Interior designer Linda Barker was instrumental in reawakening the public’s interest in home makeovers with the BBC television show ‘Changing Rooms’, which she co-presented for six years, becoming one of the country’s best known designers. Currently, she is presenting Channel 5’s ‘Brand New House For £5k’, which creates stunning transformations on a strict budget, as well as appearing on ITV’s popular daytime series, ‘60 Minute Makeover’. She has also contributed to programmes as diverse as ‘I’m A Celebrity…’, ‘Lorraine’, ‘This Morning’, ‘Celebrity Come Dine With Me’ and diving show ‘Splash’, as well as being named in FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women.

With all that makeover know-how, when she wanted to replace the reclaimed slate worktop in her South London home with ‘something bullet proof’, Linda called in Granite Transformations. She was already familiar with their agglomerate work surfaces, having worked with them on ‘60 Minute Makeover’, and realised that they would be the perfect makeover solution.

The beauty of Granite Transformations worktops in granite, quartz, recycled glass and porcelain is that they are made only a quarter-inch thick, yet are tougher and more practical than natural stone slab, withstanding heat, cigarette burns, chemicals, spills, stains, knocks and scratches. They also fit right over existing work surfaces, like Linda’s reclaimed slate, with seamless, bonded edge pieces simulating classic deep worktops. The same tough, lightweight material can also be extended upwards, as colour-matched splashbacks.

Spurred by an enthusiasm for recycling and her wish for a distinctive, semi-matt finish, four years ago Linda chose reclaimed slate for her kitchen work surfaces, sourcing the material from an old snooker table and having it cut to size, with cabinet doors imaginatively made from school desk lids.

Slate, although aesthetically pleasing and relatively heat resistant, is susceptible to scratches and chips however, particularly at the corners. Linda also found that it stained easily and that spills had to be wiped off immediately. Abrasive cleaners can also cause damage to the surface.

To reface her slate worktops, without adding much extra weight or depth, Linda opted for Granite Transformations’ Nero Galaxy finish, which has the classic looks of black granite, yet is made using post-industrial recycled content from quarrying processes, in line with her environmental concerns. The standard 3 metre long slab length also meant that Linda’s work area could be refaced in one seamless length.

As with all Granite Transformations installations, Linda’s worktop was fabricated off site, with apertures pre-cut for the sink and tap units, and the job was carried out in less than a day, with no ripping out, no dust or debris, and no household disruption. The material also carries a lifetime material warranty, underlining the company’s faith in its practicality and durability. Needless to say, the Nero Galaxy finish looks good too, otherwise Linda Barker would not have given it house room. Really.

For further enquiries and details of nearest showroom, contact 0800 044 5393 or visit www.granitetransformations.co.uk.  Linda Barker also runs her own online home accessories business at www.reallylindabarker.co.uk