Also have a dual purpose room. We did inexpensive white shelving units around two walls, with fabric boxes to stash stuff, (office, and my "crafty" supplies), threw in a few decorative items. Got a tall basket for rolled up mats/foam roller storage, a complementary lower basket to throw in the requisite elastic bands, small hand weights, etc. Decorated walls with pics from our travels, framed with colored mats.

Teddy bears! I am into frogs …. does anyone know of froggy chairs I could use on my camping trips? My most comfortable chair was a $39.95 fake leather recliner, purchased at Montgomery Wards in 1966 when my husband was convalescing from surgery. Recovered twice, new springs the 2nd time. In 2006, I arrived home from work and sank gratefully into this now 'vintage' chair and it gracefully, though noisily, collapsed. Springs, nuts, bolts, shredded innards, and me - scattered all over the living room! So I splurged on a frighteningly expensive modern chair, the second most comfy chair I have had. 6 years later the footrest refused to support my size 7 bare feet. A bolt had sheared off, and the mechanism could not be repaired. Enter the 3rd most comfy, an Ikea Poang, covered with a blanket while awaiting a custom made slip cover. By now, I have accumulated 74 years of aches and pains that often awake me at night; I crawl to the Poang, and snooze happily 'til morning. No photo of the heroic Monkey Ward, chair, but next two pictured.

The next time I decorate by a colour of the year will be the first time. Don't hold your breath. I have nothing against this particular colour but it doesn't work with all the things I've collected over the years, and I am not about to discard carpets bought after hard bargaining with dubious merchants in Istanbul or Islamabad because they don't "go" with a paint colour that someone voted "colour of the year." In its place, I think the colour would be quite nice (better than this years choices, certainly). It's just that my place isn't the right place for it.

I’m glad you like it Irove. We have done similar changes to our house. -I’m not sure what your council will require in regard to your changes. Ours was only for the fitting out the supporting beam. Ours was supporting an upstairs area, whereas yours may only be supporting a roof truss or not. So I’d check that out first. Worst case scenario, you may need a supporting post. All of the work for this can be done by a registered carpenter. Get quotes! -There are kitchen companies that do flat pack kitchen but also offer the added service of an installer at a very reasonable rate. My daughter had her whole kitchen installed, including electrics and plumbing for $3500. They could also do your WIR and vanity downstairs and coffee bar.😜 -Downstairs, all the plumbing is already existing, you can work with this. Check with your local council about any certificates you may need. I am wondering if downstairs maybe on a concrete slab? If so, there is amazing work being done now with polished concrete. Check it out. Back to the bathroom. We bought all our plumbing fixtures and fittings on line for a fraction of the price that any bathroom company charged. We bought our tiles from a bargain tile place, (larger tiles are cheaper and quicker to lay and less fiddly) they suggested a tiler. We called in a plumber to fit out the bathroom. You will also need you carpenter to be involved in this. Get all trades together before you even start. Work out your plan, if you keep most of your amenities in place, it will make it cheaper. That doesn’t mean you can’t update them. Good luck, if you do go with this!