Make sure the stove is required distance + a few more centimetres from the splashback. In our experience gar burners with a large pot direct the heat toward the splashback. Burning the splashback. Stone can usually be repaired and our team have developed the Fusion Polish method to repair and restore stone when burned - however we can not on a vertical surface. Let's avoid the disaster. Give The Marble Man a call for stone - polish, repairs & sealing 1300 627 626

I would consider how you plan to use the island bench, what tasks will be completed at the island bench, what you want to be able to see from the island bench (e.g. the TV in the family room) and what impact the pendant lights will have on the view of your kitchen from the family room. I personally found the height and style of pendant lights in display homes to be annoying. I'm not especially tall, but I had to deliberately avoid them and they often obstructed the view from the island bench. Some, but not all, also seemed to give off extra "heat" which isn't something I want in a kitchen which would already be warm when the oven is on. I did see some with the pendant lights raised higher, but then it looked a little odd to have a pendant light so high. In the end, I ended up not worrying about a pendant light.

i'm glad you're planning to reroute access to the garage: clumsy traffic pattern change a generous room into a big hallway and can't stop thinking about your kitchen..1. where you have narrow cabinets/shelves in the pantry...it's possible to have built in shelves inside the dividing wall (think about the size of what you want to store: cans, bottles, skinny packets? and put 60cm base cabinets on the other side, next to the freezer 2. i can't see the yellow highlights for stools 3. width of pantry is subject to you wanting to keep the door to the formal living room...if so, measure 150mm past the door opening and that's the minimum width of the pantry but 1500mm allows space to comfortably walk past your freezer and have full size base cabinets with pantry drawers (cleaner than open shelves) 4. space between the b'fast bar and 'fridge should be at least 90cm but if you choose a wide b'fast bar and a big 'fridge a bigger space is preferable (stand a couple of chairs 90cm in front of your current fridge for a few days and see how it feels) direction of fridge door opening is also critical, first for the cooks and then everyone else: if the size of the b'fast bar can be enlarged or reduced with overhanging counter then a change of walkway is not so difficult 5. as suggested by girlguide, the cooktop and rangehood might be better on the outside wall for ventilation 6. there seems to be a lot of small cabinets and drawers in your plan and there could be some better (and cheaper) combinations but when i tried to access IKEA kitchen planner to confirm available sizes it's not responding today 7. i've attached my suggested approximate base cabinet sizes: starting with corners and work outwards, aiming for the biggest standard carcases and then add drawers to suit purpose ..

Those storage options are perfection and the colour of that island stone is divine!!!!