You could do a splash back using the bench top stone for a beautiful seamless look, or white tiles , there are so many variations in laying them, herringbone, or stacking horizontal or vertical, you could always use an outdoor/indoor mat to hide part of the floor to blend in more with your kitchen cupboards.

Thanks so much.  I love the idea about the mat. 

I think i like better those tiles. They look amazing.  Thanks for your advice.  Xx

Is the floor tiled or vinyl?

I would say white ceramic tiles. Not large tiles though. Maybe 150mm x 75mm or 150mm by 300mm. Nothing larger. The cook top looks too close to wall for engineered stone Australian standards. A glass splash back would not suit the aesthetic that you have created with the lovely cabinets.

CP it's a tile on the floor. And they are still good for 37yo tiles. We may replace it but not for now. They are cream and brown

I've got a thread going about ideas for my place .

I'm quite keen on copper , but I didn't know how it would last . Anyway , I think it would look good in your situation ( obviously , if you like it ) and heres some stuff I have found -- its vinyl 'car wrap' , its supposed to withstand 120 degrees direct heat before it wrinkles , but also it is about $30 a 1.52mtr ( 5 ft I think ? ) wide length --

I hadn't thought of the building code etc . My first action is to consider what I want haha , then whether the Police will likely visit , then whether the insurance company will decline a claim . In this case I doubt it matters ( it peeks off , and would presumably melt in a serious fire -- probably the wrong to do things , but theres other items that burn at least as quickly in a house , so personally I'm not perturbed .

I'd better not tell too many stories , but lets just say I have occassionally pushed the boundaries as far as Govt Depts and the like are concerned -- a recent one was to re-register my Mobile Home as a Mobile Office ( with a shower and kitchen and even beds -- offices often have them ) . A mobile office doesn't need the same level of seatbelts , it can park in towns overnight without breaching bylaws , etc .