Hi there! If you wanted to keep the organic look of natural timber, and limit your on-going maintenance and costs, porcelain timber-look tiles would be a practical option. The designs available now are amazing, and there are huge benefits when using a technical porcelain product over natural material, ongoing costs being just one. I won't clog up your question with more details, though I am happy to help further, just ask! Check out this link : https://www.houzz.com.au/discussions/par-ker-timber-tiles-dsvw-vd~1163160 Hopefully it's both helpful and interesting. Best of luck!

The vergola option with louvres is very expensive but also very effective as it provides so much flexibility in all types of weather. If you are outdoor people then this may be worth the cost. Coming down in cost, a climber over a pergola is also a good option depending on where you live. In a cool climate make sure the climber drops its leaves early enough so the late autumn and early winter sun comes through. Conversely, if you're in a warm/hot climate then the longer the leaves stay on the better. Some deciduous climber and trees lose their leaves quite late. Awnings are also very flexible but may not allow wet weather usage. Of course this depends on the type and size of awning. Oops, I just noticed this was originally posted in 2014. I hope you've sorted it out by now.

yep, stunning. I been drawing something similar for a while and it's awesome to see your ab fab results after your OP. I got interested in some ikea solid timber benchtops, not nearly as nice as yours, and thought I'd combo them with black cabinets, white stone and white walls (just a "what if" design). so I totally love your kitchen. it's great how well the tiles look now compared to when you first posted, they really excite me! and the lightshades against the black wall. and what's that dining area I see? that smoked glass table top with timber trestles and black chairs and that black and white rug? where you get those?! I want to see more! congratulations, it's hard not to gush! big ups to Mldesign too.

Depending on your budget I’d paint the cabinetry, replacing the doors if you can afford to and just painting them if the budget is tight. Just a thought, maybe it’s possible to fill that detailing in the doors to make them appear flat once painted. Not sure if it’s possible. It’d be a shit of a job but then you’d have solid wooden doors. And new handles. The same with the tiles. Paint is a cheaper option. New tiles would give a better finish. Remove the window valance. Perhaps resurface the benchtop with a product like rustoleum. Replacing the oyster light with something more contemporary. Open shelving can look great and lighten a space but think about whether this compromises your storage capacity. Everything will be on show. I think if you paint the cabinets then the floor won’t look so bad as there will be separation between the similarly coloured floor and ceiling. Cork is great in kitchens as it’s soft so it’s easy on your legs and back and forgiving if you drop things. It’s also making a comeback, as are timber ceilings. I would choose soft flooring for a kitchen over hard flooring. Kitchen floor tiles are a pet hate of mine. In my next build we’re putting rubber or cork in the kitchen. You’d struggle to put a double oven next to the fridge as it’s a thoroughfare. You’d also lose your pantry. Is two side by side 60cm ovens a possibility where your oven currently is?