Not really adding anything new here, but I would consider painting the recess behind the fridge dark, and pendant lights over the island, but not not necessarily dark pendants, something lighter to tie with the rest of the room, brighten it up a bit and define it more as its own space. A large fruit bowl (white?), plant, vase etc on the benchtop will make a huge difference on its own as someone suggested. I would play with that a little first to see what difference it makes before making big changes. Lighter stools could also make a big difference. Put a bit of fabric/clothing etc you have around over the seat pads and see how it would look with new colours to lighten them up too. Your room seems really close to being fabulous.

I have only seen one wooden bench top that has managed, over time, to keep the wet out and avoid that black mouldy creepage where the water splashes behind the taps and around tap inserts. It was built by a carpenter and then the owner applied oil to gain the colour desired before applying several coats of marine epoxy (several = at least 5), sanded back before every new layer. It was burn proof and the colour locked in by epoxy coat with no maintenance required (until a visitor put a burning pot on it and left it there while attending to fire on stove, still... only left a black ring. That said, the owner promptly got out the sander and ground back until black ring was no longer charcoal texture, then reapplied oil and layered epoxy until black ring looked like it belonged (can't do that with any other surface I can think of?). After 15 years there is no sight of the insidious black mould from water penetration so I suppose it is the same recipe as with most thing successful projects in life, research, research, preparation, preparation, preparation and don't falter at the finish line.

overlapping comments and questions!!..i would have less glass in the room but more carefully positioned but have the walls already been built? and you said the joiner wanted 1500mm on either side of the heater and with the heater, say 900mm+ 1500 + 1500 =3900mm leaving only 700mm for the window seat along that end wall so don't think the corner position works any better but, assuming that the window seat is essential for seating crowds, i suggest that the western window could be shorter with bookshelves on sides and above the window leaving north and south walls for the couch and heater (although the heater and couch in my first suggestion could also be swopped over) but it's difficult to be precise without accurate window sizes and the orientation and direction of best views ....to have pendants for dining tables would make it impossible to rearrange furniture so i would have ceiling spotlights evenly distributed around the room with pendants only over the island...and i'm wondering about the room outside the living areas (an entry foyer perhaps??) and other options for the heater and piano but we need names and measurements of all the other rooms to make any other suggestions and/or could you use a heating cooker positioned in the kitchen?

Hi Vicki, I would like to put if my two pennies worth too, please: And go back a step..... The scullery: you have a sink and dishwasher in there? If so why not have the 1 1/2 sink and drainer in there. On the island have just a little sink for rinsing veg, filling kettle, topping up saucepan, rocks for the scotch water supply but with no drainer in the island? Then the major dirties will go straight to the scullery and island sink is for smaller usage. And I would put it not right at the end maybe but towards the dining end to allow the longest usable bench for prep. The design of the scullery does not seem quite right to me. There is a dead corner: yes I know that is one of my pet hates. But also is this going to be a pantry for store of foods and or do you envisage using it with appliances on the benches? If it is either of these do you want to dirties mixed with the food prep and store? Solution: have two benches facing each other. the one backing bedroom(?) use for sink, DW and second 'frige. Separate. The other for appliances on bench and food store above and below. I would incorporate the pantry cupboard into pantry room bringing the door along to the front of the main fridge. Then put the oven tower next in the kitchen: it is in a safer place and close by to mix master (on bench in pantry) for slipping a cake into! The high things are then altogether and the bench will slip down to the day bed being a more relaxed aesthetic. I know I hear it you want the cook top centred to look lovely! Possible you still can do that but as long as there is at least 1200 benching beside it for a USEFUl piece of bench. Yes as someone earlier said you can use an under mount sink and have grooves in stone for drainer but I wonder about the cleanliness of the hidden seal. The stone will chip on the edges of the sink, the outer edges of the island and all benching if the boyz are not careful: a school ruler or wooded spoon handy for clumsiness might be a good disincentive for rushing!! I hope this helps and doesn't thro a turkey among the souffle! Cheers, Margot