I think they're a great timber flooring alternative for those on a budget!

Probably the cheapest fix is to paint the cabinets. Especially if it is a DIY job. But it is a lot of painting. If the budget stretches further then I’d update the hardware/handles/pulls and remove that overhead cabinet near the stovetop. That would open things up but it probably also means repairs to the ceiling and wall it is attached to. Do a google image search of painted oak cabinets for inspiration. Some of them come up really well. Not much can be done about the colour of the appliances except for replacing them which is expensive. There is appliance paint but I’m not sure how successful it is, and you can’t use it on the cooktop or oven glass. Best of luck with this project.

Yes. I couldn’t find it in my profile though but here is the link. https://www.houzz.co.uk/discussions/5879722/ceilings-floors-and-weatherboard-questions it was kind of an unrelated question re matching ceilings Which is now redundant as it was a question pertaining to the old floor plan. If we keep our current floor plan, we don’t need to match the ceilings as we no longer have the combined dining living - theyre now separated by the kitchen. The deck on the floor plan is now to be knocked down and turned into a dining room. Haven’t got a floor plan for that since we just got the news from council. Trying to warm my husband to it. Otherwise he wants to move! I’m wanting the wall to be weatherboard under the windows to match our weatherboard living room. We have a nice view from the deck hence to keep that going in the new dining room w these windows. this is advice from council. The deck would eventually need to be replaced in the next ten years as it’s an old house so I’m not bothered we would pull it down as we would have to anyway but to be replaced w a new deck. Just looking for advice on type of window rather than any comments on council is. My hubby is doing a lot of dining about it!

I love your inspiration picture, but I have say that if you are considering that door between the formal dining/kids play area and the kitchen I wouldn't position a wall oven there, terribly dangerous when oven is being used, hot and open, a child playing and running through the door would be badly injured. I have had another idea, so as to not take up any of the dining room space plus saving costs of doing this, would be to open up this wall with full height square set pocket doors, when open expands the kitchen and when closed directs the traffic from the dining through the kitchen between the island and doors, keeping them out of the kitchen proper. The fridge is placed so as the family has easy access, you could even add a small sink into the 900 x 3000 island with the cooktop, which gives you heaps of bench top work space My CAD program was produced in 1997 and as you can see that what goes around comes around with the old but new slatted island The first foorplans show the cooktop opposite the doors but I think it works much better to have it at the other end