Pests come if food is left out, no matter how tiny the crumb...it's a matter of cleaning every bench top and surface all the time. Pest control professionals will help (if done regularly enough...tho you need to question the overzealous use of some chemicals). Storing stuff in airtight containers (tho ants seem to be good at getting into everything given half a chance) also helps...or not storing at all, just buying as needed. It also depends where you live. For those of us in the tropics, "pests are as pests does"! For cockies...just nuke the suckers! Oh...and a pointy pair of shoes (cockroach crushers) for getting into the corners as you stamp on them as they scurry across the floor are always handy while maintaining a level of oh so fashionable!

My current kitchen has black subway tiles with white grout and everyone loves them. I bought my house with the existing kitchen and have changed the accent colour of the light shades and accessories from red to green in the last year (photo is pre green!) as I love retro mid bright green. Herb plants and glass containing cut herbs from my garden plus cheap black metal indust chic shelves that house lovely green china items also help soften the tiles. I would ideally change the benchtops from white laminate to med rimu type wood and steel, go for a darker grout for practical reasons and change the cupboards from this grey/dark brown laminate to lighter wood (not scandi white type though - I think is now getting dated and is to me a very cold style and not practical). I have my own style, love colour pops and I would best describe it as eco retro boho industrial chic - eclectic. Go for your style and if its not your forever house - think budget and what will be easy to update. I think subway tiles work well for updating and are classic but perhaps think colour instead of white or black as well and also grouting colour - it makes a difference.

Without a doubt Enjo works best for us. We have a fairly new kitchen and we were having trouble easily removing the marks from black matte cabinetry as well as cleaning the ‘fresh concrete’ Caesarstone without streaks ( both of these materials have lots of comments on this Houzz advice site). The Enjo works much better than the manufacturer supplied products - I think because the fibres & water remove the dirt without leaving a residue behind which can streak. Our Enjo rep is happy to pop over to show us how to best clean whatever new material we bring into the house. We have been reaIly stuck sometimes but the cloths always come up trumps. I promise I am not an Enjo rep myself, just a convert!

I have found that the white ceramic stains easily and stainless steel will make them popping sound rather than cracking under really high heat . I prefer the stainless steel and I have found this as really great option , colour sink with a stainless steel base AXIX sink . This is the website for Corian but you can clad these sinks with stone or any other product through your Joinery team