I think a comfortable distance between the island and the counter is around 42". It seems that you have only 30" between your cook top and the counter. I might be a little too tight. The wall between the entrance and the kitchen could be 4' long instead of 6', you would then be able to move the island a foot which would give you more room between the cook top and the island. Could you switch the location of the toilet and vanity in your dad's bathroom so your enter facing a vanity instead of a toilet which is a lot nicer.

HI RinaI do agree I love jewelbox rooms, but I consider them more cosy ... and with a grey marble floor it goes all Versace Italianate! I am trying to balance the colours by bringing in a pattern on the covers rather than plain. I feel this will bring colour without overpowering the room. In the pictures I showed above, the rooms are basically neutral but the colour is brought in via pattern - I think this might be the way to go...Ideally a green or blue on a subdued grey would be the best, but I dont know what the market is like for Sumit...Cushions can do a lot to tie in the other white/grey elements.Shelley - navy is a good suggestion, but as Sumits area is quite tall and thin, trying to keep the general area light Any more suggestions most welcome. These are just ideas after all and Sumit will choose what works for the room in the end ;-)

Are you saying you will be layering a wooden false wall on top of the existing wall to hold the pocket door? If that is the case, you might want to treat the entire side of that new and existing wall ( including the area above doorway) as an accent wall using wood veneer strips. They look like actual pieces of wood plank which have adhesive backing, they come in a variety of finishes and colors...I like the old reclaimed wood look. A diagonal pattern would add extra visual interest, but would be more intense to cut and install. That will camouflage the additional layer and create a beautiful accent wall.

vedikaseth Bombay rains are harsh! The one thing you can do is use flexible covers that work similar to roller blinds, and are transparent which allows the light to enter. There are many companies that offer such a product. Just choose one where the installation is easy and taking down the sheets is not an issue once the rains are over. Do keep in mind however that the water will still enter the balcony, you will simply be reducing the force of rains, and will require a water outlet.