The "Birch Trees" design sounds very interesting, specially if you install it behind the range hood vent and all the way up to meet the ceiling. Any way we can see a bigger sample? Is it a printed detail on glass? or and embossed glass detail?? You already have a "Wood Look" on the floor, visually communicating wood by way of branches would only reinforce the design. I would however consider an oiled bronze, or dark iron color/look (match hardware hinges/drawer pulls) as "Trim" between the subway tile and the "Branches" tiles. Also if the Birch design is printed on glass you will want to carefully consider what type of backing/adhesive you install it with as it will show through the glass.

Our island is 900 depth, 2400 wide, with a sink in the middle (opposite the cooktop), which works well for us. Plenty of prep area either side of the sink (mind you, it's a single undermount sink, about 500mm wide, with no drainboard). If we were going to use the island for actual meals, ours is only deep enough for a person either side of the sink. So, if you're thinking of having the island as a dining area, go to the 1200 depth. Just walk around it to clean it. On the other hand, if the island is going to be for prep, and a place for guests to prop up a glass of wine and chat while you're getting dinner, 900 is fine. Our dishwasher is to the immediate left of the sink, and we have pull out waste bins underneath the sink. We have 1200 mm space from island to the wall side and the range top, and about the same to the other ends. Our fridge, which isn't huge, is in a 900 mm+ cavity which would be big enough for a deeper fridge. It's in relatively the same place your fridge is, and works fine there. Hinges are on the non-kitchen side of the door, so it opens into the kitchen. Cabinets beside it are a bit more in depth, so fridge and cabinets line up nicely. 850 for your fridge seems reasonable to me. I wouldn't put that study where you have it: I think you'll need all of that butler's pantry for butlering type storage. My 5 cents worth based on new house, new experience, absolutely no kids in the equation!

Start by spending a portion of your budget on the various dream feature items that are relocatable and can be used in your final design anyway. e.g. Buy the firepit you really want - it can become the focal point of your future garden. Test it outside in your backyard for a few months. Are heaps of mozzies annoying you while you're sitting outside around the firepit? If so, then you'll know that you're going to need a gazebo with flyscreens as well as privacy curtains so you can really enjoy lying outside in your hammock year round. The hammock is another relocatable part of your design. First, lie outside in your backyard on a swag or a rug for a few hours. Is it too windy? Is there road noise? Keep experimenting until you've found the perfect location for the hammock. Then buy an inexpensive hammock and suspend it from a couple of sturdy RL4 poles. If it's working, then this is the place where you should build your future patio, that's going to shelter your hammock. Keep testing inexpensive versions of your other ideas out. Trial tea candles or a string of inexpensive white Christmas lights as garden lighting. Do they create the feel you want or do lights just attract moths or unwanted insects? What about relocatable solar garden lights? Or a portable floodlight from Bunnings? Where's the ideal place for your garden table and chairs? Test it out with inexpensive camping chairs - or chairs you already own for a few months to be sure. Then invest in the perfect outdoor table and chairs. Same with the water feature. Start with a wine barrel with a waterlily or a second hand pond off Gumtree. Can you hear the trickling water in the garden or do other noises crowd it out? Keep in mind big goldfish need deep water and space to swim. To help you in your choice of plants,look around your immediate neighbourhood. What purple, blue and scented plants are thriving in your immediate area? Who has the best garden in your street in your opinion - and why do you think that? Do you always see a particular neighbour passionately working outside in their garden? That's the person you should strike up a conversation with to get advise about suitable plants for your immediate area. Chances are they will not only give you heaps of free advise but they will probably give you plants and cuttings as well. Markets are another source of perennial plants that grow well in the local area. Plant these smaller plants into large plastic pots and garden bags and allow them to grow for a year or so. Consider herbs as filler plants - many are highly scented, can be used in cooking and often have interesting foliage e.g. choc mint, fennel, rosemary etc. After you've been using your backyard for at least a year and you've experienced all of the seasons, then invest in your big ticket items like your gazebo. Buy or build a structure that's truly practical for your local microclimate - incorporate glass, windbreak fencing, shadecloth, mozzie mesh or whatever you need to make your hammock shelter ultra comfortable. Build this structure where you've tested it and know it will work - not where a stranger who designs gardens thinks it should go. Spend the remaining money on the things you know you need and want - the stones, plants, irrigation, a birdbath, etc

Could you give us a bit more info please, re does the apartment have a dedicated dining area or is there a table in the kitchen? Does the sink cupboard house a water heater or is that somewhere else in the kitchen/apartment? Fuse box in cupboard? will you be keeping the splashback? The kitchen in an apartment I renovated and lived in was only 1.95 wide but a little longer than yours, and set in an L shape. It had no dishwasher and that was fine. It had ample cabinetry space and also room for a small drop down table which served as an extra bench space, and a dining table. I would not recommend a U shape for this size. It cuts off your space and makes it very poky. You could make the floor space feel and appear larger by removing the lower cupboards along the right hand side and putting a drop down bench table there instead, or floating bench so there is nothing on the floor there. With narrow shelves above for storage or keep that wall without anything, unless you can put built niched shelves built into the wall. What is currently on that right wall, it's hard to tell from the photo- is there a built in cabinet or servery window? I would recommend a one and a 1/4 bowl sink with a draining board on the right side. Run an L shaped bench and lower cabinets under the window and left hand wall in standard size. Upper cabinets along the left with a built in fridge space that has a cabinet above the fridge. I'd use white cabinets personally, keeping the colour scheme light. Matching colour for splash back and cabinets. Here's a picture of a wall mounted table..