Thank you everyone! Lockman Renovations, we had such a dilemma with the flooring. Originally it was tile (pink) with a concrete slab below. We couldn't match the timber flooring to flow into the kitchen, so we had to think of an alternative. This is the only thing I could come up with. It's ok, I like it :))

Hi Lil, I believe your original plan works much better than the revised version. While the notion of ideal working widths is great, the larger problem here is the post. I worked on a project very similar to this last year where a post could either be connect to, or separate from the island. What we found was that by separating the island the space between island and post became very awkward. It's not enough of a space to comfortably walk through or be seated at the island in front of. Instead of your room feeling open and generous in proportion, it is going to start to feel cramped and awkward. We have a kitchen in our showroom (Kitchen Studio Tauranga NZ) with a 6ft gap between bench and back wall and it works wonderfully. It allows someone to work at the sink and a second at the island with ease. Stick with the original plan. It will feel a lot more spacious, without compromising work flows.

What a beautiful kitchen! Colour really depends in the style you are looking for...I have a similar space to you and I went with this light blue/aqua tile....I love it and the first thing most people comment on is how calming it is....I wanted a casual calm beachy feel to my home and it worked perfectly for me! Another option I saw at a friend's recently was a soft ?dove grey glass subway tile (similar to the 2nd photo) in a herringbone pattern...it looked amazing with all white cabinetry.... neutral but if you love bright red option then accessories in red such as toaster kettle etc would really pop...and that way if you tire if red u can change accessories cheaper than a splashback/wall.

What a beautiful kitchen! Great use of floor space, beautiful kitchen cabinetry, pendants and always a sucker for shutters! Gorgeous light filled kitchen that the owners must feel incredibly proud to show off :)