What colour is your island?

Hi. The island and curved pan drawers under the hob are a kind of cappuccino colour

Have you thought about brightening it up with an opposing pastel worktop in blue maybe? Will go with the pale brown cupboards...

We will also be replacing the bar stools and dining chairs

Unfortunately blue is not a colour my partner likes, but thanks for the suggestion. The kitchen is also semi open plan to the living room which has white walls, black leather sofa and neutral accessories.

Why not paint the wall in a cappuccino similar to the island, it will be warm but still create a good contrast with the units..

Thanks for the suggestion, we have considered painting the walls but feel some texture is required?

I have white Quartz with flecks of mirror. After various experiments on different samples, like you, we discovered anything dark shows up watermarks. We went for Quartz over granite in the end because of the porosity (again after experiments on samples), the granites absorbed stains whereas the Quartz didn't because of the resin used. I did manage to stain ours slightly with curry once but a squirt of bleach and it was gone. Three years on it's still sparkling (despite us being a messy family), looking great and I love them. They bounce a lot of light around the room too.

You could try mixing a hardwood, such as teak, and stainless steel. The steel will develop a patina over time though and there will be some maintenance involved with wood but personally thinks it's worth the effort as it just gets more beautiful over time. Leave the walls white to blend with the lounge and add colourful art and stools. I don't get on with granite at all with water stains.

Yes a light quartz top with a fleck would work well. I still think you need more than that tho, it's a bit lifeless. You need another colour defiantly, large artwork would be good I think accent walls are very dated now. Great idea to change the chairs, lighter in colour I presume and fabric to add a diff texture. The bar stools don't look comfy so ones with a back to them maybe, Ikea to a nice one Hemnes is the name they do dining chairs also. I would also add colour with curtains just to dress the window.

Finally, it needs some personal touches to soften it and show your personality, the island could do with a statement piece on it or a large fruit bowl or vase etc. there seems to be a big floor space between Island and wall, what about a console table or sideboard with big mirror above??

Good luck.

I like the walls as they are but would add some art work rather than paint.

Possibly brighter colour industrial looking stools to add some colour.

I would also look to add a more quirky looking dining table and chairs to add an interesting feature.

Dekton would be perfect for this space. I totally agree. Aura or kairos would look great and then I would use a warmer colour on walls so it doesn't look washed out maybe a grey shade? X

Thank you Balmsy - I think you have hit the nail on the head - the room is lacking personality. I will attach another photo later which is similar to your suggestion of table and mirror and shows you what we have on the wall, but you are right there is alot of floor space. Thank you Laurz84 - I agree about the kitchen stools, where would i find something similar to the ones in your picture? X

Can anyone help me this is my kitchen at the moment my plans are to knock down the wall and make it larger (see plan ) but in this area I would like a kitchen sitting area and TV area . Please note that the wall is that an angle

http://www.fusionliving.co.uk/seating-c3/bar-stools-c41/fusion-living-red-industrial-style-tall-bar-stool-with-cream-linen-seat-p764

I haven't ever bought anything from here, but they have a lot of stools...so just check reviews if you do buy anything.

Table and chairs
http://www.oakfurnituresuperstore.co.uk/verona-120cm-solid-oak-dining-table-with-charles-eames-style-dsw-eiffel-chairs.html

It's hard to know when picking a kitchen the practicalities of it, in same boat but all money is finished.
Perhaps just change island?

A statement coloured glass worktop although I have heard these are also very unforgiving, depends on your lifestyle.

Something with colour would be nice tho.

Why not try something a bit different for your worktop like polished concrete? You can get them pigmented but a light grey might draw the white a cappuccino units together. I'd then go with a similar or slightly lighter colour for the walls too. Of course you don't have to have 6 matching dining chairs - why not have 3 pairs of different but complementary chairs?

I agree that a higher worktop and changing the chairs would make the space lighter and brighter. I would then add a large colourful rug!