Thank you for all your responses. My preference is matching splash back to the bench-tops. The trouble is the size of these laminate splash back comes in are 3000mm x 600mm or 1500mm x 1210 mm - I will require at-least 3100mm by approx 695 mm (h) as all units are set a little bit higher due to the minimum requirements for gas hob clearance. I opted all units to be set higher as I wanted streamlined look hence I am looking at a minimum of 2 joins. Would 2 joins on a laminate splash back look okay? Or would it be too obvious. ( I will of course ensure the joining material glue or whatever is called is matched to the laminate colour?) Thank you

Normally you can pick the units you want and then the handles you want. I don't see there being a problem. Go to a kitchen shop and have a look around. Normally these things are put together because they 'match', but don't let that stop you. Have fun!

If you are definitely getting a double or 1.5-bowl sink, I agree with qudaus above about having the larger bowl at least 500mm, or even larger if you can fit it. It's so much easier to manipulate large pots and pans, baking trays and roasting tins without splashing water everywhere. On taps, I would always go with a single-lever mixer, which is easy to use even with floury, oily or dirty hands. Make sure that the neck has enough (high) clearance over the sink so that you can place high pans underneath. When I did my kitchen I saw some 'tap to turn on/off' models but I am not sure whether they work reliably and in any case, I have two cats and my poor water bill if they ever discovered that trick! Taps with a motion detector on/off feature might be worth a look, though. I also love the pull-spray; super convenient for all sorts of things, including filling a pot with water while the sink is full! Also, using the spray to rinse the sides of pots before washing saves a lot of water compared to filling them to soak. I don't have a hot-water tap and would never choose to, but those who have one swear by them. I feel like it's a waste of energy to keep water at boiling point 24/7, although the manufacturers tell us it is not... Anyway, I just boil the kettle with the volume of water I need for hot drinks, and for cooking, eg pasta, I use the induction hob, which is quick (admittedly not instant!) and extremely energy efficient. Good luck and have fun!

We usually steer clients clear of darker worktops, but in this particular instance it feels like you need something to ground and punctuate the space a little. Keeping everything too light could leave it feeling a little bland. You don't need to go too dark, but just enough to add a bit of contrast. It will make all of your other beautiful choices 'pop'. Quartz is a great choice, but another one that we really like is Corian. It comes in a huge range of colours and also a softer soapy finish which looks like natural stone. The great advantage of Corian is that you can get it with no joins, so it instantly looks more expensive than it actually is. Hope that helps :) Warm Regards Robyn Aitch Interiors