Hello Marcelle, I am an interior designer . I can tell you a simple inexpensive way to change the look of your kitchen. Looking at the photo you sent the different cabinet heights , and all the objects on the stove wall are very busy . Your modern house is wanting a cleaner , simple look. I would lower the small cabinets so that the top is at the same height as the others in the room. And put doors on , that will hide the clutter. Next I would do a tile backsplash above the stove , up to the same height. The whole kitchen will be pulled together by the continuous top line. There is a small light wood cabinet with baskets in the foreground . I would paint it white , or the same dark accent color of the cabinets you have. I don't think you would need to change the beams then , they would add interest and drama once everything else was subdued. Lisa

Splashbacks are all about protecting the walls behind worktops, hobs and sinks from splashes. A splashback can make a small kitchen feel larger, and brighten any space. You can Choose splashbacks from plain mirror, antiqued finishes or colored versions. Pick good looking but easy care splashbacks. You can match splashbacks and worktops. You can also choose Image on glass NZ service, it will freshen your kitchen up with quirky.

Will you be keeping the cork tiles on the floor? If so, make the countertop/bench top a similar color. They are both horizontal surfaces. Choose a color you like that has a bit of yellow in the base (ex: tomato red instead of crimson, or lime green rather than mint green).

Thanks Geoff, that’s a good point! We will paint the walls a white with slight grey to it, do you think a white splashback would work? We were thinking black to match the cooktop but also show off the benchtop. If anyone needs more info - the rest of the house is quite neutral, leaning towards a slight country theme but still keeping it modern.