The only problem I see with placing plants anywhere near the steps, if leaves fall and are not cleared away, they will rot and become an eyesore as well as slippery if stepped on. Also it may reduce the space as the plant/s grow, as you use the steps. I think placing screens against the grey wall in a fancy pattern would look nice and is basically maintenance free. I would also paint the steps, maybe in the same shade as the screens, though I would leave the railing as it is closer to the window and you don't want to make it the feature.

Thanks everyone - your comments and diagrams have given me plenty of ideas I hadn't considered. Perhaps shifting the wall is a little drastic! I'm now thinking of going a long U shape like this. I'll add a few upper cabinets on the left side too for the most frequently used stuff from the pantry (as the pantry is still a distance from the stove/oven). The fridge as you can see is now right amongst the action. We also have a chest freezer hiding out in the laundry which I can move into the old fridge space...alternatively I might convert it to a computer workstation as suggested. I'm leaning towards a peninsula rather than an island, just because I feel like it will give me a slightly more efficient/seamless work space, and we don't expect seating at at the island/peninsula will get used much given how close the dining table is. Any thoughts on this revised layout?

Hi Luke! What a great opportunity for your friend to create something special. An idea could be to draw inspiration from our PR Manager's house (as seen in this [Houzz Tour[(https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/my-houzz-a-creative-collectors-home-bursting-with-personality-stsetivw-vs~109117683)) and create a gallery wall! Freddy's is portrait themed (and has grown considerably in the last couple of months) but you can choose any theme you wish - or even no theme at all! We'd suggest starting off with an artwork they truly love, such as the one already hanging. Then, you can pick an element of the piece to build the rest of the collection around - such as a colour or subject. We have some handy tips for hanging the collection in our blog post here. Hope this helps!

A single large artwork opposites a mirror above the built ins certainly works. Alternatively, if you need the space to work a little harder, place coat hooks along the empty wall and an artwork above the built ins. Artworks are always a very personal choice, but feel free to check out our online gallery - this piece shows how you can create a bright and breezy feel in a similar setting: