Hi Mark, You might also check out kitchen design considerations in the Liveable Housing Design Guidelines They suggest for Gold Level that: (A) The kitchen space should be designed to support ease of movement and adaptation with: at least 1200 mm clearance in front of fixed benches and appliances (excluding handles); and slip resistant flooring. (B) Floor finishes should extend under kitchen cabinetry to enable cupboards to be removed without affecting the flooring. Where fixtures cannot be easily removed (e.g. ovens which are built in) the floor finishes should not be continued. And for Platinum (highest) Level that: As for the gold level except that the kitchen space described in (A) should be designed to support ease of movement and adaptation with: at least 1550 mm clearance in front of fixed benches and appliances (excluding handles); slip resistant flooring; and task lighting installed above work spaces. These standards are being considered for incorporation into the National Construction Code (BCA). They will not appear for a few years yet, but by considering and incorporating these principles now it may future-proof the house to some extent.

I have timber on island and laminate on rest and am happy with that. Would need to tonal,y match so it is your choice of timber or stain.

Don't look at fashion, but look at how you currently work in your kitchen. In all of the kitchen photos on Houzz there is never even a dirty coffee cup out of place. Think about your household - are they all trained to put dirty crockery straight in the dishwasher? Do you wash big saucepans and let them air-dry? Where does dirty crockery stack while the dishwasher is going through a cycle? Thinking about your households current kitchen tidiness may help you decide about the size and number of sinks and drainers, as well as if the island bench is the right place to display this clutter? Your new kitchen should last another twenty five years - don't spend it regretting that you should have spent a bit extra to move the plumbing! Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

Sadly no cabinet maker confirmed the ends are structural to the cabinetry and must on the slab as it would cause a floated floor to buckle. We are now rethinking flooring. I love the laminate product we want to use but have been told you cannot glue/adhere laminate to a slab. Happy to be corrected if this is not the case.