The benchtop will be dark grey (the ones you see are temporary), black handles and the tiles will be white with light grey grout. The paint on the walls will stay as is (light grey). Thanks for your thoughts guys. Would anyone go all the way to the ceiling? why/why not? Does the herringbone pattern influence your decision?

Hi Lindsey, I also agree with the comments regarding adding indoor plants to fill the gaps on either side of the TV. Some great, low-maintenance indoor plants are the Fiddle Leaf Fig, Monstera (also known as Swiss Cheese Plant) and Snake Plant (Mother-In-Law's Tongue). They're all beautiful plants and very ease to take care of. Another option would be to have some open shelving on either side, similar to the one we have used in this Living Room styling below. This could work really well, especially if you have limited storage for some bits and pieces you would like on display. A bonus is that including taller items like this will create a sense of balance in the room, and accentuate the height of your wall which will create an illusion of taller ceilings. Hope this helps! - Elena

Hi Mimi, Your stone (probably Marble or Reconstituted stone as these can be damaged by acids) has been factory finished by diamond polishing to get the gloss level it has. A sealer will only help protect that factory finish and unfortunately it will not bring it back. The bad news is it is not possible to repair and so removal and replacement is the only real fix. This may be covered if you have Accidental House Insurance, but other than this, I am afraid there is no easy fix, sorry. Hope this helps though, Malcolm.

my mistake but there should be enough space to have a deeper cupboard to access the over (not under!) stair area. .even if the floor of the cupboard is higher to allow head room downstairs