Hi Joaney & Lainy I also use only windex on all my bench tops. The granite I had before was a white with a few burgundy streaks and gorgeous highlights through it. Can't remember the name, might have been River White but not sure and I found nothing stained it at all. The marble in my bathrooms I have now look very expensive and impressive but I know every single mark on them even though a visitor mightn't pick them out. In my kitchen I now have Caeser stone and if you want a virtually indestructible bench top this would be it. I have blackbutt timber floors and as they have a lot of color, I chose all white in the kitchen with just a tiny fleck. I just love granite because of the beautiful grains you get running through it.

I probably would steer away from black if you want to keep the country theme

I wouldn't have timber around a sink or other wet area but I do have a large spotted gum island bench that I just love. In a previous kitchen I had a very deep timber island bench with the stove top into it and, again, that wasn't a problem – because all the things you have to do to maintain the timber bench are just the same things you need to do to have a clean kitchen work area. Maintenance is wiping it over every day (and often several times a day depending on activities) but isn't that what you'd do regardless of the material? Once a week (or even a fortnight if it's been a quiet time) I polish it which means tidying away everything that has collected on it – but, again, regardless of material the tidying away part has to happen regularly and then you may as well give whatever surface it is a good rub. So I don't really understand the chorus of 'But timber takes too much care and maintenance'. The issue of a natural material showing its age and use (patina) is another furphy in my opinion – timber looks better and better as it ages whereas many other materials just look shabbier. The timber glows in daylight and under lights, is quiet, warm and welcoming making it a natural place for people to gather and chat, have a cuppa (or something stronger) and something to nibble on, read the newspaper, make a phone call, do a crossword, whatever ... And it becomes more beautiful as it ages.

you will love this weeks post then, going by you wanting a Scandi look that would include timber, do you have any plans of either bathroom and kitchen to see what the spaces are divided up into cheers