Hi Malessi, I've been reading your posts because I have the exact same dilemma and questions! Your marble kitchen looks AMAZING by the way. Is it homed? No doubt you've sealed it... But I also want to know about the Clearstone product, and if you have used it?? I hear mixed reports. I'm thinking of having marble bench tops in my bathrooms. Of course it would look stunning.... but I'm a bit fanatical about keeping it stain/etch free... and I just know I'd hate the etching and dull look, should that occur over time. I would love to know how you are finding your bathroom stone? The upkeep.... and anything else you can share. Thanks Anth :)

wow i wonder how samantha's bathroom ended up. I'm readying through today as having picked black taps/ accessories and being recommended by builder to get matt black hinges on shower instead of chrome... now i'm asked about the floor wastes in bathroom floor. am using grey tiles on floor which have a bit of a white fleck through them. debating reverting to chrome hinge on shower and chrome floor wastes but not sure. builder says i can get matt black floor wastes. i guess my concern is in the future... if i wanted to change tapware back to chrome..... a floor waste... not so easy to change... nor a hinge on shower door... but then concerned might look silly and also concerned that the matt black floor waste might age/ scratch etc.... what do you think

The Kitchen -- it is very much a 1970's intrepretation of Colonial IMO , and ties in with the front door , so presumably thge rest of the house is similarly dated -- and thats not a bad thing . In one of the other pictures is a white 'panelled' door -- in a lot of ways its a pity that the rest of the doors weren't wood . Anyway , IMO painting the kitchen white will not achieve anything -- it won't look more modern , and it won't look warmer . The only slight argument is that it may look 'cleaner' but I don't think that's enough reason to do it . Your front door looks a few shades darker , and better for it IMO . So if you are keeping the kitchen , stain it darker , embrace the scrolls and the fake latticework , and the appliances all look reasonably modern . Its a decent size and has a good flow . Even the tiles look okay , but my criticism of them is you actually have to look -- they blend into the walls , because they appear to be exactly the same colour . The kickboards look grey -- you could repaint the upper parts of the walls in a similar grey , but my preference with slightly darker and slightly redder stained cabinets would be stay with a white or off-white , but re-grout in a mid to charcoal grey , and make a bit of a feature with the tiles , and it also ties in with your bench colour . The downlights are good -- the bug catcher UFO light definitely not so . Get something with character , but NOT 1970's , and definitely not 1970's faux colonial . Clean and modern would be the buzzwords . You could start again , or paint the frames white and change the doors to white or grey , lose some character and lose some warmth IMO -- it suits the house , just needs a lift .

Just some more general comments first . The living/dining area already has quite a mix of colours , all nice in themselves , but it doesn't look like you've got a whole plan . The fireplace is 'earthy' with brown and red , but then you have a different brown on the mirror surround ; the 2 wall units are an off-white with a bit of gold ; one chair is older in style with a different brown and off-white ; the other more modern in style with sharp black and white material ; then a table that is a lighter brown again and basic black legs . One of the wall units may even be in front of a window , and the window surround looks a different shade of golden brown again . Even if you added cushions and a rug , all the differences will still be there , then you want either black or pink marble ? I'd look at swapping around furniture , selling or recovering some , maybe restain furniture in a Japanese Black and fixtures and fittings all the same brown tone ? Then decide on a 'highlight' colour , maybe get an artwork in that tone ( lets say red , or maybe a blue ? ) , say 6 cushions the same almost -- say 2 solid red , 2 red striped , 2 red chequered ? And I haven't forgotten the marble -- how about an offwhite , with mainly grey veins , but maybe some pink or light blue veins to reference the cushions and art ? The primarily light marble will look smart , but importantly should help set a cohesive tone . Just my thoughts .