External doors should be solid not hollow core. Beyond that it is as Tribbletrouble44152k7 Trek said, depends on budget and other priorities, and I'll add the house because the nicest most expensive door will look wrong if it looks out of place with the style/colours of the house. From everything I have been told a timber finish needs redoing more often than a painted finish. Edited to add, I thought to check what exactly the standard Hume XS45 1200 door is and for clarification the question is about the same style but the choice between the standard maple finish and the merbau finish? I therefore assume you intend to use a timber finish and amend my reply to ask whether the merbau is a better match for the other colours in your facade?

Daniel Lindahl - I didn't say to get rid of it - I just said to change it for something else - I have a 70's home owner built - cavity brick - Daniel sometimes it is working with what you have in order to keep costs down - paintings - if you have several - can be changed around your home for a interesting look - as our homes are our homes - the paintings - can always be shared in various rooms/walls to suit ones mood.

Hi Erin-hem, It maybe too late for changes if you have seen your kitchen designer but I would like to through you a couple of ideas for consideration. In my opinion, the sink area is always the messiest area of the kitchen. Why don't you put that on your new extended outside wall and even include a window for extra light if possible. Put the dishwasher on the left end of that pop out too so it doesn't create an unusable corner on the right side. Then build a 1200mm long wall, 600mm deep into the dining space so you can have a return unit from beside the dishwasher that connects with the island bench. This changes it from a true island bench but gives you the untidy part of the kitchen hidden but not closed off. The wall doesn't need to be full height but needs to be higher than the bench. It can be a joinery item rather than a builders item to match the joinery finishes. Behind the 1200 long wall/screen can be all your tea, coffee etc and your appliances on the bench so usable all the time but not seen from the dining and living area. It also hides the sink from view from the living area. Below bench level in this 1200 section you could actually have drawers for cutlery and crockery that go two way so you can load them from the dishwasher and take them out from the dining room side to lay the table. No need for a pantry with such a long back bench which could have loads of drawers as suggested by someone else. Keep the fridge nearest the stairs so everyone can access it and not come right into the kitchen. If you are a real foodie and love cooking for friends and family, put the hobb on the now free island side. If not, leave it where it is and the 'island bench' is now just a layout and work area and sit at bench. If you have the space, make the gap between the stairs and the bench ample. Say 1300mm wide at least. Cheers, Christine.

At least the Crimsafe doors won't take from any design features. What I will throw into the discussion is that you could put your screen door further out in the Entrance area (there seems to be half a metre or so in the photograph) and if they were double frames could latch back when required, rather than one large frame taking up all the space. Just ensure the area is covered, so visitors son't cop a deluge awaiting access. For added security, bolts could be attached to one side top and base and the other frame do most of the swinging.