Pedestal with sculpture/vase and Painting the 23" wall that faces the front doors a different color, seem to be the winners :)

clintandvic - are you very minimalist, private people? a lot of the solutions above seem very impersonal - and, while your current artwork might have special meaning for you, it could be found anywhere. I'd go for either the round or cheaper 'floating'-style bookshelves. I definitely wouldn't have a mirror backing for anything on which you are likely to put books (or heavy decorator items such as vases) - too easy to accidentally break the mirror! (I'd be filling the bookshelves here with cookbooks - but that's me), but it seems you don't really envisage books on the shelves? But most of all . . . this is your home, and it seems to be the corner of the kitchen, so close to the heart of your home? Even if you go with the shelves, don't fill them with this season's trendy decorator items - save the space for meaningful objects from your life together! Frame and display all sorts of personal items (not just photos - though I am also a fan of the idea of making it a photo wall): festival or sporting event tickets, maybe framed with a very small poster (you can even find and printout original ads for events from the internet); that crafty thing you bought when you were both away for a weekend . . . don't be afraid to make this space about you, rather than what you think it should look like - and it will make a great talking point to share with guests . . . How much more interesting would this wall look if it featured framed clothes from your wedding/the day you met/your favourite holiday together? These Houzz articles have some great ideas about the sorts of personal things you can use as decorator items around your home: https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/8-everyday-treasures-and-how-to-share-them-stsetivw-vs~44492547 https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/9-everyday-items-youd-never-think-to-frame-stsetivw-vs~45495730 and https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/20-inventive-ways-to-decorate-with-your-holiday-souvenirs-stsetivw-vs~25913013

Hi Jen I don't see them not raising the ground level to your fence, either way make sure they do the retaining walls before the rains start. If they replace the fence, that should be paid by them 100%. However I worried by your 3rd photo it looks like they haven't keyed the ground prior to the fill? ...you don't want slippage, remember Thredbo! If your block is big enough, here's some trees, beware of fast growing trees as they tend to be huge. http://www.citywide.com.au/mobile/blog/treescapers/2014/08/15/10-australian-native-trees http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fact-sheets/in-the-garden/trees-and-palms/trees-other-plants-to-avoid/#.WJsiiXQZ7qA Don't plant too close to retaining walls.

you are super-patient!!! :) :) thank you :) I'm so sorry but I do actually have a couple MORE thoughts!! argh! there are just so many different options.... and this is a bit of an all consuming puzzle to try to solve. here they are: 1) study could become main bathroom - leaving new Bed 4 as per plan since it is bigger & a better size for guests. in this option, some area could be stolen from the study to boost ensuite size - even if it just made the ensuite 1 full metre. Ideally not requiring study window to change. 2) WC could potentially be separate either within this space OR at the back of the old kitchen (allowing for the remaining, longish hall wall to be shorter again) oklouise you may think some of these ideas are not very workable & I'd be so glad for your feedback & comment (and anyone else's comments as well), it's really so incredibly helpful - unbelievably helpful - to have everyone's input. i'd love recommendations on which ideas & options might work best for that balance between function & budget