Hi Sue, I think it would look amazing if you used some tiles with a bit of texture. The wood look tiles that are popular at the moment would be an example. If you chose a colour that toned in with your floor you would get a really nice cohesive look but with a bit of interest. I've attached a photo of a recent design of mine as an example. Just a suggestion!

We did pressed metal splashbacks on a display in a kitchen showroom I used to manage, and as such many of our clients opted for the same look. Powder Coated is definitely the way to go. It stands up really well for durability and is in fact relatively easy to clean compared to many splashbacks. Often people think that glass or stainless steel are the easiest for cleaning, but due to being such a flat reflective surface they show up every splash and if you're going to clean them you really have to clean the full length of splashback. The textured surface of the pressed metal means that it doesn't reflect the same amount of light so you are able to get away with cleaning it less often, and you can also get away with just cleaning the dirty area rather than the full length. The biggest difficulty we found was getting the splashbacks installed as there aren't really any tradesmen who specialize in fitting pressed metal, and those that were willing to cut & fit it were concerned about what would happen if they damaged the paintwork. We had the panels cut to size first before they were powder coated to minimize the risk of chipping the surface.

I do like the lines created by the benchtop, the low splashback and the upper shelf. But the overall look is just a little too clinical, due to the high contrast between black and white. The stainless steel accentuates that too. Your timber shelf is on point though. All in all, nothing that some good styling can't fix :) I would start by removing the items you currently have on your shelf, as they don't seem to belong to this new kitchen. As many commenter pointed out, I would also replace the powerpoint sockets with black ones. Finally, I would add "texture" to the space: a large rectangular cheese board made of timber and marble (not round, not rustic), a trailing plant, such as a pothos, some sleek ceramics of different sizes (vessels, jugs, mugs, etc). Adding bright colours will only enhance the sense of contrast, and will not soften up the room or the black, so I would stick to neutrals or very light colours: nude, taupe, light terracotta, sage green, etc. Black could also be added onto those shelves, but by small touches only: a couple of matt black mugs maybe, or a smallish B&W photo, in a larger timber frame, with a large white mat around it, to give it breathing space. I would not add any more stainless steel or chrome finish, as cold metallic shades will only enhance the sense of, well, coldness. Brass or copper could added, but again, by small amounts. For some inspiration, look up some minimalist, Scandinavian kitchens with open shelving. Actually, your shelf doesn't have to be for kitchenware only. You can display all sorts of things (that won't be damaged by cooking grease, or that can be easily cleaned), so don't limit your search to pictures of kitchens! Another way to upgrade your kitchen would be to add washable wallpaper on the section of wall between splashback and shelf. Depending on the style of your home, and depending on what you like, you could be adding: - an industrial touch (with a recycled bricks look, [like this one[(https://www.houzz.com.au/photos/aaron-and-megan-marrickville-contemporary-kitchen-sydney-phvw-vp~46088368) or [this one[(https://www.houzz.com.au/photos/glen-iris-residence-contemporary-dining-room-melbourne-phvw-vp~15444377) or even [that one[(https://www.houzz.com.au/photos/kitchen-transitional-kitchen-london-phvw-vp~22949355) - a graphic [grey and white pattern[(https://www.houzz.com.au/photos/camp-hill-kitchen-feature-wallpaper-splashback-contemporary-kitchen-brisbane-phvw-vp~59346323) - or, why not, some beautiful foliage Good luck, have fun, and please, show us your progress!

I agree with Paul. In this case I probably would have used the white tile you have used on the other two walls for the far wall as well. Because this is a smaller sized bathroom, the back wall now seems closer, whereas if you kept up with the white it would have made the room feel bigger. You've done well with the placement of fixtures though, it's always a tough job when a bathroom doesn't give you much space. - Jenna