I'd like to suggest that the most important thing here is more about who is using the room. If It's a child's bedroom use lovely children's curtains - there's so much around and any pattern could pick up the wall and floor colours. If a guest room and not used often I'd suggest a beautiful velvet or good quality Linen and forbid the little ones from going in to that room!!!!!! alternately a blind attached at floor level could be raised or lowered so the view is still there but with privacy from waist height perhaps. Good luck. Bee

Bottom line, a toe kick is to stop you stubbing your toe and get your closer to your worktop counter. If you can fit your foot underneath it in shoes or barefoot while standing at a counter and not stub your toe or hurt your upper foot, you can do it. If you cannot, you will be forced to stand back further at your counter and that will not be comfortable for you in the long run.

Flooring should be light. I'm not sure how a bamboo floor would work. Did you end up going ahead with the kitchen plans? What did you go with?

I am renovating the kitchen/diner/lounge in my apartment. I chose engineered oak flooring, plus a thick underlay with excellent soundproofing properties. Measuring up today with the kitchen company and the flooring company, there was a hearty debate about whether to 1) lay the flooring first and kitchen cabinetry after, or 2) cabinetry installed first, and the flooring around it. I would very much appreciate any advice on this matter. Thanks in advance.