I would consider a light quartz in some sort of marble veining- there are many to choose from- I've posted silestone's eternal calcutta gold. Both the island and perimeter counters. Your island could go the same as your cabinets, white or you could look into Sherwin Williams Loggia- it's a nice warm stone color. picture below. I would suggest an elongated white subway style backsplash- the one pictured below is from one of our jobs- it's hard to tell in the photo but it has a wave to it that bounces the light. I've pictured a warm style of pendant that you could do multiples of over your island. wall color shown is Sherwin William's Gossamer Veil. Its a nice warm and very light. Can look grey. I've also attached a photo of a paneled column. It might be nice to add some visual weight to the support column between the living room and kitchen. trimming it out could make it feel more like an established piece and not something you have to work around. My main concern with adding the cabinet in place of the microwave is making sure you match the existing style and color of current cabinets correctly. Good luck and have fun!

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pinterest image- couldn't find who to credit