Ok are we talking architectural designer or interior designer? Architects are more about lines and form and they grumble about the interior designers but that's who they hire to do the color boards. Either way you are the client and it's your house. It may be a great color scheme for the design but if you don't like it change it. Those sample of paint are worth every penny because you need to see more than a little chip. With your asymmetrical design you have room to vary more than the usual field or base color and a contrasting trim. I'd make a tracing of the design and copy a bunch of pages of it to use as a coloring book. (yes use crayolas:-) Another shade from the same shale grey paint chip and a one more accent color would be a good bet. If you are going subtle neutral, make it 3( not 50) shades of grey and play with where you put the darks and lights. Remember sunlight and shadows will create alot of contrast for even a "pale monochrome houses. (the computer rendering doesn't give you that.) You could add a pop a smoky teal, plum or coral if you want color as bold as you design. These would just be accents or trim. If shale grey it a really light silver you could make a monochromatic scheme with blue grays and a navy blue door and trim. The tan/beige in the rendering needs a darker grey to work. I would keep my midtone color on the lower level and a lighter shade on the second level. The top part that pop out could be a bolder accent color withe rest of the upper level almost white. Lot depends on your roof and window frames and whether you want them to blend in or pop out. Try a bunch out on paper or one of the computer programs before choosing any changes.

Hi iggs85 as it is an older kitchen I would not spend a huge amount of money on a revamp. It is definitely possible to paint laminate but good preparation is vital to ensure the paint 'sticks'. However a quality painter is going to charge you about the same as your resurfacing quote. Using either a painter or a resurfacing company does let you choose any colour though. The biggest disadvantage of the current benchtop is the bullnose which is very dated. From your photo, the colour and pattern look OK but you could get a stone 'overlay' put on it. They square off the bullnose so it looks more contemporary. An acrylic feature panel on the return is another alternative to vinyl planks. It looks like glass, comes in a good range of colours and is relatively inexpensive compared to glass. See http://zenolite.com/range as an example. You can buy acrylic sheets from Bunnings. You could also use pressed metal panels as a feature eg. http://www.wunderlite.com.au/catalogue/details/1/79/pressed-metal-crystal?start=25 Add some new handles on doors and drawers too.

Hi Suzanne The panelling in Perth is usually done with (believe it or not) Cedar panels / planks which are then prepped and painted. Most of the high end work is done this way. You can do it in MDF however and any good chippie will make it work. We recently restored a 100 year home in a Hamptons Style home and all of the stair well panels were cedar also. The second storey panelling we did had to be fabricated in MDF to get the detailed sizes and other than the dents in the old (from many years of enthusiastic use) you can't tell the difference. For skirting, a lot of the profiles are made up as one offs by builders that are used as a kind of signature. The same with doors. We made new solid doors to match the old at a timber joiner. The skirting and door profiles are usually made up by executive doors and mouldings in Malaga. They have a good range for you to start with as does Subiaco Restorations in Osborne Park. Cheers

For armchairs I’d use wicker or rattan for the look you’re after and because the gaps in their design make them seem less solid (important in a smaller space and where there is a walkway). You have the plushness with the sofa. BUT do take into account usability. If people are going to sit on the armchairs frequency and for a period of time a more comfortable chair might be a better idea. For layout - it’s a bit hard without measurements of the room and the furniture but I’d try the sofa on the wall with the mirror and the two armchairs on an L shape with their backs to the walkway. The console may need to be moved to another room due to space limitations. It looks ok where it is but I’m not sure you’ll have space when the sofa goes in.