You will often find that the advice you get from your kitchen supplier will be biased based on the products that give them the opportunity to make the most profit. I work as an independent kitchen designer (therefor making my money on the design irrespective of the materials) and constantly find that joineries try to sway my clients away from what I have specified based on what makes them more money. My advice would be that you will get better long term life out of polyurethane doors, but you will also pay thousands of dollars more for them, so you need to assess for yourself if it will be worth it. Some points to consider; vacuum formed (vinyl wrapped) doors will last very well provided that they are a reputable brand and the design is considered. For quality , durability, cost effectiveness and flexibility of styles I would suggest Polytec. They back their product with an extensive warranty. A good kitchen designer will ensure that appropriate allowances are made to prevent heat issues effecting the vinyl doors. These include supplying & fitting a heat guard around any built-in appliances and adjusting the position of the wall cabinets. You willI have problems with the overhead cabinets if they are positioned too close to the stove AND if you don't use the rangehood. If you purchase a good quality rangehood & ensure that you use it when cooking on the stove the vinyl doors will be fine. Also worth noting whilst the vinyl doesn't 'chip' as such it can still be damaged, with damage looking more like the marks / scuffing you get on leather surfaces (think of the toes of your shoes). It does take a fair amount of effort to cause this damage. With the polyurethane doors you will be looking at several thousand dollars more expensive than a vacuum formed door. One of the greatest benefits is flexibility in design and colour (including the ability to have much sharper profiles). Yes it is a painted surface and any painted surface can be damaged by chipping, however the painted surface is still quite durable. The majority of damage I see is usually not from regular kitchen use, but rather from kids who have snuck in with their metal tipper truck and crashed it into the cupboards. The beauty of it is you can touch it up with some matching paint and you will probably never notice. You will also be able to remove a door if the paint is badly damaged and take it into a paint store for re-spraying (but please be aware the colour will not 100% match due to the aging process of the other doors). Essentially there isn't really one right or wrong answer, it comes down to budget and the intended lifespan of the kitchen. As far as natural granite versus stone (Caearstone, Quantum Quartz etc) I would say this depends more on the look that you are after. If you actually like the look of natural granite & have a particular variety in mind you will not find a 'stone' product to give you that look, you are better to get the granite. The cost of granite varies astronomically depending on the variety, where it is mined from, how rare it is, etc. It will usually be more expensive than Caesar Stone. Natural granite can have fault lines in it, which is basically an area which has a propensity to crack. If it has a fault line it is likely to be discovered when the product is cut to size and the stone mason will have to get a replacement. Sometimes they like to scare you into thinking that your benchtop will just randomly crack one day but it is highly unlikely to have a fault line in the first place, and if it does, it won't crack unless additional undue stress is put on it (Like walking on the benchtop to change the lightbulbs!). 'Stone' which will be referring to manufactured quartz products like Caesar Stone, Quantum Quartz, Smart Stone, Silestone etc. is the most popular option for stone benchtops today. It is a man made product and is produced from quartz, resin and various aggregates and colouring agents. It is more cost effective than natural granite, but has a much more consistent look due to the fact that it is man made. Some people who like natural granite do not like the consistent pattern within the man made stone. Other than if you want that 'natural' look, it will be the better option for you as it is generally more cost effective and is also more stain resistant. Marble is a big no-no for kitchens. It is expensive and highly impractical with propensity to stain excessively, and requires regular expensive sealing. Thinner 20mm stone is the fashion starting to come through from Europe but it really hasn't caught on properly yet. I would go with what you prefer the look of, as this will change again before the lifespan of your benchtop is up. Good Luck!

Thanks annb1997 and Bernadette Staal. Bernadette, I do like the red roof; it is the creamy yellow walls and dark green trim that I'm not a fan of... But good point though, my husband actually suggested the same thing on the weekend! :) Annb, I just thought if I incorporated some red into the trim work it would tie the whole colour scheme together. Door is currently same as wall colour, so painting it the red sounds like a good idea. And I do like the idea of fewer colours, then it wouldn't look so busy.... Currently leaning towards the soft sage green, just need to find the right shade now.

When we went shopping for dining chairs we had difficulty finding a style that was comfortable for everyone because of different leg lengths. I agree with the advice that you really need to try the chairs to find what's comfortable for you. I think your chairs look fine, simple and versatile, but their suitability might depend on what else you put in the room. I noticed one has a chair pad so is it too low or not soft enough for someone? How keen are you for a pendant light? It doesn't look like the existing lights line up with the table? So if you were to change to a pendant light there would be some patching and repainting of the ceiling involved. There's a ceiling vent to factor in also. If you have looked at the lighting stores' websites and not seen a light that you really like is that effort worthwhile? Could you post a sketch please. That will also help us understand traffic flow through the space. Is that the edge of your existing sideboard at the bottom left of the picture? Or the edge of a kitchen bench? Is that a sofa in front of it? Does that need to stay? What do you need to place/store in the room or would the console be purely decorative? Are you sure about the dimensions? My first thought was 4.9 isn't small yet the picture looks small. Then I realised it might be the angle of view and I noticed the sofa which means the room must be longer than it looks.

I'll just chip in some general advice , that you can maybe modify to suit your course specifics , and your career goals . The first thing would be the course details , and no doubt you sorted those before you enrolled . Some courses would be sort of a glorified hobby , others will lead to a job , and I hate to say it , but some may be a glorified con . By the con , I mean that somone who knows a bit about a subject may get a few people ( students ) , make the content fit the rules , and either they or you , get a govt grant or student loans or the like . IMO they aren't good value for money , and may even leave you in debt , but then again , is say a Bachelor Of Arts degree going to lead to a job for most students , or is it a way of moving away from home , having some fun , learning stuff ( often outside class hours haha ) , maybe even getting a piece of paper that some will consider no value , but other people will look at and say at least you have applied yourself , done something that interests you , and shown you can knuckle down . So an interior design assistant qualification may get your foot in the door , it may help get a job at a design store or an architects , or it may leave you in debt . Some will depend on who is organising and running the course , some will depend on what is taught , some will depend on your attitude , some may depend on your own ability . I guess my advice ( not too specific ) is enjoy it , look at the positives , take on what you can , and maybe even consider if it is or isn't for you -- it sounds like you are already involved , but weigh up everything , and keep asking questions .