@colourhappy I totally agree. Like everyone else I can’t help being influenced by trends but I really try to choose things that are not too ‘of the moment’. Like those enormous wall clocks someone else mentioned. They look fab but they are definitely a trend that will define this period. Eventually there will be a lot of them in landfill. Our trusty magnolia paint saw us through 10 years of family life in our old house with 3 young children. It was super easy to slap a bit more on if it ever got dirty - who am I kidding, I mean WHEN it got dirty. It didn’t clash with the wood effect floors which I think many of the currently popular grey or yellow colours would have. I suppose I’m also lucky that I’ve not spent much time as a renter so I don’t have the frustration of having magnolia forced on me. I don’t remember it being a thing in the 80s either. I DO remember the Dulux ‘hints’ range from then though: Apple white, orchid white etc. My Mum loved those.

I love mirrored "open top" boxes - get them as tall as the tallest products. They make a small area look sleek and brighter , and he can still just grab and drop back when he has used stuff. I'd get a row of maybe four identical , about as narrow as a shoebox size or smaller so that they just sit along the top nicely together. weddingbee a few years back shows how to make them of you can't find any locally. If your back wall was papered I'd be papering the boxes to match and then they wouldn't be so noticeable. (I'm a one for wallpaper!)

I suspect that the ground floor had a hallway previously, I would be tempted to reinstate a smaller version hallway but not as far as the staircase with maybe another inner door and create room for coats shoes etc to be stored in this area. This will create a cosier seating area near the window. I agree with others that a sofa across the room near the stairs would create a more workable lounge with maybe a dining table behind. I would certainly keep the double doors maybe a bi-fold version to give more space and install doors to the open shelves to unify the kitchen.

Like the inset with the shelf. I've put that 'inset' into all my showers and it works great but hadn't thought of the extra shelf. Love the tiles but don't love wet rooms - don't like getting a wet bum when using the toilet and that's what seems to always happen!