I personally like overheads, not only for extra storage, but also with the rangehood as don't like cleaning grime build up on top & don't particularly like the look of most canopy ones, but that's my personal preference... if you don't need the extra storage and like the canopy rangehood look (designs have come a long way and there are some pretty sleek looking ones now) then don't worry about the overheads... other stone bench tops brands are Essastone and Silestone, all the same product, Caesarstone just more known/popular as been in AU the longest... I totally understand what you mean by creating contrast, though the Atlantic Salt is a little busy for my personal taste, but could be the look you're going for and kind of depends on the existing lounge/dining... have you considered maybe a 'marble look' bench top?

Hello bellenell69, Really like the look of those top cabinets in your first image.. and the colour!.. Not the tiles so much.. Bert and May do some fabulous tiles that would work, but you have chosen metal splash back.... If the cabinets are all hanging in a row together it won't look like a patchwork as they will all be the same colour.. I like that you tried it with cardboard boxes! Very ingenious! Consider the same idea for bottom cabinets without handles... At ikea there are hinges for a touch open mechanism.. It does make for a very stylish streamline option.. A chrome style fridge would be nice with the oven.. : ) )

Hi BC, I thought to throw a few more ideas at you before getting trades in as OK suggested, you might find something in all suggestions that appeal to. I personally don't think it a good idea to have a combined laundry kitchen in a house, it's something that you relate to apartment living, that's why I have previously suggested that you might consider opening the laundry from the bathroom, which then gives you another wall in the kitchen space. The kitchen is small and I was going to suggest the you have a 900 glass cook top that can be used for extra bench top. This new floor plan keeps the laundry where it is with staked washer and dryer and sink which can be used for cleaning large pots. I have drawn a galley kitchen with the cook top/oven on one side with the fridge sink and DW on the other, for prep and cleaning up. I have also added a sideboard.bar/desk facing into the living room, these cupboards backing up to the kitchen cook top on the other side could be used for the load bearing wall. Where I have marked the wall oven would be bench top as you have now mentioned not wanting that, the microwave can be mounted in the wall cupboard next to the cooktop where the wall oven was marked. The wall units could go to the ceiling or have a bulk head above them I have drawn the kitchen as a galley as the distance between bench's is too wide, 1200 is as wide as you need

I'm still at the dreaming stage for my kitchen reno and like many parts of your new kitchen, Jodes. One of my bug bears with my 35 yr old kitchen is the approx. foot gap between top of upper cabinets and ceiling. So I like to look at how people are doing kitchen cabinets for ideas. Wondering if there was a reason you didn't do cabinets to the ceiling or install a bulkhead?