I say don't. My friends looks bad after two months. Stained with white circles from water damage. However , hers doesn't look sealed or oiled well enough. It's quite raw looking. Some woods must be more suited then others. If you don't have children and don't leave anything drying or wet on your benchtops it would be ok.

my u shaped kitchen fits within a space 5m x 2.9m .. the space between fridge and cooktop is for using the mixer and food processor, space between cooktop and sink is for standing slow cooker, toaster and air fryer and the kettle stands at the other end of the sink with plenty of benchspace all around for preparation areas ..the two corner floor cabinets are 1050 square with 45cm doors and easily fit all the already mentioned large appliances as well as coffee machine, icecream makers, slow cooker etc within easy reach and the pantry is used for food storage and has no sink or counters

Hi There, I'm a senior kitchen designer. There isn't a lot of information for me to go by to give you a lot of advice (as I might be about t suggest something to you that brings another problem with it) but I can tell you that I like the shape of the kitchen, however the flow is a bit mismatched. A couple of points to consider: - How many bedrooms is the house and how many people live there? Currently, where you have the fridge placed in relation to the sink means if you're entertaining guests or have children/teenagers in the kitchen to access the fridge while you are cooking they will cross the path of the cook making things frustrating and less efficient for you. To evade this, I actually recommend changing the orientation of the island. I don't have your exact measurements but based on what you have given I do think you've got more than enough room to do so. - As a result of changing the island orientation, I would recommend keeping the sink further to one end of the island. This way you have more of an area dedicated to seating/dining and one area more so to the dishes. The orientation I have suggested will also allow for additional depth as opposed to the standard 900mm - it will be harder to splash somebody with an island depth of 1200mm! Positioning the sink where I have it is a very social setting - allowing seating to be around the island so those seated are able to look at each other as opposed to being lined up. Those at the sink (And studies do show that you spend about 65% of your time in the kitchen at the sink) are facing the dining area square on but still being a part of the action in the lounge area is also a plus. - I've bought the oven tower back to the cooking zone. Kitchen designers like to work with dedicated zones to ensure as efficient kitchen as possible. You'll see I have noted the improved work flow on my basic and very messy diagram. Studies show that best work flow will be in one continuous direction to make the process more streamlined. I have grouped the food storage >> Prep area by the sink >> Cooking area >> Serving/plating area >> Cleaning >> and crockery storage. - Secondary sink? It doesn't need to be anything big, maybe just 300-350mm means when you are entertaining you can stack those dishes inside the pantry. It's an 'out of sight, out of mind' approach. It could also be very useful to you if that was where you are planning to keep the smaller appliances such as a toaster and kettle as you'll often need to wipe things down or rinse things out. Plumbing can be very useful in these areas! If you would like to chat with me further you can flick me an email, I'd be more than happy to help you further with any advice you might seek :) Emma Gamble em.gamble@hotmail.com

Hi Vicki, I would like to put if my two pennies worth too, please: And go back a step..... The scullery: you have a sink and dishwasher in there? If so why not have the 1 1/2 sink and drainer in there. On the island have just a little sink for rinsing veg, filling kettle, topping up saucepan, rocks for the scotch water supply but with no drainer in the island? Then the major dirties will go straight to the scullery and island sink is for smaller usage. And I would put it not right at the end maybe but towards the dining end to allow the longest usable bench for prep. The design of the scullery does not seem quite right to me. There is a dead corner: yes I know that is one of my pet hates. But also is this going to be a pantry for store of foods and or do you envisage using it with appliances on the benches? If it is either of these do you want to dirties mixed with the food prep and store? Solution: have two benches facing each other. the one backing bedroom(?) use for sink, DW and second 'frige. Separate. The other for appliances on bench and food store above and below. I would incorporate the pantry cupboard into pantry room bringing the door along to the front of the main fridge. Then put the oven tower next in the kitchen: it is in a safer place and close by to mix master (on bench in pantry) for slipping a cake into! The high things are then altogether and the bench will slip down to the day bed being a more relaxed aesthetic. I know I hear it you want the cook top centred to look lovely! Possible you still can do that but as long as there is at least 1200 benching beside it for a USEFUl piece of bench. Yes as someone earlier said you can use an under mount sink and have grooves in stone for drainer but I wonder about the cleanliness of the hidden seal. The stone will chip on the edges of the sink, the outer edges of the island and all benching if the boyz are not careful: a school ruler or wooded spoon handy for clumsiness might be a good disincentive for rushing!! I hope this helps and doesn't thro a turkey among the souffle! Cheers, Margot