I see this is a very old thread , with lots of comments . I've just skim read them , but I haven't seen anyone suggest anything like my 'top-of-my-head' idea -- I love the wood , and the white contrast , but pretty boring . Whats your favourite colour , or what ties in with the other rooms ? It might be blue or red or yellow or orange or green , as examples . So paint the skirting board and around the door a pastel shade of your choice , and add a small 30cm x 30cm abstract painting featuring that colour as the primary dominant one , above ( or possibly below , or maybe even get 2 matching/complementary ones ) the control panel . One lighting crowd suggested glass shades -- I'd actually go for someothing large but wooden , in much the same shade as your floors and steps , with LED bulbs -- you can get some stunning ones around 80-100 cm in diameter ( sort of a star ball shape ) for $300-400 . Total budget then $500 plus a painter and maybe electrician , unless you DIY .

Thank you all for your comments, suggestions, drawings and photos, I really appreciate the effort you all put in to help others on this great platform. I have come up with another idea (see photos below) that involves putting the fridge on the back wall of the kitchen behind cabinetry doors (yes, I know I was adamantly against this!) and bringing the door of the pantry forward to be in line with the front of the fridge. The pantry door would also be cabinetry and the section of wall. I don’t really know how to explain this, but the wall the kitchen backs on to would be bulk headed out so it continues in line with the pantry/fridge front all the way to the ceiling. This creates a sort of symmetry in the doors of the fridge and pantry being either side of the cooktop, but without the worry of having to line the rangehood up with the apex of the cathedral ceiling....I think. What do you think? P.S. Please excuse my shoddy hand drawn sketches.

Hi BC, I thought to throw a few more ideas at you before getting trades in as OK suggested, you might find something in all suggestions that appeal to. I personally don't think it a good idea to have a combined laundry kitchen in a house, it's something that you relate to apartment living, that's why I have previously suggested that you might consider opening the laundry from the bathroom, which then gives you another wall in the kitchen space. The kitchen is small and I was going to suggest the you have a 900 glass cook top that can be used for extra bench top. This new floor plan keeps the laundry where it is with staked washer and dryer and sink which can be used for cleaning large pots. I have drawn a galley kitchen with the cook top/oven on one side with the fridge sink and DW on the other, for prep and cleaning up. I have also added a sideboard.bar/desk facing into the living room, these cupboards backing up to the kitchen cook top on the other side could be used for the load bearing wall. Where I have marked the wall oven would be bench top as you have now mentioned not wanting that, the microwave can be mounted in the wall cupboard next to the cooktop where the wall oven was marked. The wall units could go to the ceiling or have a bulk head above them I have drawn the kitchen as a galley as the distance between bench's is too wide, 1200 is as wide as you need

I think you've nailed it Michael. I don't think you need anything more in seating area. Just make sure it doesn't look too bare by the spa area in comparison.