thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you know what laminate colour the cupboard doors are? Unfortunately where I live, I can only see small samples of stone, so there is no chance of seeing what it looks like in a larger piece or to choose my own slab. It's great to see it on an entire kitchen. Thanks again!

I agree - with Tribbletrouble splash guards that you pop over your pots/pans make a difference and cleaning the filters in your exhaust makes difference (it's insane how quickly they get manky and become less effective) - I throw mine in the dishwasher whenever I think of it and use white vinegar and a paper towel to wipe over the underlying areas. I use a home made cleaner made up of one of 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of warm water, a squirt of dishwashing detergent and a 15 drops of lavender oil - mist the cupboards and wipe over - the alcohol reduces streaking, the dishwashing liquid helps break down grease and dirt and the lavender oil just makes your kitchen smell good. (works on bench tops and splashbacks too) using either a microfiber cloth or when I do a "deep clean" (nights when insomnia hits) I do the hot soapy water with a chamois.

Unless you are looking at flipping your house in the short term the question of what is in fashion today isn't really that important. What is important is the durability and lifespan of the finish, and how long until you can afford to renovate or resurface your kitchen doors. If you are planning on a renovation that has to last a long time then I would go for a product that has proven to be a durable long-stayer, that is not affected by heat and moisture. The cabinetwork doors are a key visual element of your kitchen so spend the money on making sure that they look good and last the distance. If vinyl wrap doors were less than half the price of a 2-pack finish it may be a different story, but as they are not I would go for the two-pack everytime, and get what you like, and not what fashion dictates. Today's on-trend fashionable kitchen is tomorrow's dated kitchen. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

Can you use the bench top for the splashback? Gives a nice cohesive look.