Hi everyone, sorry for the delay in replying! So many thoughtful suggestions, thank you. I haven't yet got around to taping out the kitchen, boundsgreener, but I hope too soon. Even just pacing it out has made me realise you're all right, there's no way a G shape will work. The space at the sink surrounded by the benches would be less than one metre. So that's good to realise now! I can't do banquet seating as there's a window behind the table. The wall behind the buffet unit is structural so we can't remove it (and I'd imagine it might get expensive too!) So what I'm thinking now is more a revamp/update with the current layout, but still moving the fridge across and creating a pantry, plus an appliances garage (love that term!) in the corner. Oven, sink and dishwasher in the same spots. This will still give more room for dining as the fridge won't be taking up space on that side of the kitchen. I'm now worried about losing the bench space that the buffet unit gives us, though. It was going to be offset by the extra G shape, but as that's gone and there won't be any room for the buffet (though I'd love to keep it as an island on wheels, hazzaran!) there will be less bench space than before. I like the idea about a wooden benchtop to save money, Pazz, but is it practical? Won't it get lots of bacteria in it? I'd still love some natural stone in there somewhere, and was thinking of those beautiful hexagon marble tiles they have on the Block. That might be cheaper than a caesarstone benchtop! I am not a big fan of laminate, though, for some reason it always really looks really plasticy to me. Thanks again for all your great advice and for helping avert a layout disaster! I really appreciate all the advice.

Thanks annb1997. I'm looking into the swag/rope style pendant lights! The splashback tiles are acually a shade of brown, the wall paint brown, the floors and cabinets cream and grey ( I hate this combo) which extend unfortunately into the living area as well (but not into the rest of the house). I have thoughts to re-laminate the cabinets in white, leave the bench top black, change the splashback to something (they are actually cheapo bathroom tiles and not actual splashback) and figure out placement - the tiles currently don't blend in well and extend past the cabinet and like a step down to the cabinet bench. I'd love to replace the grey and cream floor tiles with wood floorboards or wood-look tiles. Not sure how expensive this would be or if this should be done first or at a later date. I should also note the door you see in the first photo is a big walk-in-pantry.

I mentioned earlier to think about dropping the wall next to the stairs to hip or slightly higher height to allow for the TV, as this would further open up the top floor and perhaps show the street art, ie the framed print. I know that you don't want anything else hanging from the ceiling but because of the ceiling height you will need a reverse hanging fan to bring all the warm air down into the room that will sit up there if you don't. The heater is because you had one shown in your posted floor plan, this is one of the fires available on my 1997 CAD program, that's the colour it comes in but can be changed within the program cheers

Actually I think you can have whatever style cabinetry you want so long as the colour scheme is the same, consistant colours are what helps create the 'seamless flow' from old to new. We did the same kind of renovation 2 years ago - a huge extension onto our 1900's cottage and the front hallway (in the original house) joins the new hallway so flow was very important as we did not want it to look like the old house stopped and the new house began. But honestly the cabinetry can be more modern if you prefer, and completely different from your existing, as from my experience to create the perfect flow between the old and the new the most important details are: 1) Paint and colour scheme: If you want the old house to connect well with the new extension make sure you repaint the walls, ceilings and cabinetry in the original part (at least the hallway and areas that connect with the new) the same colour as you paint in the new extension and keep the colour scheme very similar between the old and new. 2) Flooring: We had solid hardwood flooring in the original house but unfortunately is was so badly water damaged and patched throughout so couldnt be saved, so we installed the same wide-panel reclaimed-look oak flooring that we were using in the extension - essential as the old and new hallways joined. 3) Doors: Try and find doors as close as possible to the ones you already have. We had some difficulty with this as ours were solid timber and had 5 horizontal panels but in the end we managed to find one supplier that had similar and with so many doors in the new extension it really helps create a more seamless look 4) Wall panelling (if applicable): We had waist high panelling throughout the original house and our builder copied this throughout the extension (his suggestion). Couldnt be happier with the result and it definately wouldnt have looked right if the panelling stopped suddenly where the new house began 5) Consistant ceiling height: Really important when blending old with new, make sure you keep ceiling heights the same at the point where the old meets the new - or go much higher, this also works. But dont go just slightly higher or lower! Other than that there is no need to try and replicate other period details like cabinetry and cornices. Love and celebrate the original part of your home that has the quirks, ornate ceilings, fireplaces etc and let the new extension compliment without trying to compete