Perhaps a vinyl wall decal like the photo below? Here's a company that says theirs sticks to glass. The decals are removable. http://www.wallslicks.com/Cherry_Blossom_branch_wall_decal_sticker_p/chbl.htm Another thought might be a window film (see pic #2 but not necessarily that pattern!)

Neryl, like you I'm trying to decide should I replace my kitchen (total redesign) renovate (new bench, stove etc) or larger renovation (bench, doors, stove, etc). My dilemma with the Renos are there is always a little bit more to do; the stove won't fit into the existing space or the new sink is now in metric and won't fit and of course what about the taps??? As with your kitchen I have a breakfast bar that I'm thinking of removing (swinging back 90 deg to the wall running down from the sink, but what do I do then will the floor. The whole area would have to be done. As soon as you start one job there are four or five that will follow. So do I want to spend big dollars on a new kitchen, really I think that is the question. I would say to you don't pending anything at all until you have really thought through exactly what you want and what you can spend, don't through money away on a patch up that you will find in the long term unsatisfactory. About the design though, if you are renovating your house, what is behind that wall the stove is on and what space is there in front of the breakfast bar, where you stood to take the photo? Perhaps you could take a wall out and like me open up your space.. If you can put in a skylight for both light and aesthetics. But the only thing I would say though about the previous comments is unless you want to spend hours cleaning don't go for shelves and open displays unless you cook outside. I have a 'Chinese' kitchen and it tends to be very greasy but friends who have regular cooking and open shelves say they have to not just wipe the shelves over but clean all the display item really very often. I'm sorry all for having so much to say, I've never contributed before to something like this but I do really enjoy reading all the posts. Cheryl

Liz, You have beautiful cupboards. I love your integrated dishwasher, and the designed space for the microwave. It should fit your new oven perfectly. But here's the thing: the thing that makes your cupboards beautiful is the timber doors. As wood mellows, it would be hard to match in new "door" elements - you could tell the old/new. If you are basically happy with the layout, then refreshing the benchtops and a new stovetop doesn't need a kitchen company. You need to work out your new stovetop, as you need to know your cutout. Then get some graph paper from the newsagents, and measure up. You can go directly to a local stonemason for a quote, or use a refurbishment company to overlay your existing top (e.g Granite transformations). (A new sink is relatively cheap and works wonders to update the kitchen!) A good handyman (or even better, a builder who just wants a bit of work on the weekend) can rip out the existing cupboards, mount a new range rangehood, and would probably be willing to take a hammer to break your connection to your dining room. Most plumbers (if its gas) or electricians are willing to connect in a new stovetop and sink for a reasonable price. It sounds to me that the only really "new" add -in is your new pantry area. You might need to be a bit clever to make that blend, even if you can't get a 100% match. If it's a full length pantry, one option might be to consider an off the shelf "door door" or even bifold, with a similar profile, so that it's sympathetic . You could then stain, or paint, or varnish to either blend in or make a contrast. Best of luck!

Thanks everyone! We will live it with now. @ cloudpants and suzineedsahouse - The ideas about putting something on the bench to distract the eye is a good idea. Maybe a nice plant? @ Elements at Home - That's an awesome idea. One big door on heavy duty hinges. We'll use the drawers mostly, so we won't be opening and closing them often. I'll definitely investigate that option further. @ dohraine - Only one drawing out of the 60 or so drawings showed the position of the taps in correlation to the doors. But, on paper the difference really wasn't that noticeable. The bench is Caesarstone. The pictures are a week or two old so the filing is all complete now (or it should be, I haven't seen photos of the interior in a while). I'm not sure just replacing the Caesarstone and sinks is a viable option.