Could you swap out those 2 little black lights with some gorgeous pendants to help visually 'fill' the space?

Is the island centred on the back cupboards or not?

Do you need more storage? You could add some upper cabinets. Otherwise a shelf would add some appeal, and some styling items.

Blackbutt timber floating shelves would look good as you have suggested. They would add some warmth and connect with other timber elwnts. I think it just looks bare because you havent put anything in the kitchen yet. Once you add things like toaster and kettle in a colour that works with the rest of the space and a nice fruit bowl etc it will look more interesting. Its a good nuetral base. You dont need to add too much. You can always change lights add sheves etc when you have recovered a bit from the renovation costs. Maybe just play around with some favourite kitchen pieces first before you do anything else.

A lovely big fruitbowl would do wonders to add colour. And a wooden chopping board The lights would be good to change for pendants as your kitchen is lacking a hero

There's obviously more to the kitchen as the Fridge and Oven are not shown?

I am assuming there is a butlers kitchen which would also house toaster and kettle.
Amazing we have these big open plan designs and the primary food prep is stuck in a back room. Go figure

are these appliances with the timber servery bench not included in the photo, a photo of the whole space would help

More photos of space would help. You are correct it is very plain and very boring. The splash back looks like a large cream glass splash back, not white. A tile would of given way more texture and interest. And be a similar cost to install. And the height of the splash back will mean that if you install timber shelves they will be way too high for every day use, and would need a step ladder to access. But if you have timber features already, then it definitively needs timber shelves installed, maybe with pots of plants with trailing growth. And agree, needs pendant lights, again could of been a similar price to what has been installed.

Example of tiles used to lift a kitchen which is all one colour. Also note the pendants. However, your kitchen is appearing cream, not white.

Personally, I think pendant lighting above the island would make a huge difference and detract the eyes from the bare back wall.
A handy spice rack on the counter on the cooktop side would add a bit of colour and you could put a cool clock on the wall.

Couldn’t get pics to attach to previous comment.

I’m adding a few more photos to help - thank you for everyone’s helpful suggestions!

Re the pendant idea - we were originally planning on this however the ceilings in the kitchen are lower than the rest of the room and we were concerned our autistic 5 year old would be tempted to grab them, so we opted for the ceiling ones.

There is a walk in pantry around the back of the kitchen (pictured). Very narrow so will only be able to have one length of narrow cabinetry for food and I’m hoping some overflow appliances. The fridge will go at the back of this pantry (we’re using 2 bar fridges at present!).

The tiles in the kitchen are matched in colour to the stone bench, but they are nicely textured (pictured) to add a bit of interest however you can’t really see it unless the light of the rangehood is on. We didn’t want to add upper cabinets as the plan was to invest as little as possible in this kitchen to eventually (hopefully soon) redo this kitchen with one our architect has designed. Just want to get through for a few years with this one at least looking half decent!

And a closer up image of the servery bench (also blackbutt) which will eventually have 2 bar stools.
Please ignore the mess, we have been busy unpacking and cleaning up after 2 young kiddos!

You say the original kitchen was re-installed ? Was that the original sink and faucett ? They look new , so that would have been the time to go copper ( IMO ) , or maybe black , but I don't think the black stools really work , so on that basis I doubt black sink etc would either .

If you went copper , add copper light pendants , as others have suggested , then to steal others ideas too , add a couple of small shelves up high , with small droopy plants , maybe some old kitchen utensils -- ideally copper , but even an old biscuit tin or a couple of laddles would help add interest .

The splashback in coloured subway tiles would have been great too , and have the bar stools with tops in a similar or complimentary colour .

If any appliances are visible , have them the same colour range too , or even just go retro pastels .

But one other thing -- that wall to the left ( this side of the window ) put up a large 1200 x 1200 abstract in bright ( or pastel if that is your vibe ) tones , one of the main ones matching your chosen colour for the splashback , stools , appliances , etc .

You could try and do that for under $2k , but I think $5k spent would look like you've spent $50k on the kitchen , and you and guests will love and embrace it .

The tiles are lovely. For now concentrate on getting some artwork on walls. At present we r focussing on kitchen. Add other focus points and chill.

What a lovely room, your over bench lights are perfect, and as suggested some wall hangings, plus arrange your track lighting in multi directions to feature these and the ceiling.

Lots of food for thought…. What colour appliances would be best do you guys think? I don’t have much at the moment, other than my Nespresso coffee machine which is navy blue. Is like a kettle and toaster out here I think, and microwave will probably go in the back pantry. I wish I’d gone with stainless steel now for the coffee machine as blue really doesn’t go with anything in our house now.

@pottsy999 yes that’s the original sink and faucet. We won’t be swapping any of that out now. This is all original kitchen. The only thing we did was cut back stone down to fit better with the island bench (and yes this is centred to the back wall), and add a new splash back tile. The cream stone bench was really hard to match with anything and my husband was against colour.

I’m looking into some black styling pieces (also love that Mona bowl @Julie Herbert!) to tie it all together, and probably some timber ones to sit with it all, plus some greenery in some indoor plants.

If hubby doesn't want colour , either get one who does hahaha , or how about go pastel blue for a toaster and electric jug ( that probably works colourwise with the coffee machine ) . The greenery can then be in pastel blue or soft pastel yellow pots . The pastel brings in a subtle touch of colour , as well as the greenery and the fact you have something living and breathing ( well , something apart from hubbie arguably ! ) .

I wouldn’t be spending a lot of money on $100 fruit bowls and coloured appliances if in a couple of years you will redo the kitchen anyway…..unless you are sure of the new proposed kitchen colours and will use appliances and expensive fruit bowl in the new kitchen. Buy stainless steel and find a $10 fruit bowl at a preloved store. Or paint an existing one black.

You could always add stainless steel items, at a fraction of the cost, find a tray , a funky fruit bowl (Amazon) a gorgeous kettle, there are a lot to choose from, add timber boards (Kmart) you can add interesting pieces that will still look beautiful in your kitchen that will tie in with your coffee machine.

Some greenery herb pots, tall plants, with slender stems in black or white pots, art work. They could be black and white. Introduce colour with fruit, tea towels etc. the kitchen needs ‘soul’.