hi there thanks for the update. The one flaw in this beautiful bathroom? There's always one thing! Thank you for letting me know about this detail, because I was seriously thinking of doing it this way myself. In terms of your bathroom, I wonder if a very neat bead of silicone on the top only - of the join between the glass and the vanity - could help? This way the underneath is still fee to breathe and not gather gunk. But I guess then you don't get that lovely clean glass feeling from inside the shower.....

I would choose a light, warm colour for the walls. If you are uncertain what to use, you can pay for a colour consultant will go to your house to put forward their recommendations. According to their website, Dulux charges $150 for this service. I think it's worth that amount if undecided on colour. I love plantation shutters, however, with the extra large windows and doors in your house it would cost a lot to install them. Alternatively you could use layered curtains or insulated curtains. Use heavy fabrics or layered curtains over the windows to keep out drafts. Or, purchase insulated curtains with built-in thermal backing. Window pelmets are also good for keeping out the cold.

Dr Retro, you are a designer after my own heart! My triple fronted brick veneer house was built in 1965, extended in 1970 and I try and stick to furnishings and influences from the 1950s to the end of the 1970s! I am its third owner, but have discovered its history via my elderly neighbours. I also have lots of antique vases, crystal and fine bone china, as was popular in the 1960s and 70s in my lounge room. Cannisters in the kitchen are all straight from the 1960s purchased by my mother, then handed on to me. Meanwhile my sun room is an explosion of plants , cane, colour and knotted pine feature wall. Whilst I have double glazed and slightly tinted the lounge room windows for privacy, I try and maintain the period integrity and hope to heritage list my property. So many glorious homes of this era are being knocked down for building town houses and macmansions, especially those on huge blocks, like mine. It is an easy house to live in and I am grateful for my separate kitchen, with easy access to the open plan dining room and lounge, as it keeps my dog out of food preparation areas. I love the cosiness of my kitchen in a home of otherwise vast spaces too! The separate living areas and kitchen have at times, made it easy for 3 generations of the family to happily coexist here, which in a totally open plan home would have been difficult!

What comes to mind when you think about cladding costs? Perhaps material costs are the first thing that comes to mind. There are many factors beyond the purchase price of materials that need to be considered for a project. Best practice is looking at the long-term value of the project and asking yourself what cladding type will give you the best possible outcome. How hard is it to install? Another cost front of mind may be the installation cost of a cladding product. Installation costs will vary depending on your choice of cladding material. Inflexible and heavy materials such as brick, fibre cement and timber can require additional transport costs to get them to site. Some of these products may also require specialised labour and equipment for installation, therefore, increasing completion times and costs. A flexible and lightweight system, however, is easily transported and easy to install, saving you on both time and money. How long will it last? Some materials are made to last a lifetime. While some are at the mercy of the elements and require ongoing maintenance and replacement. In areas of extreme weather conditions, cladding types that are susceptible to rotting, warping, splintering or fading are not ideal for the project. Cladding that easily wears will require repainting, re-staining or even removing – adding significant costs onto a project over time. It is also important to ensure your cladding product is safe and compliant with Building Code of Australia – Since the onslaught of recent tower fires Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP) have been restricted. If you use or have used this cladding you may be mandated by the law to remove and replace it – another costly exercise. How does it look? Eveyone’s goal is to make their project or home attractive for many years to come. The warmth timber delivers is a popular building aesthetic – but finding a product that looks great and can remain looking aesthetically pleasing is a difficult task. While natural timber may be an obvious choice, if it is not maintained it will warp, splinter and start presenting an unpleasant appearance. Vinyl claddings are cheaper and claim to be timber-like in appearance. However, they often disappointment with their visibly plastic looking texture. Powder-coated, sublimated aluminium cladding can achieve the natural look and feel of timber, without the issues of rotting or fading. This allows your cladding to remain visually appealing for years! DecoClad Looking for a cladding system that is durable, easy-to-install and appealing to the eye? Look no further than DecoClad! Made from solid aluminium, the sublimated, powder-coated cladding system provides a rich and textured timber grain finish for your project. DecoClad retains its beautiful appearance in extreme weather conditions. The Super Durable finish protects the cladding from wear and tear, eliminating the necessity for on-going maintenance other than cleaning. The solid aluminium profiles are light weight, fire-safe and very easy to install and transport. To find out more about cladding costs, what to look out for and how all aspects of cost can affect your project visit www.deco.net.au.