Xenia, just to be clear, is the builder saying there doesn't need to be a non-combustible material covering the gap between the stone benchtop and the window?? Is that wall made of brick or some other non-combustible material, or is merely plasterboard? If it's plain ole' plasterboard, it is most certainly combustible and can ignite in say, a fat fire. Maybe I'm missing something. Would you please look closely at your plans and clarify? I very much like your table/butcher's block. The one in photo looks like it's higher than a table, so I'm guessing it is at a perfect height for you to work? Yes, that's a lovely, restful colour of glass, and no, I don't think it is overkill. You want to be happy in your own kitchen. Just a thought, but you could choose material with that colour of blue for any chairs or stools you have at the butcher block table. Ties it together.

Thank you everyone so very much for your responses and advice. I liked the idea of having a bold piece to tie the church in but like a few have mentioned, something simple might be nice to not overshadow the pieces we've collected. The Nick Cali nesting tables might work quite well, simple but still have the raw wood and we can move them around. I also like the idea of a round table. Annb1997 we actually looked at the carved coffee table, it's super cute and pretty it's a shame that it's just a bit too low to be functional with the sofas. We are probably looking at something around 45 cm in height...but we might still get it anyway and add it into the library nook. We move at the start of Dec, will post photos :) Here's one of the current owner's layout. Thank you again everyone you've been amazing!

I think it's going to have to work, a normal dining table is way too big.. 750 width will be fine I'm sure.. a lady at work said this morning that she had 6 people at an ikea trestle table at her apartment on the weekend, it's 750 x 1550 and they fit fine & comfortably enough.. I don't have another dining area apart from outside. Small house syndrome. I can't believe the people prior to us had 4 grown kids in there.. we've ripped out walls and extended a little and it still feels tiny. Even built a massive garage to get stuff out of the house.

Personally if I were to put a runner down the area I'd keep it either plain or a very soft muted colour palate maybe with the grey and natural colours as right now it looks quite classy so you don't want to make it to bold or in your face just soft and calming for the area to enhance it all as one look. I don't really think you need one at all as I love the softness of the area as a whole as it is, sometimes less is more but it once again comes down to personal taste.