Polar with is a stark white and is more contemporary particularly if glossy, but it could work in a semi gloss for a more traditional feel, depends on your overall colours... I feel a warmer white or even a very light grey picked up from the veins in the stone top might work better, particularly if you're going with shaker style cabinets

Hi I just thought I would leave a comment about the visibility of joins in reconstituted stone such as Caesarstone tops on islands longer than 3 metres. From a patern point of view; by selecting a style that has a fine grain certainly helps with reducing the visibility of a join. As for the join itself, the technology and tooling used to make such joints has come a long way in the last 10 years; therefore if you use a Kitchen Manufacturer who uses up-to-date stone fabrication methods, then such joins can be next to near invisible. Below is a kitchen we made with an Island that is over 4.3 metres long and has a join through the centre; where the join actually has to be pointed out to be seen. We have seen Kitchen Manufactures use the two height method but you really don't have to do this to achieve a long island. If you would like a long island, then you should not be put off by having to have a join; careful selection of your material, manufacturer and planning can achieve great results. Hope this helps anyone reading this article and the comments above.

I'm about to put a cooktop on the 2.3 x 900 peninsular (island with only one free end ( in my new galley kitchen. I am using an induction top so it can be fitted flush with the benchtop surface, allowing me to use the whole area as benchtop when not in use. I intend to have bar stolls on the living room side for entertaining. My joiner has suggested making a beautiful, thin timbercover to go over the glass induction surface for added protection. I just need to decide on down draft induction hob or a ceiling casette. My main aim is to remove the smelly cooking smells from my unit. The smell from one evening of cooking indian chicken curry currently lasts at least a week! Any advice?

We recently did our main bathroom in vivid white - it's great for a bright kids bathroom but when we do our ensuite this year I won't be going vivid again. I find it too bright if you have lots of natural light and I want warmer and more soothing. So depends a bit on the space, the natural light and the feel you want overall. Not sure if that helps!