Help me with PPOR Reno!

Love the sink. I have the Blanco one which is similar. That tap is very cool!!

I've never heard of Atec so can't comment. In WA we don't use Smartstone much but I use it for my development stuff as it's good pricing. Essa is very very common/popular here and more expensive than Smartstone.

This is probably the most similar in the Smartstone range but will be hard to chose from samples as they are so small. Best to go into the show room White Quartz Benchtop | Statuario Arabescato | Smartstone

 

I think Euro posted something about Laminam XL before, have you had a look at those?

 

Hey Myf, yes this was our favourite colour from Smart Stone BUT it's one of the 2 colours they have that doesn't come in the jumbo slab (just my luck) so I would need to buy 2 slabs of this. (I've emailed them to triple check this hasn't changed, and quietly hoping their brochure and website just hasn't been updated yet)

I'd be happy if the Essa Stone is good, as the one we saw today was perfect for us. There was a honed look (semi gloss) and a gloss. I usually don't like gloss stuff, but the guy from the showroom said it's actually easier to clean, and it looked better too. So I'd probably go with the gloss.

 

What a difference staging does to the 'feeling' of a place which is otherwise empty.

 

Any recommendations on where to buy pendant lights? Not sure if I should go with a hanging light, or led bar or light tracks. Some ideas below
Armstrong 35w Pendant

LEDlux Contempo LED 1200mm Up/Down Pendant in Black

LEDlux Panorama LED 6 Light Dimmable Pendant in Black

The bulkhead is about 2.35m high and the island bench is 2.95m long. Not sure if that's long enough for 3 hanging lights?

 

Because it's a small area, I'd probably prefer to go with something more neat and 'slimline' than oval and chunky. The LedLux could work well as an option.

 

With a bulkhead at that height 3 singles might look a little weird as they won't be able to have big drops. So once you factor in the height of most pendants then the string above it won't look balanced whereas something which has a light which is small doesn't look too bad

I did look at the 6 light one you linked and I liked it but it was quite deep across the depth of the island bench so there was less room for tall people to prep near the edges.

As you know I like the up down one

 

Hmm good points. I'm 6ft tall too, and having something I could hit my head on would annoy me. Perhaps the light bar is the best way to go. Do you know the size of the one in your pic Myf? I'm guessing it's a 1.2m wide bar on a 2.4ish bench? My bench is 2.95 so I could probably go a light bar of 1.5m

 

OKay, here's the 3D image of the end product. Not sure if I'll go 2 stools + 2 cupboards or just get rid of the cupboards altogether.

Going to pick colours tomorrow - no idea what shade of white I'll go with yet. Also I don't want it too glossy - my kitchen guy suggested a satin white?

Also I decided on the Essastone Unique Calacatta
Essastone Unique Calacatta by Laminex Review

 

Thought about going drawers more than cupboards?

 

I think I would try and move the sink closer pantry end if possible? I know you are constrained by the current location of plumbing but it would give you more useable bench space if it wasn't so centred and won't get in the way if people do use those stools

So if possible I would put dishwasher in spot 12 next to pantry then sink then......

 

My favourite white for kitchen cabinetry is Laminex Ghostgum in a matt finish as it's not a pure white and goes better with some of the stone tops that have a slight undertone to the colour. When you put the stone and the cabinetry samples together you will notice that some are warm and some are cool and you'll need to match that up.

 

Yup the height of light was determined by the tallest sparkie in the room not me as I'm only 5'2". So I grabbed the tallest one and made him stand at the bench

Yes that one is only 1200mm wide so yes you might want a wider but I think it only comes in 1200 and 2200 one LEDlux Contempo LED 2.2 Metre Up/Down Dimmable Pendant in Black

 

I'm thinking 1800-2000 wide so there's 500-600mm each side.

I don't think I like the black bar at the top that it attaches to the ceiling with. I'd prefer something up there that doesn't stick out as much. I'll take a look this weekend and find something.

 

Hmmm. The sink will be smaller than the one shown so it won't get in the way quite as much if someone sits at the stools, but good point. The reasons we did it the way it is are:
1) so you don't have to walk far to get to the sink, especially when you're a clean freak and wash your hands every 5 minutes
2) we (Mrs) wanted dishwasher to the rhs of sink, and we were advised to push the microwave to the back to hide it

Will have another think about this.

 

I'd also move the sink closer to the pantry side of possible.

 

I ordered similar from Ceasorstone for one of my current developments. Statuario maxmius.

 

The dishwasher would still be to the right of the sink but the microwave would move down the bench to be next to the cutlery bank of drawers. It's just moving everything along around 600mm so hopefully the clean freak would be ok with that

I have no issue with people seeing the microwave. If you want it to look better you can get a kit to go around it to make it look more built in and attractive.

 

The bar at the top is handy if you are re-using a current hole in the bulkhead and it's a bit in the wrong position. If you are able to put in new holes then the Strix might appeal to you more LEDlux Strix LED 1800mm Dimmable Pendant in Black