I think your benchtop material choice really depends on how both you and your husband live and what level of natural wear you are comfortable with showing. Natural wood benchtops to me are very similar to natural stone or stainless steel. The surfaces will naturally age and show use, scratches and imperfections much more than say a caesarstone if it's a high use area but some people love that look and it goes well with an industrial or natural style. My wife and I thought long and hard about it but realised we want the benchtop to look as new and clean each time as possible so opted back for caeserstone (Ocean Foam) which hid small stains and dust :)

I know it's been a while, but I'd love to see some images of the end result!

okay!!! A lot of these commenters obviously thought what I did - that the cupboards are a deep browney grey!! I think the responses would have been very different if we knew the cupboards were white. If you re-read thru the responses you will see that. Perhaps try re-posting the dilemma with a better pic. One of those original tiles may actually look ok.

I think that it will look too busy with the contrasting cabinetwork and the patterned tile on the floor. But then Australian tastes and styles in kitchens tend to be cleaner and more understated than our American cousins. I would keep it simpler, with a plain large format tile to make cleaning easier and to visually expand the space. Your current tile is very busy and probably hides grease splatters very well. Best of luck with your considerations, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls