Firstly...are you sure they are jarrah and not som other more exotic timber? If you are fortunate enough to have a genuine 1932 built cottage I say "Don't Do it!" Just look at the beautiful timber in that floor! It would be sinful to paint it. I have a 1924 cottage with beautiful hoop pine floorboards all from the day it was built. My suggestion is to have the boards sanded and polished. I would not even dare go near them with polyurethane. I have turned back the clock and used the methods of the period of the house...a mix of pale boiled linseed oil and kero. Put it on with a mop or a deck mop or a wool mop leave it soak in. Re-do and leave it soak in,,,( you won't get patches...the floors will just soak it up.) Third coat, add a bit of turps to the mix as a white ant deterrent. Then, when the floors look like they've soaked up enough, get a big old fashioned string mop...if you can find one...or use a deck scrubber and old towels...or even a wad of new ones...100% cotton...its worth it, and rub off as much of the surplus as possible...wear sox so you will notice when the sox do not get oil stained anymore. First go is a long process but you will be really pleased when the floors have had several "drinks". After that you could get just an ordinary floor varnish or oil or just a sealant. Some of the modern wood treatments are really good. Then, every so often do the boards over with your "Oil Mop". You will never find timber like that again and, in my experience, it adds to the value of the house big time. Do what you like to any gyprock and plastered walls but PLEASE love your floorboards and any natural timber...especially from that era. I've been in this old cottage for 32 years. Everyone wants to know where I sourced the "new" floorboards", and who did I get to make my silky oak windows! Hope that helps.

We're in a large apartment with sliding glass doors facing west (lounge/dining and bedroom 2) and east (main bedroom, kitchen) each with a full length balcony/patio areas (4&5m deep and 6.5m wide). With this set up we get a fantastic cross breeze that cools down our entire home within minutes of the sliding doors being opened after a cool change arrives in summer. Our front (western) facing sliding doors get the hot afternoon sun so in summer we put up the outdoor umbrellas (soon to be outdoor awning blinds) that keep the sun off our windows and make entertaining out there more comfortable in the late afternoons reducing glare. We also find that we chase the sun/shade (depending on the season) when we're eating outdoors and entertaining so for summer, we use our western side in the morning where it's shady and cool and the eastern side of an evening and vice versa in winter. In the full length planter boxes on our western balcony we've put in rosemary which has grown up and provides a little extra protection against afternoon glare. We don't have air con and manage quiet well for the majority of summer exception of those two or three days each year that are super hot we close the whole apartment up, draw all the curtains and blinds, turn on the faithful Dimplex tower fan and resort to cool showers, salads and ice blocks.

Oh excellent, thank you, it looks lovely! I have been to many of the suppliers but QQ is too far away for me with a screaming baby in the car and they won't mail me samples! Once I choose a stone mason I will view them in person because I hear even with Quartz each slab can be a little different. I was thinking maybe Lexicon quarter...warmed up a bit...but I'm not sure. Thanks for the warning, I do have time on my side so I might go get some sample pots and see what actually looks ok with our lighting.

