@ EMILY! Thanks so much for showing us all that you've accomplished...what a big...ongoing job and its not cheap undertaking something like that. Thanks for the tip about the star jasmine...I have a beautiful planting of that.....or rather 'had'...I got a chap in to trim it for me who advertised himself as experienced....Oh Dear! He killed most of the vine by cutting it at ground level! Now its a brown horrible mess up a tall trellis and no privacy. I'm devastated. To make it worse the neighbour sits out on her back deck and calls out to me when I'm out there when before she couldn't see me.....I'm putting up atemporary reed screen...I think....would rather my star jasmine with the blackbirds nesting in it....I know the feeling of not jumping in in case one makes a regrettable mistake. I also had gardenias but once they get sick its not worth all the trouble. I've had to learn heaps about what plants are appropriate for my place and I've made some really silly mistakes too. I've never seen those cut laser panels before and am a bit intrigued. What are they used for,,outdoor lighting? That colourbond fence works really well as a privacy screen! You've done so much and have invested not only your hard-earned money but also your ideas! Hope you have some lovely times in your space.

I followed dreamdoctor here from another post. I didn't grow up with Christmas, so the variety of these lights and their evolution is a total mystery to me, although they have always held a fascination for me. I have a set of white Christmas lights woumd around my wrought iron rail at the top of my split entry stairs that I put there at least a decade ago. So long ago I forget they are there and that anyone would judge their aesthetic value. They have become an essential to light my stairs at night as well as serve to give a bit of flavor to that part of the house in the night. I'll have to check out "modern versions!" BTW dream doctor I have been a vegetarian for a few years and still love the smell of bacon, as long as I don't think about it. Kind of like my recycled leather floors. My own hypocracy is a work in progress. ;-)

A bowling alley down one side. A pool table, soccer/games table, darts board, comfy chairs, fridge. I don't think a bar is necessary, so kids can be left in there without harm.

Lovely area! You have done a great job! Just a thought i would have put decking to one side and only had one side with stone and plants as putting the decking in the middle looks like a runway. Just my opinion. Black stone would look great instead of white. And painting the back bricks would have been better with a darker colour to make timber "pop" like the colour of your fence or black like the posts. Loving your ideas and transformation is fantastic!