Lighting - pendants over the servery bench should be another feature that complements your chosen kitchen surfaces. So whilst I love the copper pendants in picture 1.. They could work depending on the rest of your decor and would be a highlight in a neutral white/timber kitchen = Good! If you choose copper you would complement it with a couple of copper bench top items. These are beautiful! (I collect copper because I love it, my kitchen pendants are silver, I renovated to sell in the next 3-5 years) You will see a picture starting to form in your mind and there is nothing wrong with making a statement with your lighting. I found that when I wasn't sure I would get a very strong sense of what was right and what was wrong for a space, then common sense or passion would determine the outcome! Here are another couple that might work, look her on Houzz under lighting, search pendants, then have fun looking!Timber tones with black or white to complement your cabinets... or Statement white pendants for a bit of quirky fun! Your personality can be reflected in your lighting and accessories creating that point of difference from the predictable white on timber look. Plus don't forget the power of greenery to punctuate the theme!

Your layout for you kitchen looks really good and would fit well with the mixture of black and white cabinetry. With the lament bench top, we would suggest melamine (entry level cabinetry) or acrylic bench top, which can come in high gloss feature or matt. The matt surface would go lovely with your choice of bench top, and acrylic is also a affordable cabinetry material. Below are some examples of how Reno4u has incorporated both black and white cabinetry together, without making it to dominantly dark. We feel as if these examples would be perfect for your layout, and depending on if you want more black cabinetry or white you can go either way. This design above is an example with more black than white, can be made matt or gloss with different handles/splash back and wallpaper. With a u shaped kitchen similar to yours, however from the pictures you provided your style may include different design below the island bench. Another kitchen designed by us which shows more white than black, with a bar built in which may suit your design better. We hope this helps you, please feel free to call us on 03 423 9067 and we can provide a free quote for materials and kitchen design, and help you finalise your design further. :)

You are so right white is never out of fashion. I would set your budget and then look at your options. If you plan to stay in the house for many years then spend to the top of your budget (if that is going to give you a life time of pleasure), if you plan on being at the home for only a short time / few years then I would go mid range so it looks lovely, will have good resale value but you can invest your well earned money to go towards something else as well. Obviously Marble / Granite is the top of the range but there are so many cheaper and very attractive options these days that look just as good.

Our clients came to us with a kitchen that hadn't been touched since the early 70s and required a complete renovation which included opening it up to the dining and lounge areas to create an open living plan with great flow to the exterior. The home also was surrounded by stunning views that the clients wanted to maximise. Before: The main working bench faced out to the view, and was on the large island, with a porcelain bench being a hard-wearing durable choice. This was combined with a granite feature benchtop which provided a focal point as you walked into the space, and played with different heights to break up the large surfaces. Extra storage in the form of toe kick drawers were added to the design, and storage was maximised to full height. After: Corners are notoriously tricky storage areas, and getting easy access to these requires a good product. My favourite is the Hafele Le Mans unit and in this kitchen project it provides a great alternative solution to having to reach into those dark spaces. If you need some extra space to stash your cash....hide the cookies from the grandies, or storage over sized platters, a hidden toekick draw is the answer. The Blum system is smooth running and can take a good amount of weight. After: The theme for the space was industrial luxury, and the black cabinetry with the aged brass handles and tapware created a moody, yet time-honoured aesthetic. We are also excited to share that this kitchen is a Finalist in the2022 TIDA New Zealand Kitchens Awards Check out the entire project here, as well as a walk-through! Products used: Blum - drawer systems and hardware Plumbline - aged brass tapware Laminex - Cabinetry Metalier - Metallic cabinetry Archant - Porcelain Benchtop Universal Granite - Granite feature benchtop