Yeah, that is what i got when i looked it up it just did not clarify the bag or box, oll, thanks. I know tin roofs, we had those in FL, online does not clarify where, but started in 1700s, all over US. Maybe come from england since we both have? Meat pies we have. American is pot pies, spanish - empanadas, i forgot the name for greek and armenian. We fought for the right to vote, but it was forced on you? Can you go to jail? Sounds harsh. Although we normally only have about a 30% show rate. i do not know who they are, but since my guys never win? It isn't people like me. lol oh and i don't think we have balmain bugs.

Just to confirm I have taken the great ideas presented here as advice only and have no intention to do some dodgy diy reno's. With the exception of a couple of quirky exposed timbers as you can see in my pictures there are no other exposed beams. As you can also see from the pictures there is a large roof space on the right (east) side of the house but the ceilings themselves are flat with a slight dip on the north wall. Based on my own personal experiences I would have to agree with Two's Company that there is a tendency towards rendered brick in WA (although there are still many exposed brick houses in my suburb) while double enclosed double garages are also highly desirable. I would also agree that toilets within the main bathroom and non traditional laundries may be considered unusual by many (but not all). Ensuites with toilets however are still very common. Also due to the nature of our work we would prefer the laundry separated from food/kitchen area. For a 4x2 house it is only around 155m2 excluding carport/alfresco which makes the rooms feel quite cramped, hence the desire to open up the family room. However, as Two's Company suggests we will need to first get a builder/eng in to check load bearing walls etc as this will undoubtedly affect what we can achieve within our budget. Having said that I still excited by many of your ideas and with luck hopefully can work some of them into the budget. Cheers all :)

The bed needs more pillows with texture and patterns. Add black highlights in the accessories. Also get a lamp for the side table and a tray for accessories etc candles, vase. A few accessories for the desk like a hand-shaped jewelry holder etc. The things that will make the room less boring will be a rug with a visually appealing and exciting pattern (not a solid colour), a chair (the more interesting the better) , new bedding will create a focal point and accessories for the side table and desk. Go to freedom or adairs etc and they'll be staff members to help you choose out furniture, accessories, bedding etc. Show them your pictures and speak to them and they'll know how to help.

My advice is to think about the working/function as you need it for your family. Prioritise that (as a starting point) and get that happening somewhat free of a "box" shape extension and see how that all sits - it's like you're trying to squeeze it all in to a specific shape and then struggling with certain details....you're suggesting/entertaining ideas like a functional laundry/bag drop zone etc which 100% is important/relevant for a busy family of 4. The problem seems that there hasn't been true clarity on the function/requirements before the design has been proposed. Is it too small? Well it depends on how exactly you intend on using it - how many people need to be able to sit at the table or on the lounge etc..this will dictate scaling - whether or not you'd like a butlers pantry or not. Is the 3rd toilet needed? Well ultimately nobody can tell you that one way or the other - you will know whether functionally that is a requirement necessary for your family - all these are questions you will have (or need to establish) an opinion/position on one way or another and then (should) be able to work through (more effectively) & resolve with the architect whom you've engaged.....you are obviously staging the project which can be logical/necessary, and given this there may in fact be alternative and arguably more cost effective design options available for you (such as a 2nd stage "clean" extension for a master suite), but realistically that involves greater understanding/information of the site/context and your particular budget in order to provide specific advice/suggestions as to how best to achieve your goals...Good luck :) PD