I think we are going to use the white subway tile to keep the budget down as I priced new tiles and it would blow out the budget. Really like the contrast grout idea to add a bit of texture and pattern. My partner is a builder and he loves the reclaimed wood shelf idea as we have a lot of spear old wood left over from the renovation. We have made a dinning table and fire place mantel from it already so it would tie in really well.

I would suggest you take out the cabinet that is to the right of the stove and use it elsewhere in the house -- perhaps in the bathroom or dining room with a hutch above it. Then, I would suggest you have someone install a lazy susan cabinet in the corner between the sink counter and the stove, meaning you would move the stove down a bit and have a small cabinet/counter top to the right of the stove. I would suggest you have the cabinets refinished in white and then paint the walls a pastel you like. If you would prefer white walls, then add white-painted crown molding and paint the ceiling a light neutral blue, such as Sherwin Williams Niagara Falls Blue. Then, I would suggest you choose a favorite accent color and use this sparingly in accessories like towels, pot holders, small vases or floral arrangements, and a valence above the triple windows. For a genuine 1940s look, you might have white ceramic square tiles with a rectangular red border installed as a back splash behind and above the stove. If you are replacing counter tops, I would suggest a light color such as white with a beige or light grey vein or striation for some sort of pattern. You might be able to find the same color and design in floor tile OR opt for a wood floor as another poster suggested.

Love blue tiles. Depending on how much sun and how hot your pool gets in the summer should dictate what color it is. We live in Arizona, so cool blues work best. Our neighbor has brown tile and a dark pebble tech pool. Looks like a swimming hole and gets really hot - 94% water in the summer. They obviously didn't think it through.

Black and yellow are both very strong colour choices and I feel you'd be sick of them before it was time to change them. Black also shows marks more than you'd think. Clear is fine, but have you considered a piece of art behind clear?There are several companies that do this, imageglass.co.nz had one with tuis in it which has black and yellow. As for size are you having a range hood? If so this might affect your choice of size.