Just took another look. And another. I was looking at your plan upside down. Your laundry is fine, but I'm still sure it's the entrance. If you could move the barbeque and that bit of fence - to make the front entrance a feature I am sure that would make all the difference. Get out of your car and see what you walk into. Then make that entry the feature. I'd also maybe give the top of the carport roof a karcher or a coat of paint. Most people have two cars and they want them undercover. Maybe the carport could be extended to fit two cars. Maybe change the fence near the kitchen to make that the entrance. Then have a look and think what you would like the entrance to look like. I know one of the reasons my house sold was because the bedroom looked out onto beautiful garden. If you have enough room change all the beds to face the balcony and the views. People do lie on your beds. They also look in all your cupboards, even i the kitchen..The large chest of drawers in one of the bedrooms will make people think there isn't enough storage. It is a beautiful piece of furniture so ask your neighbours if they would look after it for a while. I had my house termite proofed before I sold. It's something the new people won't want to do. They always have a termite ispection before they buy so I did it for them. I took money off this new house because they hadn't kept up the termite control. I'm sure you have karchered your driveway if it's concrete. It does't take long and makes a incredible difference. Make sure all the lawns have whipper snipper edges. People don't want to spend their life mowing lawns, especially in such a beautiful position.. I lent a karcher to a friend of mine who had an enormous house but it wasn't selliing, it had been on the market at least six months.. Once they karchered all the concrete they sold the next week. It's true most buyers have no imagination so you have to do it for them. If there is something wrong - never, never mention it and people will not notice. I am i love with your house already so there must be something that turns people off. Do you give them feedback sheets on the things they like and do't like? It would be worth looking because position is everything and your house is superb.It may be price or it may be something you haven't noticed because you've been there so long. I hired bond cleaners and spent weeks in the garden making it neat make everything sparkle. This house is stunning but there are a few easy fixes. Look at photos of how pillows are arranged on the beds in magazines and copy them. There are no bedside tables. You can buy cheap ones at KMart - they are woven cane - buy white and buy cheap but good looking white lamps for each bedside table. The pictures in this house would drive me crazy. They need to be centred. The picture above the tv does't line up with the edges of the tv. It should be centred above the tv. The mid point of the painting should be around 60 inches to the middle of the painting. Just measure up 60 inches then measure the measure to the middle of the painting. The middle of the painting should be 60 inches up from the floor. The rule fro decorating is one, three or five, so rearrange your knicknacks in one, three or five. Take the red toaster out of the kitchen. It doesn't fit. Instead of painting you can buy cheap wall and floor steamers. I have a vac - around $140 and you can buy wall attachments. You'll be surprised how much gunk comes off the walls. They will make your paint look new and take away any smells. Smell is really important. I normally use jasmine or vanilla plug in smell. Turn them down so they don't overpower. Use the plug in ones as they are subtle.. Buy fresh flowers every week. People hate calling up to make a appt to see a house. Get an agent and have a open house every Saturday afternoon for at least 4 weeks, Auctioning is cheap. Think mine cost $180.00.If you have an Auction you don't have to sell, you set a minimum price and I decided mine during the Auction. When it went to the market I got a extra $15,000, but my house got a incredible price because two guys competed for status. One had never seen the house before. On the coach by the pool throw over a plain white cover and mix and match all the cushions outside. If the pergola wall is painted blue paint it white so it blends in. I decorated like you with blues but have changed to whites and greys. They always look fresh. The trick to making the bed smooth is to pull from opposite corners so the doonas look flat. Sight lines are everything. Walk through the house and look at your sight lines. Then blend a cushion or something of the same colour that matches to draw the house together. Your windows and floors need to sparkle. You can use a steam cleaner for the floors as well. Your wooden floors are beautiful. Leave them. Karcher all outside concrete. Karchers, smaller ones are cheap and make a world of difference. Take away the bottles of wine and plates on the tables. It's staged and no-one does it anymore.. Place fresh flowers there. Spray the rugs with a light mix of vinegar and water. It takes smoke smells away. Had to have another look but there are no pictures of the entrance to the house. The entrance sells a home. Fix it up. Put in chairs and make it look beautiful. If your front doors are shabby replace them. Don't go to Doors Plus like I stupidly did, but there are some great door manufacturers who don't TV advertise. Buy new door mats - the beautiful ones are around $60 - $80 dollars from HAUZZ , Frenchknot . Make sure they haven't got writing on them. I'm guessing they are not showing the front for for a reason. Fix it. Cut off any brown leaves in the garden. Have a look at similar photos through HAUZZ of the front of the house. There are some great inexpensive ideas for front porches, If the driveway is concrete karcher it. To sum up, karcher all concrete and bricks, Hang paintings so they line up. You can probably hire real pieces of art to match the house for not much for 4 weeks. Have a open house, go to Auction - you don't have to sell but it can start an ego bidding war. Boys wlll be boys. Your house is so beautiful it must be the front if there are no photos, I'm guessing. Entrances sell houses. It is such a beautiful house. Have an open house on the weekends. People who work are too busy to ring and ask for a inspection because the real estate agents are ALWAYS late.I worked and needed to be away a a certain time. After a while I gave up making appointments. It just made me furious and I may have bought if the agent had shown up early or on time. No-one wants to inspect at night. I love your house so it has to be something really simple that has stopped it from selling. I hope you were not offended because your house is so beautiful. Any person would love to live there. It's why I keep coming back and having another look. Maybe it is worth bringing in a stylist, because your house is so beautiful. The details are everything. And deewb said something that makes total sense. Most people won't buy just before a federal election. Just had a look at your photobook. Clutter - it must have hurt you downsizing the clutter. To be honest please hire a stylist. It will make all the difference to unclutter more and depersonalise.. I just looked at Realestate.com.au and your house is not listed. I guess it is't listed o Domain either. You have lost 75% of your buyers by not using these two sites. They are the sites every looks at. Most people don't look at one agents site, As soon as you can get out of using them as your sole property agents - ditch them. They haven't worked i your best interests.