We used spotted gum for our decking and love it! We got it for $4.25 linear metre from Masters (any lengths that were inferior they were happy to replace). Our deck was built next to our near-white pavers so merbau was out of the question due to its leaching (plus we also were wanting an eco-friendly local hardwood if possible).

Here's a video of an area of water damaged bamboo being removed and replaced Joyzzz. Maybe you'll consider replacing the area in front of your fridge. Like you I also have bamboo in the kitchen (and pot plants throughout the house), but haven't had any issues with spills marking the floor. It's a shame there's so much variation in the manufacturing process resulting in some floors tolerating spills and others not at all. I do have a damaged board though thanks to a guest leaving a tap running causing an overflow...that I wasn't told about until days later, grrr. Fortunately the damage is in a shadowed corner and the sealer is still intact, so it isn't noticeable, just a wrinkled surface to the touch. Which is lucky, because our home is earth-covered and there is nowhere for water to drain out of the sub-floor as we "tanked" it with a sealer to ensure no moisture can make its way in. That board sat there in a puddle for days! I still wonder why only one board suffered damage, very strange...

Hi Ann, thank you for your comprehensive replies, I definitely prefer a neutral palette as I am attempting to make the view the main feature of the room. I love the style of the coffee tables you chose, they are exactly what I have been looking at and agree with your comments regarding the entertainment unit, I have been actively looking for a long lowline unit (220-240cm length and 45cm high)as I wish to minimise the obstruction of the view. You definitely have a knack for picking up on the look I was after!!!!. Thank you again for your assistance.

Hi Love the setting! From what you are describing, it sounds like you have a ventilation issue. A deck lower than 400mm off the ground needs to have ventilation just like the house. This typically means the sides are open (doesn't happen) and the spacing is around 5-6mm between boards. If you don't have this, the water that gets in cannot evaporate and will keep the ground and the underside of the deck moist, even with your drainage as it can pool in sections. This in turn means your deck is always wet. Once that happens, it is only a matter of time before fungus growth/soft rot etc occurs. We always excavate a low to the ground deck to ensure we have 400mm of clearance to the underside of the bearers. Another way is to ensure there is a moisture impermeable membrane across the ground (plastic) covered with gravel and graded down with vents placed all around. Cheers