Please ladies, enjoy your kitchens - you have to live with them all day every day. Unless you are thinking of selling in the really short term then have what you love - the next person will probably replace it all anyway, especially if you plan on being in your home for even 10 years. Kitchens are changing so much with all the new technology and products coming on the market. Mcctrish more photos of your kitchen would be helpful, I really can't comment too much with the photo you have provided, but I have just totally redone my kitchen (all for me) and I intended having a glass splashback but when the time came, I found it was just too plain and would do nothing for my kitchen. I think with the glass, you need to have a stunning feature colour to make it effective. That was my problem, there was no colour I could have to make it 'sing'. Look at photos on Houzz and you will see that glass splashbacks are the feature of kitchens. Start with the splashback before you decide anything else. Also, if you are just replacing your doors, are there any other fixed panels in the room that will be replaced also or will it be necessary for them to stay, which will then affect what you choose.

If you have not already made this kitchen I would like to help, it lacks adequate storage for good pantry space. If you need a lot of fridge space I am not sure that is the best method as it takes up a lot of space. The idea of adding the bench for the kids is a good concept but the high back means the kids can't see you all the time and they will end up on your side of the bench so they can see you. Incorporating space for the kids at the end of the island bench would be more functional for both you in the kitchen and the kids would be able to see you move around and feel a part of things. Also how will they use this space kids don't just sit still they will want a bench or something they can use to draw do homework etc. Colour contract of light and dark always looks good. If you need help call I have a kitchen company called www.louisdivine.com.au. My kitchens are more traditional styles but I can do whatever is required and given the detail used in my kitchens my prices are competitive. P.S white bench tops are not hard to keep clean and they don't date, the nature of the stone itself is easy to clean.

Take a door off and head to Bunnings. They'll colour match and tell you the closest paint colour.

One thing you might want to consider too is the finish of the bench top. Even though dark colours absorb light if you have a shiny coating on your bench top it might give you that glare effect. We have a dark green laminated bench top. And we get a lot on sun in the morning and the bench top is quite resonates a lot of glare. Opt for a matt finish in a material that won't throw a lot of light back. I have attached a photo of our bench top to give you an idea of what I mean