Hi I just thought I would leave a comment about the visibility of joins in reconstituted stone such as Caesarstone tops on islands longer than 3 metres. From a patern point of view; by selecting a style that has a fine grain certainly helps with reducing the visibility of a join. As for the join itself, the technology and tooling used to make such joints has come a long way in the last 10 years; therefore if you use a Kitchen Manufacturer who uses up-to-date stone fabrication methods, then such joins can be next to near invisible. Below is a kitchen we made with an Island that is over 4.3 metres long and has a join through the centre; where the join actually has to be pointed out to be seen. We have seen Kitchen Manufactures use the two height method but you really don't have to do this to achieve a long island. If you would like a long island, then you should not be put off by having to have a join; careful selection of your material, manufacturer and planning can achieve great results. Hope this helps anyone reading this article and the comments above.

won't get rusty meh?

True, after 13 years our timber floor has collected its share of stilleto-heel dints, dropped-items dents, dragged furniture grooves and lots more (despite really trying hard with pads under all chairs and tables). One day we will simply have it sanded back and re-laquered. I would never change for tiles or any other flooring, though. You can't beat timber for comfort, temperature, appearance and above all; not showing every speck of dust. We did the same with timber benchtops in our previous house.

Replacing the blinds and the benchtops could make a big difference. White blinds will reflect light and make it feel more spacious. ...and yes the blue benchtop has to go :) Either lighter or darker is the way to go - there are pros and cons either way. Light will reflect light but show scratches and stains. Dark will absorb light but be more forgiving in terms of stains which may be preferable for a rental. Below are some pics for inspiration. The first pic below shows plantation shutters in a kitchen and you can see how it makes a difference to the light streaming in the window. The second pic shows how a dark benchtop can look stylish. We couldn't find an example of a kitchen with timber cabinets to show you. Renovating for a rental property versus your own home is quite different. We always recommend stone benchtops and this is what all of our clients opt for as it gives them the best long term solution. Something to consider but it costs are a factor then a short term solution is probably best for you at the moment. I hope this helps.