It depends on the species of wood (I.e. How hard or soft) and whether or not the ambient temperature can remain as stable as possible. What you caulk and paint in warmer weather may look great now, but when it begins to get colder, the wood begins to shrink, and the caulk will begin to pull away. This will look worse than if you didn't caulk at all. My suggestion is to use a caulk like the brand called "Big Stretch " in an attempt to avoid this.

Pressed metal splashbacks are so rare! This is the first photo I've seen with a splashback like this and I'm really enjoying it.

Is your stone veneer to be laid on a slope? I would want to see an example of that beforehand. The stones in a sloped wall are still set horizontally, but the veneer will have joints that look skewed if laid sloped so it could look quite odd.

What is the best kind of lighting for a large living/dining room with a gabled/vaulted ceiling? I am thinking of lights at the top of the walls facing up flooding the ceiling so as to reflect downwards?