Asko is the best dishwasher we have had, can do top load only and they have a model that is same width as normal but taller. Have not heard many good reports re the draw type washers. We are building and will put the dishwasher up higher with a draw under for storage. So much easier on the back!

Thanks everyone! We will live it with now. @ cloudpants and suzineedsahouse - The ideas about putting something on the bench to distract the eye is a good idea. Maybe a nice plant? @ Elements at Home - That's an awesome idea. One big door on heavy duty hinges. We'll use the drawers mostly, so we won't be opening and closing them often. I'll definitely investigate that option further. @ dohraine - Only one drawing out of the 60 or so drawings showed the position of the taps in correlation to the doors. But, on paper the difference really wasn't that noticeable. The bench is Caesarstone. The pictures are a week or two old so the filing is all complete now (or it should be, I haven't seen photos of the interior in a while). I'm not sure just replacing the Caesarstone and sinks is a viable option.

@mwenn, I sort of do agree with you that hiding everything away till it's needed seems a little fake but when you live in a home as I do at present, with a very tiny kitchen and everything is out because there's nowhere to put it away, consequently, I have a very limited prep area, so in my new kitchen, I can't wait till everything is in a draw or in a cupboard, so that I can enjoy the freedom of having a clear work area. That doesn't mean I won't enjoy a cooking day where everything is brought out for it but most everyday cooking in my opinion, doesn't require all the big gun machines to be taking up bench space. I'm afraid you might think my new kitchen will be one of these "fake" kitchens but I can assure you it won't be but remember most of the photo's that get shown on Houzz, have been professionally prepared for the photo, with nothing out of place, "minimalist" with a perfect vase of flowers and so on like the photo above!!

hi MB, I agree with your Builder, 1200 wide is too much - One metre wide is the normal standard (this should give you 900mm inner width) .. option A is my personal preference .. BUT, the 445 wide drawers will probably only give you 350mm inner width.. ……….. 350mm * 2 drawers = 700mm inner width ….. versus 1 drawer across of 890width= about 800mm inner width - AND, it will 1/2 the cost of runners … just use an inner-divider for the bottom-drawer (his vs hers) and, divvy up the 2 top-drawers .. .. a 315mm high drawer is pretty deep - it is deep enough to store a 'deep fryer' etc... but, may not be deep enough for some bottles standing-up inside-the-drawer.... ? .. . how much height will you lose? ( it depends on door-profile, runners etc ) ……………. I used a 'shark-edge profile' and lost valuable height ….. so, I recommend that you use a ' j-profile' instead... … 150mm high is a bit deeper than a Cutlery-drawer- so, okay for odds-n-sods. hairbrushes, makeup etc ....,. I am assuming that the Plumbing will only affect the Top Drawers under the basin all the best, ursula