@ Henrietta Scholtz!!!! And your BOAT. Amid the banter that often erupts on these forums for reasons that are never really clear to me...(and in which I enjoy particepating just for the fun of it), I've been wondering what if an colour scheme you have decided on for the decor of your boat! Any ideas from among those we suggested? Somehow your poll got hijacked with the non- boat decorating banter but I've had your boat in mind most of the time...wishing that I could be maybe a little hook or a rope so I could come on your adventures undetected and enjoy the decor with which you have embellished your seafaring craft and home. I'd not considered it at all because it was a bit "off the wall"...but...that PINK that came up for discussion on another subject led me to consider a colour scheme of Mustard, Beige, and Mint...with little splashes of an unexpected colour...like that Lipstick Pink...or maybe other groups of colours that are 'accepting' of each other but with a little "wild" splash of the unexpected...a bit like when the sunlight reflects through a splash of water ahd just for an instant you see something brilliant and magical. I've even got my palette and paints out intrigued by the "splash colour" that should not fit with traditional combinations but somehow does.....just a thought. It would be lovely to see any ideas you liked put into practise according to your individual interpretation. I am sure I echo the sentiments of other artistic contributors to your project - Will you tell us and maybe send Pics of any developments? Anyone else who has the good fortune to have a boat would also be welcome here, I am sure, to put forward any creative ideas. How about it Henrietta?

Concrete bench tops and decorative concrete pieces are a good idea if you like the solid look. I certainly would not recommend asking a general concreter about a concrete bench for your kitchen. Normally the bad rap that concrete bench tops get are when they are manufactured like a driveway or footpath. Kitchen bench tops require different characteristics. They should be constructed dense (to help prevent staining), flexible (to prevent cracking), lightweight (so can be manufactured off-site). With the materials that are available now, concrete can have all these characteristics. Sealing is another topic for the professionals. There are three different methods of sealing concrete. Penetrating, Topical, or Reactive. Sometimes all three are used to seal a concrete kitchen bench. This is because the way a kitchen bench is used is different to a floor. You are not only trying to prevent staining, you are trying to prevent etching that could occur with acidic foods. There are companies around that specialise in concrete bench tops for kitchens. Try them you may be surprised at the options available for "concrete" bench tops.

I still don't mind the odd painted feature wall it's cheaper that great art and can make a simple bed head and I'am not a slave to fashion. Your plain wall colours will look wonderful if you furnish the room correctly, adding any timber also helps. some photos for you cheers

Thanks everyone for your feedback, I appreciate the honesty and agree with some of the points raised. I took a punt on the colours (whisper white & Oolong) and styling (bulkhead and nook feature wall) after talking with a Dulux colour consultant (via Skype). The Kitchen layout definitely needs to re-organised, as well as replacing the tiles and the grey (!) cement grout. The cabinets are poorly designed with a single shelf in each, so have a lot of under utilised storage space. I recently had a consultancy session with IKEA kitchens, just to get an idea of what the possibilities exist in making better use of the existing kitchen layout (without expanding its existing kitchen footprint). As per my original posting, l Would like to be able to tie these projects together and coordinate them as one project rather than have separate projects for kitchen, flooring, decorating and furnishings. The next step is to make contact with an designer and discuss and get someone through my front door. Once again thanks for all your feedback. Cheers