I see this is a very old thread , with lots of comments . I've just skim read them , but I haven't seen anyone suggest anything like my 'top-of-my-head' idea -- I love the wood , and the white contrast , but pretty boring . Whats your favourite colour , or what ties in with the other rooms ? It might be blue or red or yellow or orange or green , as examples . So paint the skirting board and around the door a pastel shade of your choice , and add a small 30cm x 30cm abstract painting featuring that colour as the primary dominant one , above ( or possibly below , or maybe even get 2 matching/complementary ones ) the control panel . One lighting crowd suggested glass shades -- I'd actually go for someothing large but wooden , in much the same shade as your floors and steps , with LED bulbs -- you can get some stunning ones around 80-100 cm in diameter ( sort of a star ball shape ) for $300-400 . Total budget then $500 plus a painter and maybe electrician , unless you DIY .

sounds like a good use of space, you could install a pull out hotel clothes line, you know the one with the round fitting on one wall with a single pull out line which clips into a fitting on the other side. Attaching some photos the first is a bathroom that I would love to use to replace our existing ensuite (without replacing the window) which is as you enter the WC is behind the door to the left, right side is a nearly sunken bath with shower plus a large sliding window beside the bath, we think the architect hadn't allowed enough showering space so by adding the window gave extra width. Then we have a full width vanity and mirror on the third wall. The last should have a swimming pool style hand rail. Did you build your house, would love to see some more photos of the bathroom etc. cheers

You were fortunate Donnae68, did you get it tested? I believe that you can get a sample tested for about $100 or so. Here is an excerpt on it's history: In Australia, asbestos cement materials were first manufactured in the 1920s and were commonly used in the manufacture of residential building materials from the mid-1940s until the late 1980s. During the 1980s asbestos cement materials were phased out in favour of asbestos-free products. From 31 December 2003, the total ban on manufacture, use, reuse, import, transport, storage or sale of all forms of asbestos came into force. Many houses built before 1990 therefore contain asbestos cement materials, especially in the eaves, internal and external wall cladding, ceilings (particularly in wet areas such as bathrooms and laundries) and fences.

Custom joinery is comparativley more expensive than the Ikea pre-fab options as you are paying somebody for the labour. You are also paying for their skills and experience to measure up correctly, to make it work with your crooked walls (no wall is ever straight and perfect), and to fit it exactly to the space it was designed for, without any crooked gaps that collect dust and spiderwebs. You also are paying for somebody to go back to if something sticks or jams, or doesn't work the way it was intended to. To make the cheaper options look neat and complete you do need good craftsmaship skills to install and work out how to get it straight and neat, but as it works on standard modules it never fits perfectly into the space, there are usually gaps. For instance their kitchen modules are designed around a 200mm module. If the kitchen space you have is 3300mm, then you need to figure out a way to cover the 100mm gap. With custom joinery it is designed to fit perfectly in the 3300mm space. If you can't assemble Ikea units perfectly you don't really have anywhere to go back to if you stuff it up. If you don't have these skills then you will need to employ somebody who does, and at the end of the day you may not save a fortune. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls