Let’s start planning your next kitchen step today.