Just a few thoughts. I like the overall concept of the kitchen but it is rather disjointed. I agree with clearing everything off the surfaces and trying to keep them free miss a feature bowl for the island. You could add an eating area as this would make it more purposeful but I would not do it if it compromised the size and functionality of your living area. The piece of timber joining the two walls at the entrance seems superfluous and I if was removed it would instantly look more contemporary. You could extend those walls up to the height of the cabinets and repaint in a lighter colour. This could reduce your light but this can be dealt with in other ways. I love wood cabinets but the top ones up look heavy- perhaps they could be painted a light colour to reflect the light coming in from the entrance but I would revisit your lighting in general. There is a lot of timber with the floor, cabinets and ceiling and this makes the space quite dark? if you did extend your walls you might find the kitchen darker so paint cabinets. I like the idea of wallpaper but only if you have an even shaped wall and if the pattern works with your living scheme. Whatever you do with your walls will need to correspond with the adjacent entrance walls. You didn't mention your budget but I would start at the simple end and if it doesn't give you the result you want move to the more complex solutions. All the best

i suggest 1200mm is the minimum along the length of the island and 90cm at the ends (providing the island is less than 90cm deep) but it really depends on the size of the island and the rest of the room

Jessica Craig, I thought you might like to know this. When my daughter was a baby and I took her for swimming lessons, I met another wonderful Mum Wendy and her daughter, Sophie. Sophie's father had recently passed away and so Wendy was trying to adjust to the hand that fate had dealt her. They had not long purchased their house too. We have remained very close all these years and I can report that both Soph and Wendy are a force to be reckoned with. Sophie (now 15) is a talented singer, is doing well at school and has oodles of personality. Wendy is studying online and working towards fulfilling her dream of one day writing a children's book. The house has been renovated and is a very warm and welcoming home. It has not always been an easy road as single mum for Wendy, but it continues to get richer as the years move by. I hope that in some of your harder moments, this may bring some small level of comfort to you.

Hi Siriuskey, oklouise, and Leanne, A big thankyou and an apology for such a delay in me responding to all messages. Things got really hectic here. We have given it some more thought and have had a bot of a brainwave and really interested to hear what you think... we are thinking to shift the cooktop to the island bench and make it an induction cooktop. That would give us a lovely big pantry too. I'll draw up a picture and post it. I have also managed to get a fairly basic 3D program but I'm very much a novice at it still!