Your question to an outside kennel, it will need to be tough. A GSD can chew almost anything , I think Canberra weather is way too cold to have Manny as an outside dog. Buy a extra large crate and keep him inside. Crate train your pup, they will learn to toilet train quicker there is a lot of info out there to google. GSD's need to be part of the family or there can be behavioural issues. Are you renting? is this the reason for the kennel outside?

Two of these, stressless chairs, one either side of the bay window they are totally comfortable, not cheap, friends have them for reading and tv watching, in that position, they usually only watch tv at night, and love to read in natural light. They would certainly go with you to the next house and will fit in anywhere. Put the tv opposite, with the ottoman off centre. Small retro table in between chairs. Move the big pictures currently on the tv wall to either side of the fireplace. Heaps of carpet lying space. Rug once you have finalised the furniture locations and colours nip out and get a thin silk/wool oriental kilim Easy to take with you.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating volume build in ANY way....there's actually little positive I can say about it except they are a more affordable option, and for some people that's the priority.....,whether or not it's in fact good value for money is a whole other discussion ;).......people have to work out where they sit within the quality to quantity spectrum for a particular project..................It's certainly a challenge here for you in that how can you accurately assess and distill/filter the "advice" offered by various parties?.......Seriously, unless a builder actually absorbs your design brief and comes back with a considered solution, any suggestion/comment such as " you could raise the ceiling" or "put in a window" or "use trusses" of whatever is neither here nor there, and are just floating ideas to consider in the mix...........but isolated "suggestions", whilst may be ideas to consider, don't effectively dealing with the overall solution/big picture to your challenge..................there are different areas of expertise in this game.....builders are builders, (and they seem to have a knack of getting called in and influencing too early in the process) they build stuff and certainly they have an idea about this and that from experience, and they can provide sound quotation/opinion on how much it will cost to do something... BUT really only properly/accurately once there is hard documentation in place (read: documented&specified, not basic concept/design sketches/verbal ideas) .......I have great respect for builders (it's a seriously hard rugged gig) and I know some fantastic ones, but builders are (in general) not "designers" unless they have come form a design background......and the conversations if held too early can be (unintentionally blurred, confusing and actually detrimental to the client and what they really need to be focusing on...........design advice from a builder can be offered with good intentions, however I have found it generally comes from more a singular benefit angle (usually motivated by business/profit) whereas (good/seasoned design) advice from a design professional comes from more complex, balanced and creative position and process in which various aspects are simultaneously managed/considered to achieve results for a client on multiple levels, ie, cost, function, aesthetic, experience etc.............the different and various professional skills all have their place, but need to be utilised in the right order relevant to the process......................yep I wish you all the luck.....these are always big investments, and big decisions, both emotionally and financially :)

Hi Jo! Megan from Bluethumb Online Art Gallery here. I agree with scottevie and oklouise that an artwork would be a great option to finish off the fireplace. I love the idea of a concrete render, that will look stunning! I think an abstract piece would look great with the modern lines of the structure, so I've compiled a few suggestions from Bluethumb's artists that I think would look great. Of course, these are just an idea, so let us know if we can help further. My choice would be this intriguing piece by NSW-based artist, Brendan Kelly. I've roughly mocked it up for you, based on a estimate of the actual size of your fireplace. https://bluethumb.com.au/brendan-kelly/Artwork/graze-brendan-kelly Some abstract options that would work wonderfully: https://bluethumb.com.au/dinah-wakefield/Artwork/traces-of-light https://bluethumb.com.au/rachael-higby/Artwork/earth-and-wind https://bluethumb.com.au/susie-monte/Artwork/clementine-abstract-painting-by-susie-monte https://bluethumb.com.au/clairbremner/Artwork/lingering-light-abstract-expressionist-landscape-painting-by-clair-bremner https://bluethumb.com.au/suebannisterartist/Artwork/coral-sky-s-2 Some alternatives to abstracts: https://bluethumb.com.au/johngraham/Artwork/eroded-landscape https://bluethumb.com.au/silvia-rubboli-golf/Artwork/close-encounter-silvia-rubboli-golf https://bluethumb.com.au/elizabeth-wojciak/Artwork/the-blue-bath Once again, let us know if we can help further :)