Louise, your dilemma is one that pops up every other week: White kitchen. Stainless steel appliances. Seeking attractive, elegant and refined darker splashback that is good with kids. Willing to commit to relationship so should age well. Nothing too bold - something mama can adore too. If you live in Melbourne, visit the Urban Edge Ceramics store. It's more art gallery than showroom. Look at the Mutina line. Pictures can't do the gorgeous textures or it's subtlety and colors any justice. Be swept off your feet and overwhelmed with desire by your cooktop or kitchen sink...

with a lot of helpers crowding around to help i suggest that the new kitchen needs to be zoned for tasks and be open plan without a separate pantry...this rough idea has a central island about 2m x 3m surrounding the column and walkways approx 1.5 m between counters, subject to available space with the column the island has mostly underbench drawers for pantry food storage, crockery and cutlery and the counter is for food preparation, serving, sorting and distributing clean and dirty cookware and bags of groceries etc and has a small extra sink but no more than a couple of stools to keep the workers moving!!..Subject to suitable access the central space under the big island (would be about 60cms wide, 90cm tall and almost 3m long!) would be ideal to store folding tables and chairs and "christmas" supplie in wheeled storage crates or pull out kitchen island trolley..There's a full size fridge and freezer as well as an underbench drawer fridge next to the tea, coffee & toast area,with cup glasses and breakfast supplies in the overhead cabinets..twin dishwashers with double sinks, hot cold water dispensers, pull out garbage bins and a modern insinkerator or compost disposal in the sink area..the cooktop and food prep area is on both sides of the corner with big appliances underneath, and serving plates and casserole dishes etc overhead..The base cabinets should be deeper than normal for more generous counters and giant cooking equipment and appliances stored underneath and to have shallow splashback shelves for herbs,oils, sauces etc and there's a stacked wall oven and microwave and a stacked wall oven with warming drawer and vertical shelves above the ovens to stand up trays, racks, cake and pizza trays and drawers below the ovens for saucepans and baking dishes...decorative finishes and fine details need to be determined by the resident cook for personal taste and everyday comfort

I would not go with any of your options. I would continue bench and overhead cupboards with appliances and sink in a U shape taking up the whole wall space. Then purchase a skinny appropriate proportioned dining table. This could also utilised as a preparation surface as well.

Ive got a dark kitchen, probably colonial pseudo baltic pine. Timber cabinets, and oregon timber worktop. Im not in a position to change too much. My greysink corotone, ugh needs replacing, Im sick of it, and it stains horribly. Ikea tap has failed. I started looking for double sink s/s and then the job got bigger and bigger. My current sink is 500 x 1146, Ive got a s/s ready to go that maybe is a smidge smaller on the length. I was going to get my plumber to take out the old sink, as Im not sure of the exact cut out size. that wld give me the opportunity to re-do timber. The oregon benchtops have worn in one place, they were treated with 2 pack 30 years ago and are a dark honey which I dont like. I started sanding the bad part of the bench top down and have completed a good 1/2 square meter. I dont want to put another 2 pack on the benchtop. I researched organoil, that will take 2 coats, but it will make it darkish. They suggested that if I wet a small part of timber with water, then that will be my finished colour....did that not that keen looks to similar to what Ive had for years. I then got it into my head to limewash in a very light ivory (not white) and Feast Watson have suggested their Liming white for floor finish and 2 coats of Cabots clear water based sealer. Has anyone limewashed kitchen benchtops and what did they use to seal it in? Apparently water based sealer does not go yellow. Not sure how long wearing water based sealer is. The organoil may be the go, but I would like something lighter.