Well done on the gutsy move - It looks fantastic! I'd like to help you with an artwork for the wall if you are open to it. I do commission works and exhibit in galleries - It seems artists have done a good job at implying art is wildly expensive - my aim is to make art inclusive, authentic and affordable. You can even pick the price of a commissioned artwork and we can work together to create something right for the space and budget. If you're keen, I'm happy to have a chat you can contact me via my website www.janamcleod.com :)

Hi arcmaz Great house - fantastic 60's modern look - Harry Sidler (Modernist Architect 1923-2006 exponent of the Bauhaus style in Australia, mainly Sydney) would have loved the interpretation, its a good style, don't change it will pay dividends in the long run. It would be good if there was a plan of the house,and a plan of the block this would allow some relatively accurate planning proposals. If you had the real-state plan with the block plan it would help a lot. In terms of making the place bigger and retaining the style I would suggest that the extension (maybe one room and an en suite depending on a budget) be a block in the today's current style, but linked to the existing house via a "link" (Link =small walkway). This would allow you to retain the style, but not be dominated by a past period, I have done this a few times and it has worked fairly well. If you are looking for three bedrooms it might be best to add a master bedroom with a bathroom, and then maybe living areas with back yard access. There may be other approaches depending on the current layout that could be considered, but I would retain as much as the original as possible, and only make small cosmetic changes until you are ready for a worthy development. I hope this is of some help, I would be happy to comment further or work on this project. Regards - Michael Manias Manias Associates Building designers - mm407p@gmail.com

I would leave it as is with a few tweaks. Put in bifold doors, guessing you have flies and mossies so some pull out fly screens or any flyscreens. Build a little stud wall with gyproc to hide the edge of the dresser, done right it should just look like the existing wall. I’ve done it before, just a cheap weekend job. Paint everything, Whisper white, will be lovely against the background of trees. Then furnish outside with some comfy furniture that you love. 1. The reason I wouldn’t close it in is because your bedroom looks a pretty good size. 2. Cost wise, it would be heaps more. 3. You won’t be able to hose the windows or sweep the cobwebs without the balcony. 4. The sun might hit the windows without the balcony and now you have the luxury of no curtains. 5.if you extend you will need to worry about insulation and flooring etc. 6. I love your balcony, I think you might miss it. Maybe add a bird feeder as well as your comfy furniture, sit back and enjoy.

To add texture and softness to a room i would always recommend a curtain.. For bedrooms I always recommend a blockout with a sheer curtain hung very close to the cornice .. Depending on the “fall” of the fabric.. ( how it sits) your window treatment professional will recommend a style ( double pinch pleat, reverse pleat, s fold) but they will recommend the best pleat to showcase the fabric you choose .. However here is a cheap but smart alternative. Firstly.. very rarely do I hang either curtains or blinds within the window “reveal” I always go at least a minimum of 150mm above the window for blinds and generally always up to the cornice for the curtains. When you hang in the reveal you lose the height and a portion of the view.. You want to highlight a view so this is why I’m suggesting it! Plus it always makes your room look bigger. But .. if this is not for you then Alternatively you can get a sunscreen blind hung within the reveal and hang a curtain above roughly 150mm about be the reveal. The curtain should “frame” the window on either side of the window frame wall .. NOT covering a good portion of the window.. you want most of the fabric to sit in the wall when open. The combo blind / curtain is your most economical.. But I have always always hung curtains in bedrooms without fail.. It gives you that element of texture and luxe that is very hard to beat!!