Agree with all 3 above, immerge - yes have pantry next to fridge and take bench all way to wall, so longer, take away those cupboard on the wall above bench to extend bench space, ea100 - yes you could extend bench so wider. If you have the budget I would try to change all the laminate to another more neutral colour like a very pale grey or antique white. Love bbean's suggestion of a taller table that can go under the bench or even be turned at right angles to the bench when you want a more sophisticated table arrangement or 4, using bench as extra serving dish area. Occasionally I will put our table under our kitchen bench if I want to serve food as a buffet for visitors - works very well - have done this even for a tupaware party and then all chairs faced the demo area, worked well.

Hi, I would paint it with chalk paint, no sanding ( I use Annie Sloan - not available at Bunnings ) have a look at purple lady painting tip page, the best I have read. I use the soft clear wax to seal. I really like the depth of the paint. You could leave the bench wood or replace, I wouldn't use chalk paint on bench top, or any other paint. Chalk paint is expensive but saves priming and sanding so maybe more comparable when you do that sum. Changing the knobs will give a revamp as well. If you do choose an Annie Sloan paint and want white use the antique white, it has much better coverage than the pure white. I buy the paint on line as my nearest stockist is 160 kms from where I live. I use correct brushes as well, very expensive but I do take very good care of them, I was them out in softly and gently scrub down the bristles with a soft scrubbing brush

I agree the above suggestions are perfect for this very modern and edgy duplex. Does the artist's rendition reflect the colours and/or materials you plan to use on the exterior: black, white, grey (brick or concrete) and timber? If so, some continuity of colour and material (timber) for your interior will keep it a cohesive and beautiful. You mentioned polished concrete floors. May I ask what colour they will be, if they will have aggregate or not? Which timber do you plan to use as cladding for eaves and front decking/porch? I ask because you may wish to use the same in parts of your interior. i agree white is good interior wall colour. I really like the idea of white cabinetry in kitchen with a dark base cabinet in island bench (if you plan to have one). There are good photos in Houzz to show how this looks. what material do you want for benchtops and vanities? your project is very interesting, Wilson!

Hi Trish. Absolute Matt and Matera are ultimately the same product, different brands. They are ultra-matt surfaces which are generally good at not showing marks. There is another product, fenix, which is aesthetically the same but you can also repair scratches with an iron. Laminate benchtops can last a lifetime with the right maintenance and similarly, stone benchtops can wear fast if not maintained well or abused. Kitchens on average are replaced every 7 to 10 years so if you are likely to follow this trend it wouldn't make sense to invest in stone. However, if you are likely to maintain your kitchen for a lifetime as is, then yes stone would be worth your consideration as you can repair the surface later on. If you do look to stone, I'd recommend Silestone which is abcked by 25 year warranty, the longest I've encountered.