Hi Carmel, I'm not a architect and I do value everyone's professional opinion, but can't help thinking that perhaps you and your husband are both right. The breakfast table would look great in a natural stone, it is the where you eat, have tea or wine on, maybe a small project, entertain or have a fork fight on. Choose a granite or marble that's going to tie in with the splash back and your lovely timber floors and go with a wow factor like a stand out vein or run of colour in it. Makes it interesting. As for the rest a dark or even black solid surface or laminate is ideal. I find them soft and touchable, easy to maintain, a pleasure to work on and it adds the extra modern elements that's missing from this lovely galley style kitchen. Corian is another brand of solid surface but a textured dark laminate from A reputable laminate supplier should do it too. Make this room an energy that you want to be in not just look great. Kind regards Marina.

Ohhh, the black sink...they show everything,hope yours does not...but I like the black handles

All black and dark colours show marks and fingerprints badly.

All kitchen cupboards mark easily, with oil from hands, or from opening cupboards while preparing food. And just general usage. In the right angled sunlight, no matter what coloured cabinets, you will see the every day marks. As with anything in your home, if we regularly clean the cabinets, then that is the best we can do. There is a fingerprint free, apparently, product available. Polytec venette. Maybe look into that product.