Cats want height. It is not a preference, it is how they are built. Given the choice they will sit above everything else in the room, watching the door and keeping an eye on whoever walks in. If you do not give them somewhere to do that, they pick the spot themselves, which is usually the kitchen counter or the top of the bookcase you would rather they left alone.

Wall shelves solve it by using space you are not doing anything with anyway. They go up the wall, the cat goes up with them, and suddenly a normal room has a whole extra level in it. In a flat or a smaller house this makes a real difference, because you get all that territory back without losing a square inch of floor.

Climbing is also good for them. An indoor cat that jumps between perches several times a day stays leaner and sleeps better than one that spends the afternoon on the sofa. Older cats use them too, at a slower pace, and often claim the highest one permanently.

Arrange them however your wall allows. Most people work out the spacing by watching their cat jump for a day or two and adjusting from there. Fix them into solid wall or into studs and they will take a grown cat landing at full speed without any wobble.

Give it a week. The counter surfing usually stops on its own once there is somewhere better to be.