I like your space and the colour of your existing units. Remember to use the "Height" as well as the width. I see "wasted space". To the left of the door as you go in there is a blank wall there that even if you put an inexpensive wine bottle holder to even hold perrier or glasses it will give storage. Elongate the work surface to come into this space but narrow it so it gives the illusion of more work surface if there is room, if not shelves can be fitted. Make the kitchen appear bigger by using the right hand wall before you get to the kitchen entrance to put a large poster/painting either modern or traditional with a nod to the kitchen... ..fruit or still life or whatever floats your boat. This will give the kitchen an "entrance" before you get to it. The small picture at present does not do the wall justice. Do not forget shelves along the top of the window and round door frames which can house pretty glasses, cups or bottlesetc. Try and include a Mirror or mirror backed shelf opposite the main window to reflect light and space. Shelves instead of those long cupboards will give as much space, will be cheaper and prettier and can hold pans or whatever you like and give a cafe bohemian vibe. Don't go for lots of little shelves here but long "landscape" shelves. If you do this then in the wasted space by the door create a different angle by having long shaped shelves "portrait". Really try and include a mirror somewhere or just outside the kitchen. People forget to include paintings and mirrors in kitchens and bathrooms and they really work hard even in a small space and can even be hung just above the work space. Above all have fun. Get the basic units in and then individualise. It doesn't have to be done all at once. In a small space remember things really "sing". Don't have neutral walls...have a depth of colour that will give the room gravitas and cosiness. Remember...large things, conversely, look good in a small space. Remember all rooms contain a "living" thing.....a jug of tipsy tulips, foliage in a jam jar, plump oranges, limes or lemons in a junk shop bowl..... I envy you this space it is sweet and for the minimum of fuss you can really individualise it and make it "yours". Take down those wall cupboards Now and see the difference and the room will start "talking" to you. I can't see the right hand side but is there room in the corner there for a big fridge out of the sightlines of the gorgeous window? A Long larder cupboard could also go at the end here if there is room and remember you can have narrower cupboards as well as the usual width.

If you want to paint, paint. I think I'd agree with the people who suggest professional re spraying though unless you love diy and love the idea of being able to change the colour yourself relatively quickly. I recently painted a dresser (heavily stained and varnished wood, nowhere near as nice as yours) and a chest of drawers (bog standard orange pine) and unless you can take the wood right back it takes coats and COATS and a lot of patience to get a good finish. It is worth it though! Personally, I'd go for a greyish blue on the bottom half, White worktops, and paint the uppers the same white as the tiles (there's nothing intrinsically wrong with them, a classic choice that won't date). Put in a steel splashback behind the cooker (it should be possible to fit over tiles) to tone with your handles and a hard wearing natural fibre rug on the floor to break up the dark grey. A few wood accessories and the usual bits and pieces to finish.

A5) I would start by giving yourself a focal point to refer back to when you are choosing new cushions. This could be a hero piece of artwork hung behind the sofa, or a rug on the floor, for example. Take a picture of this piece on your phone so you can have it with you to compare side by side with new cushions when you are in a shop and making a decision on whether you think they will sit well alongside the artwork within the space. When it comes to pattern, consider the 60/30/10 approach. Stick to 60 percent of a favourite pattern, 30 percent of a second pattern, and 10 percent of a third as an accent. My key tip when you are mixing those patterns together is to mix up the size of the patterns, and be sure to break them up with a solid, too. For example, you could pair a narrow stripe with a medium size geometric or a large-scale floral pattern. When you layer in solids, make sure the colour is from the same colour family as one of the other patterned pieces to keep the overall look cohesive.

@Damian Farrell, the induction hob I've had since... what.. July or August? I think? Not that long. Took a while to get used to it, having always cooked on gas. Advantages: very quick, easy to clean, you can let it automatically turn off after a certain time. Disadvantages: sometimes the pans make annoying noises, has something to do with the resonance of the magnetic field I think? I don't know. But it can be a bit annoying. Make:Schott-Ceran, but the downdraft is from a Dutch company called Airo Design. Don't think they export to other countries. Anyway, almost every company does them now. Bora gets good reviews, Miele, Siemens... The videos on youtube show that the steam goes down and you think, yeah... right... But it really does go down. It works just as good, if not better than a regular one that is over the hob. I'm happy with it.