Bluemeeru, yes sink is on left next to dishwasher, which is next to the fridge. I never wanted a sink on the island for the same reason. Water splashes and there will always be something drying on the island. I like the option of having a totally clear island if I need it. Yes, I was worried the sink was too far from the cooktop but it works well for me. I did consider putting a narrow sink near the cooktop just in case I needed water during cooking but left it out in the end. The distance from my sink to the edge of the island is 1.5m. Dishes get taken out of the dishwasher and are put away in the drawers in the island nearest to dishwasher side, as my island is 3m wide. From there it is easy to take them out over the island to the dining table or serve the kids who sit on the island for breakfast. It’s 3.8m from sink to centre of cooktop, which could be considered quite far. I suppose I have gotten used the distance.

five dock, Natural White can sometimes look too stark. I'd say Dulux White Exchange half for all the walls because it has more of a grey/beige undertone. And Lexicon half on the skirting, trimming & doors would be perfect! We used Colourbond Shale Grey & Dulux Lexicon half for for the trim & eaves in this picture. For more of that French Provincial style, use this as inspiration! Unfortunately we didn't colour consult for this property so wouldn't know the specific colour.

You have quite a complex internal painting job in front of you. I would use the elements that are going to be retained as a starting point. So if you have stained timber, where you can see the original grain through the stain then use that as a starting point to work with throughout the home. Never paint stained timber as it is then lost forever, but work with it. Dulux alone has about 4800 different colours, so don't limit yourself to the few hundred colour chips that are on display at Bunnings. The Dulux colour consultants are usually good value, and have got access to the full range, but in my experience are more suited to contemporary schemes, and don't have training in heritage schemes. If you want to be authentic to the original art-deco details it may be worthwhile engaging a design consultant who specializes in heritage colour schemes. When I am matching original paint schemes for my clients I use a digital colour analyser that reads the original colour and gives the three closest contemporary equivalents. Many original art deco colour schemes were fairly dramatic with fewer neutrals than are used today. Many older homes have different wall colours in different rooms. The idea of having the same wall colour for every room is really a result of the project home industry as it streamlines the decision making (and painting) process, but doesn't really make a lot of sense when you think about how your rooms have different orientations, different light and different uses. Don't rush the process as your perception of the colours will depend on the lighting, time of day, and the colours of adjacent elements. Don't base your selections on any digital images as they are always inaccurate. Try and source larger samples, or sample pots, before investing in your paint. Finally with your painter be specific and use post-it notes to tell them where you want each colour to be painted. Many painters can't tell the difference between an architrave and cornice, so explanations are sometimes a waste of breath. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

Hog bristle is a sort of mushroom colour. I hated it found it drab and old. It had been recommendEd by a colour consultant before it was fashionable 15 yrs ago, even though I told her I hated the original colour of my woodwork. It turned out to be the same and not made better by the purple feature wall. It was some time ago. I changed to half strength crewelwork and ditched feature wall, A low strength hog bristle might be ok