Hi Teresa, since you've only just moved in and are not sure, I would suggest wait and live with it until you have a clear directon on how the overall space functions, what your storage pressures are and what your over all style is likely to be. Putting time into a piece that you might remove would be frustrating. Removing a piece now that is functional and fitted is hasty. Budget how much you have to spend on the room and what the room needs. New cabinetry such as this replacement value is quite a few thousand dollars so consider the direction of the room first style wise, then imagine how that piece could be re-born. Once you've done that, if it ruins the flow remove it. The aesthetics can be enhance with a colur change in paint or lime wash but I think it will always be best in the look tha tit is sine the fireplace is built in but loving it with some restorative finish whether it's wax or varnish would give it a lift. It looks like it still works well and the fact that it has the cornice fitted at least has had some thought put into it. Good Luck

I have loved our deep leather lounge for the same reasons that many have stated above. You literally "lounge" and when I had a shoulder operation it was the perfect bed for recuperation, giving my shoulder support while, at the same time, giving me a comfortable and easy sleep. However, as I have aged, and also due to my small stature, I am finding that my back begins to ache because the back of the lounge does not support my back firmly enough and my feet don't touch the ground. I am now looking at a smaller, upright and supportive type of lounge. I do have a couple of chairs that fit this but it means that I am not sitting cuddled up to my husband.

Hi kristymacd, after changing my mind many times we went for a built in 1700 bath! Mostly as builder and tiler thought it would be easier to slope the floor properly and I liked the idea of the slightly larger built in compared to the 1590 back to wall. I’m sure a back to wall would’ve been possible and been fine, it all just got a bit hard and I knew both would look good. And I don’t think a back to wall would be any harder to clean than a built in - with a built in you have the hob and tiled face of the bath and back to wall there is the floor either side of the bath - same same! Here’s a pic of ours, not totally finished yet but really happy with it.

Thanks for your thoughts on this. Yes, Ikea and other stores have freestanding cabinets that need to be secured to a wall. Smallest dimensions are 30cm x 30cm - which is very goodm but unfortunately there is no space in the kitchen, the area is very tight. A downside to walls being taken out to open up the space between living and dining areas has meant any wall space where a cupboard could have gone is no longer there. Am working out where I may be able to recess into the wall for a narrow, bookshelf deep linen cupboard, possibly this will have to be in the bedroom. My guess is they originally had a free standing cupboard/ armoire somewhere in the living room. Did some researching on realestate.com for houses of similar size in the area and there are quite a few listed that have no linen cupboards- same issue, floor area too small to have accommodated one or renovations would have meant to make a room larger, they went without the linen cupboard. I'm seeing a few linen cupboards built into the lounge rooms- perhaps a cloak cupboard, and also next to built in wardrobes in main bedrooms. I've been thinking of building a utilities cupboard like you mention out on the back deck, though squeezing a 25cm tall narrow cupboard into the laundry space for broom and stick vacuum. seems do-able.