I would not worry about rug. it will bring warmth in your pale color pallet. maybe you can take coastal feel with little bit of "world traveler's feel and add some more "oriental" or "ethnic" marine theme related artifacts or accessories. which will bring together your style.

The good kind of mad! (Most) old houses ooze character, warmth and heart as much as new ones do chemicals and cheap fittings. I am a housebody, and love being in my house - I spend my money on it, instead of out clubbing and yes, there are always unexpected costs (new hot water service, leaking toilet...), but if you were renting you would have nothing of your own at the end anyway. Three years ago I bought my first house, a fairly original sandstone 98 year old lady in need of some TLC. No builder's reports in this little town, but then she cost me less than a landcruiser... Things I planned to do, but took forever because of rusting nails, old sizing, old quality workmanship include painting the whole thing, top to bottom, pulling up axminster carpet and getting the floors polished, putting fans and air conditioning in. Things I was hoping to avoid for a few more years but can't, include replacing the original roof, swapping the three-cupboard sleepout kitchen with a bedroom, redoing the bathroom, complete with new plumbing and actual drainage to the septic pit (which I had to have fixed a bit), and then I think the best option for the back room and laundry is just to rebuild them....But I don't regret this house, or the journey it's taken me on. Even if it has turned out to be a much more expensive journey than I thought! With time and google, you can do a lot yourself. Before I moved back three years ago I had always been n provided accommodation, so had never used a drill and only changed a couple of light globes, but now... I took a chimney and fireplace down on my own, then re-pointed the stone and put in a ceiling panel to close it up. I have painted, put up shelves, taken down cupboards that were built into walls, patched cracks, filled gaps, pried off skirting boards, and generally turned it into a home. For the more major stuff, like putting a doorway through a foot thick stone wall and rewiring an original bedroom to house a modern kitchen, I am getting the professionals in. good luck!

I , as often seems the case , look at things differently . The cupboards look pleasant , and I gather you want to keep them -- without knowing their condition , I would too . The wooden window sill and door surround are great too , as is the floor . Nothing wrong with the stove and hood either ( can't see enough of the hood so I might be wrong there haha ) . I could live with the taps and the sink ( it has character ) . The tap I categorise the same . I'm sort of in-the-middle about the dishwasher and fridge -- the white doesn't quite work with the stove and even the cupboard colour . Ideally , I'd replace , but I wouldn't get too upset if I had to keep them , at least for a couple of years . So my 'don't like' list is the benchtop , cupboard handles , and the tiles . A couple of others have beaten me to it , but I'd go wood for the benchtop , OR marble or a good marble effect -- offwhites with grey and charcoal streaks . I'll let you make that choice haha . BUT I'd use the sink and tap , as I consider it ties in with the stove . So that leaves the cupboard door handles , and I'd go brass , probably antiqued brass ( darker ) but not an old style with scrolls or stuff -- modern , but as dark brown as I could get . Tiles -- probably those strip ones you get , with narrow charcoal slightly sparkly parts , silvery parts , brushed stainless parts , with a grey grout . The power point on the right I'd revert back to brass plate/surround . If I could , change the fridge and dishwasher to brushed stainless too . So you have wood , darker brown handles , the light cream , stainless , more wood , more stainless , and maybe a greyish marble or more wood .

Hi Rae, Carrara Marble has a different veining pattern to the Lucent Quartz Artic white that you asked about in an earlier post. In addition to the suggestions made by Dreamer here and by myself earlier with these man made Quartz I.E. Reconstituted Stone versions, there is also a Natural Stone alternative that you may like to consider; this being Quartzite (not to be confused with man made Quartz tops) which in addition to being Natural Stone and having the appearance of Marble, Quartzite is as hard as Granite, is non porous, and is scratch and acid proof; making Quartzite a perfect alternative to Marble for kitchen benchtops. Colours that you may like to check out may include Opus White Quartzite (top image below) or White Princess Quartzite (bottom image below). Hope this information helps, Malcolm.