Hi everyone, we have moved in! We didn't manage to paint before we moved and think we will go for a staged approach - above the wood panels first in a warm white then decide on the panels. I'm having a bit of trouble working out what kind of sofa to buy and how at arrange the lounge. All furniture except coffee table temporary in photos and would love some ideas!

Depending on functionality, how your island is used, it can be somewhere to showcase a different material, as in a traditional kitchen with a substantial timber top, or if it's a practical prep area, the durability and maintenance is of utmost importance. If it is a highly utilized work area the surface would be best suited to reconstituted stones, which are man made such as Caesarstone, essastone, quarel la etc, as natural stones such as granites and marbles are more porous and require some maintenance and care. Depending on form and style, your options are almost endless. Cntemporary spaces can indulge in stainless steel tops, acrylic solid surface tops that can be any thickness, profile and can actually be repaired without joints. Glass or concrete are more options. So you ask for help on choosing your island bench top, That is dependent on a great many things. Factor in how you would use is surface, and what you can afford, then think about the overall impact these options can provide on the entire space. Eliminate. And collect samples to make your decision. It will probably become the single most used space in the house.

Thanks for the replies! My wife suggested we talk to a local real estate agent, so i think that is a good idea... just that Im not sure how helpful they are likely to be if we arent selling yet :) As for saving for our dream house, I dont disagree, however if doing this up nicely over the next ~5 years or so while we live here nets us some extra in the eventual sale, then that of course will help us as well. Interesting thing happened today actually. I got a knock on the door and one of the older neighbours asked if he could take some lemons from the tree. I of course said yes. Anyway he was telling me he had lived in the street for 40 years. I asked him if the house had always looked like this, and he said no that ~30 years ago the old old owner did a massive renovation and pulled off the timber and put up the bricks and gutted the inside of the house. Interesting stuff!

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