I would personally stick to white cabinets... I know, not very original... but I think white works best with timber benchtops... and black/white/timber is a fail-proof/timesless combo imo... But if you wanted to inject a bit of colour... and based on your coastal theme description... then I would suggest maybe duck egg blue?... do a search of "duck egg blue kitchen" in photos on Houzz AU

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 Kruti. Those new pieces are lovely. There’s a houzz article in Stories about how to decorate a console table. If you select Stories, then Interior Design, then Decorating, and then type ‘how to decorate a console table,’ in the window, the article should pop up. I think you will find it very helpful.

If you want Scandi or rustic then an oak benchtop on your existing kitchen and new door handles will do wonders. I know you don't want wastage but your kitchen is already 30yrs old so it's hardly that. It's the colour of the benchtop that dates the kitchen the most. A solid oak benchtop is a very minor update that will last at least a few decades to come. If you update the splashback then use a composite board or pressed tin over the existing tiles it's economical and fast with impressive results. I'd go pressed tin in brick or traditional geometric if I wanted rustic. You can have it powder coated any colour you like before installing and they do look great in modern homes. Easy to clean as well. Here's a smart modern example of a final look....Oak and pressed tin on white kitchen I would see painting either tile or laminate as a last choice. Unless you have it done professionally (they use an acrylic resin not paint btw) and spray it on with professional spray guns, it generally looks terrible and wears even worse. Having it done professionally is surprisingly expensive and you may find the upgrades above are the same or similar cost. I wouldn't change your top cabinets for open shelves unless you love cleaning and the look of clutter. It looks fab on Pinterest but that's because they've got those shelves styled with rows of uniform bowls, glasses and canisters. I have in them in my current home the only way they look good is if you do exactly the same. I bought sets of canisters and changed all my glasware for that reason. With the usual mishmash of items in a normal house they aren't a good idea.