If you want the wall and floor tiles to be the hero in your bathroom I recommend you keep the vanity very simple. The white cabinet you have will be least obtrusive with a 'white' top. I love the elegance of stone and man-made stone is generally more durable. Check out Caesarstone Organic White or Frosty Carina. Although Frosty Carina has more pattern than Organic White, it's quite discrete so shouldn't compete with pattern on the tiles. If the tiles are charcoal or a dark brown/grey then either should work. Love to see a photograph when it's finished, whatever you decide.

1. If you are having white tiles on the wall, the same as floor (my preference) then the white bench top will look great. The kick board should be white to match white tiles and the bench will look like it is floating. 2. If you are having 'light' colours, and white basins, then the white bench top. 3. If you go with black benchtop with 'light colour', then I think you need to look at a black basin and keep the kick board black.

OK, no wonder the photo looked weird. The kitchen supplier would be able to do the whole thing for you, so you don't have to try to match anything and the hole for the basin could be cut into the bench top anywhere you want it. The only problem is the plumbing, the cheapest way to relocate that is by extending any pipes and that takes internal space from your vanity. Glad you have lived with the semi-recessed sink, I've heard many others complain. Have you checked out basins though - there is a good range of sizes and shapes now. I bought an off the shelf-vanity-for my main bathroom, but it was still made up fresh for me so I had the option of the colour, bench top colour, size and style of the basin and where I wanted it for no extra charge - have you double checked on that? Check out Laminex's range online and phone them for samples - they are very happy to do this. I went back to Laminex to save money on my kitchen reno and used the Diamond Gloss Polar White. It always looks stunning and I really love it now. Have you also checked the existing vanity will come out ok without damage to the wall tiles? Also is the floor tiled under the vanity - that will present problems for you if it has not been done. Theoretically it should be, just depends on whether corners may have been cut. Good luck with it all - oh to not have to think about budgets!!

Ideally you would want 900-1000mm clear space in front of your vanity and for walkways, unfortunately we don't live in an ideal world and have to work with what we have. 700mm would be the absolute minimum width for a walkway to still allow reasonable passage, although I would be reluctant to go this tight. A floating vanity will help the space look larger and storage can be included in a mirrored shaving cabinet or mirror with shallow shelf above the vanity.