I have ticked the two that I think. The other one, on mass will be too cream/beige.
The whiter bench tops will look better against the planned black sink and taps.

I think you need one with flecks of brown to soften the white but not a cream base. Have a look at ydlstone Spring white. I haven’t seen it but could be worth a look. I have yldstone on my vanity but in a plain white.

But what colour are your splashback tiles?

Thanks Kate, I don’t have a sample, but this is another one for the Smartstone range.

Keeping them the same as in the above photos.

If you’re replacing benches ,replace the tiles on the wall with the same stone for clean streamlined look.

Yes it looks like Gelsomino is for the same white range as the Santorini, the white based one. Get yourself a free sample and compare. Can’t really tell on a screen. Then go with your gut feeling. I know it’s hard but it is a personal choice and everything will be a beautiful change. Good luck

Have a look at this place they are having sale now

I’m in Darwin, so limited to the supplier my cabinet maker uses.

Each to their own , but I wouldn't replace the benchtops unless there is an actual reason . I wouldn't even replace the sinks , I'd take a different tack .

What I like is the black window , the black stove , the black skirting .

I could live with the cupboards , the benchtops , the sink .

I'd change the tap to black , all the cupboard handles to black in a modern style , and change the tiles and splashback area . Black gloss tiles , or black gloss subways , would work , but maybe you are getting a bit too B&W -- add some colourful appliances in reds or oranges or citrus or teal jug and mixer and toaster may offest that , and add colour . Personally though , I'd play with bright red tiles , or black tiles but with really slim 25-30mm red or orange or yellow ones along the top . Then whichever colour I chose , I'd do a clock in the same colour too . Even if you don't need a clock -- basically , it's there for the looks .

All the other ideas IMO are just playing with the blandness that's already there -- safe , but boring .

Not all of us .

I would choose the lightest of your options. Cheers

If it was me I'd get benchtops re-coated to look concrete, replace handles and retile splashback. This would cost less and look more modern. Replacing a 20 year benchtop with one which looks simply 10 years out of date instead seems a false economy.

Hi Jane.

I think the Smart stone Santorini is your better choice. You will enjoy the stone much more than a diamond gloss Laminate, it seems a better choice for your tiling as well as the cabinetry judging from the image above but feel free to post an image of a sample in your kitchen, this will help confirm the choice.

A friend used gloss laminate in her new kitchen. It looks good. It also drives her nuts. As soon as hands go anywhere near it, there’s greasy marks to polish off.

And please don’t be bullied by a cabinetmaker who says you’re limited to their (usually limited) range. It just means they haven’t got, can’t get, or aren’t interested in getting a trade account with other suppliers. There should be nothing stopping you getting what you want. Foregoing the trade discount may not be as bad as it sounds. We couldn‘t find anything we liked in our cabinetmaker’s range. We sourced laundry and bathroom bench tops from another supplier and paid them direct. Our cabinetmaker installed them. No problems.

Gloss laminate leaves fingerprints, its the gloss on it. The flecks in the stone hides things so go with the stone. While you are changing the bench-top change the splash back. The feature in the tile is dated. Ring the company of whatever bench top you like and ask them to recommend a stone mason as a cabinet maker makes the cabinet not the stone bench top. He outsources the bench top to someone else unless its the laminate. At the end of the day if all your changing is the bench top and you decide to go with the stone go directly to the mason.