I would definitely try to move the handrail to the outside of the stairs, the wider the stairs appear, the more welcoming and functional they will be. I don't think I'd go with steel though, I would keep to the era which was timber, it could be painted or stained. I also like most of the ideas and in addition think that painting the rafters a light colour toning with your overall theme will make the whole area feel more expansive. Add a feature to the entrance by way of colour on the door, as suggested or some very sleek ornament on the wall as suggested or my preference would be to feature the risers as mentioned.

What a beautiful kitchen! Colour really depends in the style you are looking for...I have a similar space to you and I went with this light blue/aqua tile....I love it and the first thing most people comment on is how calming it is....I wanted a casual calm beachy feel to my home and it worked perfectly for me! Another option I saw at a friend's recently was a soft ?dove grey glass subway tile (similar to the 2nd photo) in a herringbone pattern...it looked amazing with all white cabinetry.... neutral but if you love bright red option then accessories in red such as toaster kettle etc would really pop...and that way if you tire if red u can change accessories cheaper than a splashback/wall.

Amber, there are so many whites and much to take into consideration when deciding which colours suit you, your style and the rest of your home. For example, what is your kitchen wall colour and the colour of any adjacent walls? What material will be used for your cabinets? What floor coverings are in the kitchen and surrounding areas, and what are their colours? Do you want a laminate, engineered stone, marble or granite benchtop? Warm white or cool white? I believe once you have narrowed the field a bit, suggestions will follow.

I'd want to see the whole house , the street view -- basically , more info . You have red brick , which by the gap I am guessing is a veneer , and does it go to the ground , or is there a lower panelling in something different ? Then there is the monument on the gutter , and the windows are different stages , different shades , one appears to be peeling . And an orange downpipe . Then back a bit , you have a pastel snifters green , with a pink window surround and trim , olivey green roof , lower surround in olive in some places , charcoal in another . Back a bit more , and a different snifters green , stained timber base boards , natural fibre cement , dark green or charcoal window surround and white downpipe . THEN a deck , in what looks like a different green handrail again , and a different white . In other words , is white even the right choice , because it seems like you'll still end up with just a different colour of hodge-podge , whereas by planning you will end up with something that looks like a 'semi-planned' colour scheme .