The charring of wood as a method of preservation is nothing new and was known to European and Mediterranean builders as well as Asians. I have for years charred the bases of deck posts and such as a rot preventative. The practice is mentioned in John Fitchen's classic book Building Construction Before Mechanization. Some of the samples of this shown above are a bit crude. The most beautiful finishes of this type are rather labor intensive as some of the char can be brushed back off to some extent to reveal wood grain. The planter shown below has been coated on the interior with linseed oil, blackjack and turpentine and then set alight with a roofer's torch. The finish is cooked into the wood producing a carbonized insect and decay resistant surface. It gets filled with soil and so the char will be seen only at the edges.

Thanks, Sylvia. This is the first time I have had timber in a new build. The stairs are only a bit over one year old, do not get heavy traffic and have no visible or noticeable scratches. Having said that, I just don't know the exact product the painter used, but I will post it as soon as I find out. The painter is very exacting and fussy about what products he uses.

with the cost of the appliances you've chosen the additional cost of the wider stone should be worth it to achieve the results you need but 950mm may not be enough to achieve the clearance needed to slide the fridge into the space...consider raising the fridge up higher (easier to view the contenets too) and add a wide timber edge around the stone counter to add a feature with the extra depth needed

What would you like advice on? Is the dark wood a problem?