Hi, if it's any help I went through this recently too. We built our first new home and colour selection was a nightmare for me, I wanted everything white! With so many different shades of white I was concerned we would get a 'stark' look, I can tell you that's not the case. We have Lexicon quarter on our walls, white ceiling, white porcelain floor tiles, white Caesar bench top in kitchen, white Polyurethane kitchen cupboards, white shutters, even a milky white splash back and marble fireplace surround, I thought it was too much at first...but...when you start furnishing and dependent on what style your after, I was going for a hamptons/coastal relaxed but modern style it will all come together...I found neutral colors bright pillows and soft light really make the home 'alive and inviting' and it always seems fresh, I have some of our home pictured on Houzz, just click through to my account and you can get some ideas :) you can never go wrong with white IMHO or have too much because it's always a great canvas to work with and always in style. Like illegally blonde said its the pieces you place with the white that pop and you can always change to what you feel like, I also have had 3 toasters dependent on what mood I'm in, the white always gives me a blank canvas to work with :) I hope this helps, happy to help with anything you might need :)

Hi iggs85 as it is an older kitchen I would not spend a huge amount of money on a revamp. It is definitely possible to paint laminate but good preparation is vital to ensure the paint 'sticks'. However a quality painter is going to charge you about the same as your resurfacing quote. Using either a painter or a resurfacing company does let you choose any colour though. The biggest disadvantage of the current benchtop is the bullnose which is very dated. From your photo, the colour and pattern look OK but you could get a stone 'overlay' put on it. They square off the bullnose so it looks more contemporary. An acrylic feature panel on the return is another alternative to vinyl planks. It looks like glass, comes in a good range of colours and is relatively inexpensive compared to glass. See http://zenolite.com/range as an example. You can buy acrylic sheets from Bunnings. You could also use pressed metal panels as a feature eg. http://www.wunderlite.com.au/catalogue/details/1/79/pressed-metal-crystal?start=25 Add some new handles on doors and drawers too.

Hi @Siriuskey, I don't charge as your designer would for his time so I hope my furniture and colours don't put you off. Firstly I have to tell you...noting you have drawn or suggested has put me off...in fact quite the opposite. I would not have considered an open stair case without seeing your 3D projection. We now WILL head down this direction. So kudos to you for helping me think on this. Just revive the thinking on your stairs, they do take up a lot of passage and study space, cramping it. As much as I might like to move the stairs, I am somewhat restricted for various reasons I have mentioned. I honestly dont think they take up a bunch of room and I think where they are postioned maximses the family spaces. Just looking at your own 3D model for the position of the front door it all looks great. My CAD program is a lot older than your designers but it was top end Nothing at all wrong with your program or your diagrams. They really helped us with a positive direction which our own designer didnt come up with and now agrees with. Once again I would still like you to re think your stairs, this deals with the bi fold doors (why are they glass) and the anomaly of the windows. I really cant do a lot with the stairs or the position of the wall in the corridor for the study. There are a number of considerations around loading which I cant easily combat. Making the staircase open I think really adds a lot of dimension to the space and actually makes it work. We haven't decided on what the bi-folds will look like. My wife happens to like the glass...but we haven't made any solid decisions. Don't forget the Fridge, it's very important Thank you. Yes I wont forget. :)

custom made vanity and wall cabinets should only be needed if you have awkward sizes as an off the shelf cabinet allows you to see and touch the product and is often much more economical than custom made ...unless you need to keep some special supplies (eg 24 pack of toilet rolls?) i suggest that a base cabinet need only be 450-500 deep which is plenty for folded towels and drawers and the in wall cabinet about 150mm deep (including most of the cabinet inside the wall and only a small frame for doors and mirrors projecting out) but the in wall cabinet may depend on existing wall studs and electrical wiring so think about what you would put inside the cabinets and only have enough inside cabinet space for those items (maximum toilet roll or fat shampoo bottle about 120mm...in small bathrooms the extra floor space makes drying and dresssing much more comfortable and by rotating the shower in the family bathroom there would be less wet floor in the walkway and if the vanity in the ensuite is away from the corner you can allow space for a handtowel and/or a very convenient space to hang a hair dryer ...