Michelle Keegan and her husband Mark Wright have long been interior goals, not once shying away from sharing their beautiful home with fans through their joint home account on Instagram. Although the pair aren't quite as active with posting as they used to be, we're still fed glimpses of their stunning kitchen through Mark's much-anticipated cooking videos.
The couple's home has always exuded sophistication, but their luxurious marble worktop instantly caught our attention – featuring an impressive veining that almost makes the worktop appear wooden. Securing itself as a kitchen trend set to outlive fads, this worktop choice perfectly complements Michelle and Mark's darker kitchen colour scheme.
'By opting for a striking cappuccino marble worktop, Mark Wright has injected texture and an unrestrained colour palette which perfectly complements his dark cabinets and the neutral walls,' begins interior designer Ann Marie Cousins, founder of AMC Design. Adding interest and elegance to a cooking space, it's no wonder marble is such a sought-after kitchen worktop finish.
'Perhaps the most desired worktop, marble looks absolutely stunning in all styles of kitchen, as it does here,' adds Richard Davonport, managing director at luxury bespoke kitchen designers, Davonport. 'Mark's worktop is a highly unusual colour and veining, but very on trend as neutrals – beiges, browns, linens – are on trend, and look to work well with the rest of the interior of the kitchen.'
Commenting further, Elliott Fairlie, product lead at Bushboard says, 'Mark Wright's worktop demonstrates how using distinctive marbles can create a statement in the kitchen. Its veining is incredibly unique, blending warm and dark tones with natural markings and imperfections.'
Not to mention, Elliott adds that the pair's choice of marble worktop also 'complements the dark cabinetry and neutral wall colour well, creating a striking yet neutral colour palette that clearly takes inspiration from nature.'
The dark kitchen trend has been all the rage recently, spotted among multiple celebrity homes. More and more, we're seeing people step away from the 'safe' all-white kitchen that used to dominate this space – and Mark and Michelle's kitchen nails this transition by embracing these warmer and moodier hues, while not dipping entirely into a black kitchen.
How to fake the marble look
'The surface is likely to be solid marble, which comes with a hefty price tag,' prefaces Elliott. 'If you're looking for a cost-effective option, laminate and compact laminate surfaces are great alternatives. Advances in these materials mean you can find options that replicate solid materials, like marble, seamlessly, allowing you to achieve your desired look while saving on costs.'
Alternatively, Richard suggests using either quartz or porcelain to recreate the marble look without the price tag. Better yet, considering that marble is not stain resistant and therefore will require regular sealing by an expert, opting for these more affordable materials will be easier to maintain, too.
Or, for another option, Darren Watts, showroom development and design director at Wren Kitchens even suggests 'looking at wooden worktops, as his grain has the same effect as some timber worktops.'
All in all, irrespective of your choice of worktop, Ann Marie urges you to think about how long you will be in your home. 'If it's your forever home, it may be worth stretching to a durable stone or quartz countertop that will last the distance.'
'But if you think you'll move on in a few years, pick a more economical choice, like Formica, buying a second-hand kitchen countertop, or you may even get lucky and find a stone offcut that's just the right size.'
Then, you can truly achieve the look of Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright's luxe kitchen in your own home, without the added expense.
