Do you want to keep the "black falcon oven" as the feature or do you want the island to be the feature? If you want to keep the oven as the "feature" in the kitchen, then I would do the island in the same cupboards and benches as the rest of the kitchen. If you wanted the island to be a complimentary "feature" to the oven, then you could perhaps do the same cupboards, but go with a black benchtop (although I would personally avoid a black benchtop due to it easily showing dust, water spots, etc). What material will be "under-bench" be on the island bench? Is it also going to be a feature (e.g. a graphic print, timber or something else)? Will the island bench have waterfall ends? If the island bench already has some level of visual interest, then it may not need anything more (i.e. different materials). You can always add visual interest to the island bench with accessories.

Going in as an owner builder is a false economy. It takes a builder years to develop the relationships with the right subtrades to ensure the project is built to budget and on time. I can fully understand that you are concerned with cost blowouts, so i will let you in on a little secret to help you avoid this trap. Find a builder who charges for quotes. I know this sounds counter intuitive, but here is the upswing. A builder who charges for quotes is legally obliged to give you an accurate quote, will be less likely to lowball you on PS and PC items, and will take the time to audit your plans to ensure there are no issues. Ask in advance to see a sample of their quotes - it should include a full list of inclusions, BoQ Exclusions, and timeline or Gantt chart as min. There are many brilliant builders in Australia offering this service, and i can recommend a number of them in every state in Australia who will give you exemplary service. good luck!

Cheese Wine, yes sadly brickies aren't cheap, but reverse brick veneer doesn't dictate traditional terracotta brickwork. There are lots of great concrete block products in a variety of finishes that have a great architectural finish for internal walls. Or if you want to go more rustic then consider mudbrick options. As with many homes built for good thermal mass there is sometimes a tension between wanting thermal mass, but not wanting to see it. Hiding thermal mass adds to the cost, so you have lots of elements to balance in the cost versus energy efficiency versus aesthetics equation. If anybody figures a way to build thermal mass into a home cheaper than masonry, that looks great and performs well then be sure to let me know... Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

I like the colours you’ve suggested. I find neutrals restful. Do you have a sample of your cabinetry? An easy way to get a coordinated look, without whites clashing, is to have the white colour matched at the paint shop to the cabinetry. The colour match will tell you if White Beach is on the right track. I’d consider a more plainer white for the trim ie Natural White as suggested above or Berkshire White. For your splashback - could the budget stretch to the benchtop material? If not a tile colour that picks up one of the benchtop fleck colours will give you a coordinated look. Sounds lovely. Come back and post the completed pics.