Hi dinkidi4, I'm dealing with the same thing right now. I did paint some of the walls white, which have been good for the time I've been here before doing the 'real' job, however, I don't want this really textured look from the bricks as there are too many walls. I'm about to try Dulux Acra tex on a wall to see if it gives a smoother bagged finish. So still showing the brick lines but not so rough. I'll show photos of the original bricks. Dark, very textured with lots of holes and missing bits of brick as well as deep grout grooves. Such a hard decision - cost and I don't want to make it a flat boring plasterboard house. I have extremely high cathedral ceilings so not a cheap job to plaster either. Excuse the white box - I was playing with it to look at removing arches. Any thing else you've found out since would be a great help

I think thin benchtops look stingy - we have a 40mm and it does not look too chunky. Would definitely not go for the 60mm though especially if you are doing a waterfall.

Hi! We are doing similar. 3m island with 40mm benchtop in honed Nero Marquina marble; and 20mm perimeter bench in polished Jet Black granite. I feel the thicker benchtop will allow the island to ‘shine’, and to be honest, just didn’t see the point of continuing that thickness with the perimeter. My sister in law has done the same with her concrete benchtop - 60mm island bench in concrete and 20mm perimeter in white concrete and it beautiful! Good luck with your decision!

it will probably need to have sections glued together to create the depth and thickness and there needs to be fixing brackets and a waterproof seal ...collect brochures or downloads of preferred sinks and taps with dimensions and consult a cabinet maker who should be able to advise most suitable choices and recommend best timber to suit ... we recently made a modest version of your "cabinet" with a wall hung open sided box made from cheap timber counters..total cost about $200 including storage space and sink