Thanks Garnercat. The quotes I received for polished concrete were high due to the fixed costs of having to have Lorraine's mixing the cement so I was advised that micro cement would be a more cost effective option for a small space as it's applied in a thin layer but has a similar look. If you could let me know the name of the company you mention I will contact them if they're based in the London area? Thanks again :-)

This is a difficult question to answer accurately as there are so many factors that are involved. If you insist on using a solvent based concrete sealant, then it is important that the conditions be warm and that there is plenty of air circulation in the Kitchen. You have to be very careful to make sure that the layer that you apply is not too thick, as the thicker it is the longer it will take to dry. You also need to make sure that the kitchen is very well ventilated so you need a warm summer's day with as little humidity in the air as possible and all windows and external doors open. You also need to be careful that if you are applying the sealer to the underside of the kitchen units that the plinth is kept off until the product has thoroughly dried and no longer gives off an odour. Drying time on most products is 2-4 hours however the smell could linger for as long as a week depending on how warm the atmosphere is. I hope this helps.... maybe you should consider using a different water based sealant? The commercial types are generally far more reliable than the DIY options available. If you have a good Builder's Merchant nearby then they will generally be able to give you very good advice and offer product options not generally found in your DIY stores.

I can see that you’ve had overall a tall bank of units on the back wall which will look great. I’m wondering though if the fridge freezer is really in the right place. A walk from the sink where you fill the kettle, around the island to the FF to then get the milk for the well earned cup of tea. I think I would have wanted it closer. Regarding flooring I’d settle on LVT. Even though you’ll have underfloor heating it’s just nice to have something warm and soft to walk on especially bare footed. Lots of colour choice in LVT.

I wonder if the newer cement could be painted in a masonry paint in a browny green? You may not get an exact match but it could tone down the pale grey. Of course green may not be the right match and the more I look at the cement it looks more brown! Or paint the whole lot in one colour, the edge only, so you won’t have to colour match.