hey! Great question! Could you share a wider shot of the kitchen too?

Agree a few more photos would be great. I had a look at your ideabooks and you seem to like a bit of colour, and a mix of traditional elements with a few shots of modern industrial.

The chair and table look lovely but a bit brown. A colourful rug underneath would lift the dining area.

Depends on your budget??

The kitchen looks good except the splash back (it's clashing). The kitchen, floor and bench top all work together. I'd get rid of the aqua glass and it replace with an appropriately coloured tile (cream/beige).

If I was going to spend some $$ here, I'd be investing in getting better light and more flow to the garden. Either bifolds or stacking glass doors- floor to ceiling across the entire back width of the house.

If there is left over $$ I'd get rid of the pendants and get LED downlights.

Great I'm glad you like the idea. If you introduced timber floors into the space then I would limit the timber in the kitchen, maybe just the island like this picture below.

Like the general layout of your kitchen,,,but I feel, as I do when anything resembling an island dominates a kitchen space, that the line of cupboards in your last photo with the wide island top, is intruding into the space and giving a feeling of cluttering...doesn't "flow", its like a baricade...and this feeling is repeated with your lovely modular lounge facing the TV. I feel I'd have the urge to throw myself over the back of the lounge so to sit and watch TV. I'm not really good at arranging already bought furniture in a new place so not the one to tell you what to do instead...but thought I'd give you my first impression on walking into your space. One thing I don't like for kitchens is islands of any kind. If I were confronted by that row of drawers and the solid looking island top...if it were mine...the first thing to be removed would be that...sorry I can't give detailed advise of what I'd have instead as that's a very useful work space, but it would be something more ..."open", maybe even something moveable that could be tucked away under a bench and pulled out when needed. I love your beautiful table and chairs...maybe move the table to that spce or maybe even have a second, lighter coloured, plainer, very stylish and unnusual but more casual table in that space...maybe even a substantial glass-topped table.? I'd have something that was both utilitarian, substantial and even ornamental.....for the feeling of 'lightness and non clutter"? Agree with bigreader......a rug under that lovely table would give it a lift.....maybe a dusty blue? If you like browns and nutty colours then dusty blues are a good "lift" colour. Also, think of blues for window dressings...whether curtains, blinds or even internal shutters. For curtains, See if you can find some of wide vertical striped fabric...preferably different pale blues....keep away from "greeny blues". Turquoise is a popular colour but I find that, for me, it drains the warmth out of a room no matter where it is used...and if you like browns and neutrals its not the shade of blue to put with them. See the blue you have on the side of your..."island"? Well, not as bright as that. Imagine it a couple of shades lighter and paler and dusty...like the blue of Wedgewood china...very sophisticated and is a good "all-rounder" - nothing much it does not complement...AND... Wedgewood is a "warm" blue. Many other shades of blue are naturally cool or cold and make one feel that way....good for beach houses though. In general I do not like blue, you won't find any in my house...(except where I thought it would appeal to buyers when I was going to sell up)... so this is a completely unbiased opinion piece.

That's about the limit of my inspiration for your place tcmaim....Your table was my starting point. Not too many like the dark brown furniture...I LOVE it! Wedgewood blue and chocolate brown....YUM!

For other colours I see off white or even a patterned creamy hue with dusty Wedgewood blues........and I'd have that colour on the kitchen floor too! Maybe unnusual and not very "en trend" but I think it would really work well in your kitchen.. maybe even as a splashback if you did the floor..and those little "In ceiling" lights would, in my view, look really nice and cosy up th whole area.

The tall cupboard near the doorway.....for my liking it needs to be taken to ceiling height...as it is it gives the feeling of a flat pack piece that did not quite fill the gap.

LR

i would start by painting or tiling over the splash back to create a focus in maybe red. Wander to the hardware store and experiment with paint colour swatches to find colour combinations you like. Get a colour wheel to see how colours combine for dramatic effect. Have fun, be confident. Obviously brown is an important colour to tie into with all the wood. Love the table and a table runner will bring a pop of colour which can change with the seasons.

Turn the lounge suite so it goes around and under the window and put TV into a clever box( piece of furniture ( 0r something) and if necessary organise wiring to go under floor. This would open up the space!

Then put light coloured cushions on dining room chairs, paint whole kitchen warm white with a new set of cupboards above the splash back which could be painted or replaced...all white.

If the budget allows, investigate laminated wood pattern Vinyl planks for floor to include kitchen dining and lounge and then get a good size rug for lounge.

This would create a brown and white space and colour could be added with bits and pieces. PS Rethink window dressing. Even temporary Ikea drop blinds would improve the space.

Have you thought of sanding the table and chairs and restaining? What's everyone's thoughts on this?

I would definitely update the counter top, and maybe add cabinets to the back wall? I quite like the back splash but it would look better with a different countertop.

Just a few more thoughts....About the table...sanding and restaining? Yes it could be made to look ' tops'. I envisioned it in a glass-like finish but thought that perhaps the style of the table would not lend itself to this treatme t as it would be more appropriate for a formal dining room...space...meaning not an enclosed room. Anyway, the table is not the problem. To melbourne 1944...lounges with their backs to windows don't really work unless there's a type of windoe dressing that enhances the glass...like a stick on transparen patterned film, allowing the light in and creating a feel of privacy.

Vinyl planks in heavy dury walk areas tend to lose their very thin faux timber grain and begin to look worn.

I would stay light as the table is quite big and a dark colour, but if you want to stay in trends, it seems that grey/purple is the 2017 paint colour.

Maybe a feature wall in the living area?

Sophie

LightCo

LightCo...the grey/purple 'en trend' colour...its almost the shade of blue I have in my mind;s eye...just a tiny tinge less purple without going towards green.

tcmalm...lucky you to have such a brother-in-law! If you like it then go for it!

I think I'd like the windows lower and right across the back of the range...or set in a stainless steel splashback with this modern design. As I've always said...do not really settle into the idea of a sink in an island or even an island per se' I don't 'feel' that tables and islands are a good look in the same space unless there's plenty of space so that the table...and such a classic one as yours, has an area all of its own and does not seem to be part of the kitchen. Yes, with chrn a rug, as rugs go could be contraindicated but what the reason is could change that idea. If its because of food on the floor under the table..then maybe one of the new synthetic 'wipeable/mop-ables' would be nice, if you found the perfect one. otherwise a carpet one, I agree, is not a good idea. If tripping is the problem...there are those anti-slip attachments for rugs.

Must be exciting for you this new kitchen reno. Wish you FUN!