Overhang Stone Benchtops. Why do we have to have them?

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Stone benchtops overhang or overhang stone benchtops, is a design feature commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms.

This refers to the part of the stone or solid surface benchtop that juts out beyond the edge of the cabinet or other supporting structure. It can serve several useful and beautiful purposes:

Seating: One of the main reasons for an overhang is to make a comfy sitting area at the benchtop. An overhang allows one to have barstools or chairs at the benchtop. Quite often, people “dine” at the benchtop. And that may be the reason it is sometimes called the “dining bench.” While some kitchen islands have a contour that makes it difficult to fit barstools or chairs at them, the kitchen island shown below overcomes that contour problem.

The overhang can have various levels of depth, but for most applications, it can be said that the range is typically from 250 to 400 mm. The exact number often depends on using what, space available, and what kind of design someone prefers.

 

Adequate workspace: Benchtop overhangs extend the usable surface of the benchtop and provide workspace. This helps when jobs involving meal preparation and a variety of kitchen tasks require more space. I’d need a lot more space to attempt the setup below. There’s room to do the work without getting a living area all messed up. More than anything, it seems like I had to have the kitchen located in the space below in order to do this correctly.

 

Aesthetic appeal: A countertop can look even better when it has an overhang. That can make the countertop look more substantial and, in some cases, somewhat elegant. It can also create some visual interest and, if the countertop is doing this, some contrast, especially when the countertop material differs from the cabinet material.

 

Hide cabinet edges: Enclose the edges of cabinetry to present a clean and finished appearance. This is particularly useful when the cabinet materials or construction are not as visually appealing as the benchtop materials.

 

Protection: Aids in safeguarding the cupboards and their contents from the spills, drips, and crumbs that may fall off the table. It is a barrier that stops the wee bits and pieces that would like to make their way down to cabinet hell from doing so.

 

Both the functional and aesthetic aspects of your stone benchtop affect the essential decision of how large an overhang should be and where it should be placed. The problem must be well defined to arrive at a satisfactory solution that serves your needs and complements the design of your overall kitchen or bath.