Hi Carmel, I'm not a architect and I do value everyone's professional opinion, but can't help thinking that perhaps you and your husband are both right. The breakfast table would look great in a natural stone, it is the where you eat, have tea or wine on, maybe a small project, entertain or have a fork fight on. Choose a granite or marble that's going to tie in with the splash back and your lovely timber floors and go with a wow factor like a stand out vein or run of colour in it. Makes it interesting. As for the rest a dark or even black solid surface or laminate is ideal. I find them soft and touchable, easy to maintain, a pleasure to work on and it adds the extra modern elements that's missing from this lovely galley style kitchen. Corian is another brand of solid surface but a textured dark laminate from A reputable laminate supplier should do it too. Make this room an energy that you want to be in not just look great. Kind regards Marina.

Luv yr ideas as I'm doing my kitchen exactly the same colours and same natural oak as a contrast except I have existing black granite bench tops ,so doing large drawers in a matt black!! Just getting quotes now! Have u had yrs done yet? I'd luv 2 c it!

Hello NY, thanks for your comments. The two colours were not going together, just one of those two for feature island. Solid 'white' perimeter cupboards and white stone bench top. I wanted a feature laminex with texture as it tends to soften the overall look of concrete and provides warmth. That's why I haven't gone towards solid colours for my island bench. Decisions decisions!

I don't want it to throw yellow. Do you think yours does? I was also actually going to go full strength. Here is a sample of full strength. the keys are hanging on a kitchen cabinet door I am trying to match. have tried Snowy Mountain Half ( throws violet) lexicon half (Too blue) taubmans crisp white( too white) thinking if everything same colour (ceilings too) there will be nothing to show up the creamyness if that makes sense.