White-matte cabinets (flat panel, not shaker) and white bench (or maybe epoxy sealed marine ply??...siriuskey can tell you about that), mirror splash. Love the ceilings. I personally would go for a modern, stream-line, no handles, integrated appliances look. This space has real potential to be very cool, even with the slate. It doesn't need any more more texture or darkness. This is a nice kitchen, you should be able to sell it on ebay.

Jason: Thanks for the sketches and the the suggestions of storage cabinetry that I can put next to the fridge. Sirius: We do have a large piece of land, and our designer with lots of experience has said this would be a design that's appropriate but we have asked about the size of the house. We have put everything on 2 stories, and have not dug a basement like many places these days. So we are mindful of the space and effective use of it. I do appreciate your markup on island bench cabinet orientation and helped me understand cabinet orientation. 10anp: I do like a big bench which can be used for practical purposes (cleaning up ), but can also seat a number of people on 2 sides when entertaining, and allow deeper undercabinet storage as you said: 600mm both with still 300 overhang. I may even offset the living room side cabinet so that can have 300mm overhang for potential sitting space as well ( guess I lose the convenience of have a cabinet door facing that way that is easier to store things with the overhang). I like Sirius challenging of putting the cooktop on the island: but that is such a radical change for me: I'll think about it! Thanks all for the help - Im happy the changes have come so far! MB

Looking again at photo. Are the non flush cupboards above your cooktop? If so, then that is probably why they are set back. When you are cooking, if cupboards are flush, there may be a head room issue. If this is where your cook top is, do you have a range hood installed in cabinets? Sorry, but the different set backs would bug me. Maybe install a large stainless steel rangehood, and remove cabinets.

hi MB, I agree with your Builder, 1200 wide is too much - One metre wide is the normal standard (this should give you 900mm inner width) .. option A is my personal preference .. BUT, the 445 wide drawers will probably only give you 350mm inner width.. ……….. 350mm * 2 drawers = 700mm inner width ….. versus 1 drawer across of 890width= about 800mm inner width - AND, it will 1/2 the cost of runners … just use an inner-divider for the bottom-drawer (his vs hers) and, divvy up the 2 top-drawers .. .. a 315mm high drawer is pretty deep - it is deep enough to store a 'deep fryer' etc... but, may not be deep enough for some bottles standing-up inside-the-drawer.... ? .. . how much height will you lose? ( it depends on door-profile, runners etc ) ……………. I used a 'shark-edge profile' and lost valuable height ….. so, I recommend that you use a ' j-profile' instead... … 150mm high is a bit deeper than a Cutlery-drawer- so, okay for odds-n-sods. hairbrushes, makeup etc ....,. I am assuming that the Plumbing will only affect the Top Drawers under the basin all the best, ursula