nomadicmel - I would not consider removing the window at all - ventilation is so important, or you will give yourself even more problems, especially if you are having a dryer in there. Have you given consideration to where that will be vented anyway. If you are planning ahead for teenagers (and good luck with that) having a bath in one room and a shower in the other will be a very good investment, teenagers are anal about their privacy, but do be very mindful of storage - a vanity in the laundry will really be important - just somewhere to put a hair dryer for example.

Hi Melanie yes this lovely brick colour does cause some grief for homeowners when wanting to update colour scheme without rendering.... !!!First of all I would recommend you keep the downpipes blended with the bricks rather than highlight them. Secondly I agree that charcoal grey would be two harsh against your brick colour so maybe look at a three tone colour scheme to breakdown the harshness of a dark colour against the light bricks. For example, dark on gutters and possibly on some smaller trims and mid tone on fascia and the vertical timbers.... obviously the 3rd colour is the brick colour...

Always, always these things/decisions/projects will come down to how much money there is to work with.........don't underestimate the knock-on cost effect of renovation..........the thing is, does the house need a complete overhaul anyway? If so then potentially there is opportunity for reconfiguration, but don't be surprised with the general scope of what you are thinking about will equate to $300K for pulling the whole thing apart and putting it back in a similar but different format within the general existing footprint .......if you are thinking under $100K then really the only options are strategically consolidated refit updates to critical areas without any significant structural changes......... Finally, as always it pays to get some professional design advice when you are this stage of the process, even just to give you the accurate information and options to help you make informed decisions for your investment.. Good Luck :) PD www.pauldistefanodesign.com

I'd consider painting the plain walls, brickwork, ceiling and rafters all the same shade of white. It looks like quite a dark room and I think this would make a real difference. Painted brick in interior spaces is pretty forgiving. Are you thinking of replacing the window? It looks like the kind of space where french doors onto a little deck would be nice but that might not work if it opens onto the street. Agree that there are lots of flooring options which wouldmake a big difference to this room. After these changes think about furniture placement and zoning. It looks a bit like everything is pushed against the walls at the moment and this tends to make rooms a bit uninviting I find.