yes Wuff it was extremely upsetting. I used to go to my car after every visit & cry & cry! My little guy is the apple of my eye & just the most fun lovable thing that even people who don't like dogs warm to. He's so used to being with people & having people fuss over him.Not the girls at quarantine though! You could see in his eyes he couldn't understand what he'd done wrong to be locked up & shunned & he used to howl & cry whenenver I got up to leave. The last week he was there he stopped eating. My 2 cats were rescues. My Maine Coon, Mr Bubba Coon was dumped at San Diego County Animal Shelter because he was the runt of the litter & deemed to be not big enough to be saleable. It was the height of the GFC. I brought him back to Sydney with me. My other guy, Spooky Cat is black & he & his sister were dumped at a vet in Five Dock here in Sydney aged 4 weeks. He stayed locked up in a cage at the shelter until he was 16 weeks old as black cats & tortys are the hardest cats to find a home for. When i took him home he just sat on the couch for a week because the concept of being free to walk about wherever he wanted was so foreign to him. He is the sweetest, loveliest little guy with beautiful yellow green eyes.

Mark, thanks for your question, it's a good one because we're constantly bombarded by shows like The Block that are all based around trends and that can make us unsure about how our own home can fit into the current trend...or not. Firstly, can I reassure you that pendants are not a trend item, they've been around for ever (thank you how2girl for your image). When designing an interior, the rule is to design or decorate the 3 levels - the upper ceiling level (ceiling details, pendants etc), the mid height wall level (think artwork and tall lamps) and to decorate the lower level (rugs or decorative flooring). The most beautiful and interesting rooms draw your eye around the space, from floor to ceiling and back again, making pendant lighting an important stimulating feature in a space. Pendants also anchor a space. They say, I am here over the meals table or island bench and this is where we gather to talk, laugh and eat. I love them and use them and wall lights in preference to downlights whenever possible. Now just make sure that you still have adequate task lighting in your kitchen for the important things like preparation, cooking and cleaning up. Downlights serve this purpose well. LED strip lighting under overheads is a popular choice - I've done it under island benchtops and kickers as well to give that floating feeling and it looks amazing. But it doesn't provide you with overhead task lighting, and that's why I would use downlights as well. In answer to your question about whether to have an island bench or not, please forget trends unless you're reselling and even then you need to consider how much space you have and the flow of the room. If you could provide a sketch it would be easier to help you wth that specific question. Here are a few photos of one of our recent projects (still in construction mode so please excuse the surrounding mess) which show LED strip lighting, pendants and downlights in a kitchen, bar and casual living room (all in the one big open space). Hope that helps, Yelda xo :)

Hi Michelle, There are many independent designers (both kitchen & interior) that would be happy to put together a colour schedule to suit the kitchen design that your cabinet maker has prepared, so a few phone calls in your local area should have this sorted for you. Alternatively, we offer a cost effective 3D rendering service at The Interior Difference (check out the examples on our Houzz profile) customised to your colour selections to assist you in ensuring that you have made the right selection before you commit to the colours. We find this is really helpful for client's who have a good idea of what they think they want but just need a visual to give them the confidence to proceed. Feel free to send us a message if you have any queries. Good luck with your project!! Rebecca - The Interior Difference

Hi Lindsey, I also agree with the comments regarding adding indoor plants to fill the gaps on either side of the TV. Some great, low-maintenance indoor plants are the Fiddle Leaf Fig, Monstera (also known as Swiss Cheese Plant) and Snake Plant (Mother-In-Law's Tongue). They're all beautiful plants and very ease to take care of. Another option would be to have some open shelving on either side, similar to the one we have used in this Living Room styling below. This could work really well, especially if you have limited storage for some bits and pieces you would like on display. A bonus is that including taller items like this will create a sense of balance in the room, and accentuate the height of your wall which will create an illusion of taller ceilings. Hope this helps! - Elena