Thanks Ladies! There are four down lights on either side of those light already (LED bright white - so at night it is fine I am more after helping to lighten up the whole place during the day). We chose those lights so that the natural light from outside is not obstructed. We had a big round light before that and it blocked it out. We have solar tubes in our kitchen already and love them - this is but just one area of the house where we have these coloured doors there are 7 others in the open space leading to different parts of the house - I chose this angle as it shows the two types of doors I have to deal with. Can't change the table - it is really expensive and hubby did not like any of the lighter ones when we were looking. Our old table blended in to the floor so table had to be lighter or darker. The rug under the table and chairs help to break it all up. Am considering more small solar tubes for that particular area too.

Thanks to nickybaruch I am now considering doing the floor (which is now sanded back ready for finishing off) with white liming with a slight tint colour in it. Some say you have to be very careful when liming. Is this a problem? I would have thought it would be just like putting on a stain? Anyway doing it that way we would still see the grain of the timber floor which would be lighter than the dark cedar it was before and keeping the pine lined ceiling with the cedar coloured beams will blend in well I think with the lighter timber floor and the white walls we now have. What do you think?

It doesn't look that bad. I'd go with rugs inside and out to draw your attention away. If you go with a stain, you can get grey stains. Bunnings have a Hunter Grey.

Look at 'Iron Ash'. Its a treated version of what you're after. Don't know anything about it but seen it recently on the web. Overall avoid Merbau as mentioned above, as well as being an imported 'sustainably' managed timber.... Use local product's when available as they're manufacturered to high standard's, supporting local job's, companies must meet tight regulation's, etc. unlike other countries....