A houzz contributor, not too long ago, had made a wine rack out of 4'x4' wooden pallets, that are used in the US to move a load of goods with a fork-lift truck. Perhaps they have them in your country. He cut them in half so they were only two feet deep and stacked them up to high counter height. The wood would be a nice contrast with your concrete, might add a little warmth to the space. cascio.offsite@gmail.com

Thanks One Plan for your recommendation. Would it be good to go for Herringbone pattern in hallway and in the open plan vinyl straight planks and then matching tile in the decking area. We have shortlisted karndean vinyl for open plan (Von Gogh Distressed Oak) althought not sure. Also what type of anti-slip material should I go for if I had to matching wooden look vinyl ?

Okay, do you have any theme or colours in mind. Like do you want a modern look, ethnic look or a mix of both. Which colour family earthy tones like reds and browns or Mediterranean like whites, blue and green.

Laminate is incredibly durable. Currently we have a stone-look gloss surface with tiny, occasional pits for texture, no problems with food particles getting stuck. Previously we had a matte finish in color, it lasted 20 years before looking scuffed. I would not use raised texture on a counter bc the peaks would wear more quickly.