Hi AnAhitA Nazari, I totally agree. I actually don't intend to keep the couch on that wall, it just happens to be there due to the renos we are doing at the moment. I thought one of the red chairs under that print on an angle would be better and maybe a little table with a lamp on it? I can't change the colour of the walls as we have just finished painting it so I'm stuck with it. The room is part of a big room which has a partition 5ft wall separating it from the dining room. I'm thinking of putting the sofa on that wall and the other chair on its right hand side. As for the furniture in that room I do realise it's not a great choice but they have lots of memories to me so once again I'm stuck with them lol

Yes, all the Houzzers have been extraordinarily helpful. I am sure in the end, it will be a beautiful room. With regards to the change of sofa style, I was unsure of my ability to keep the white leather clean - particularly the stitching. By finally going with the "Julio" it is slightly more comfy sofa than the "Ariel". It has a higher back and I feel the "granite" colour will give me less hassles. In reality, the "granite" colour has slight yellow/creme undertones which tie back better with the curtains but this doesn't really show up in pictures. Golly, I hope I am on the right track. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. Keep them coming please

Hi Sarah, hope you enjoyed your travels last night, that's something we have spent our lives doing plus living in different countries. Do look into the attic room/s they are lovely and the Velux skylights very unobtrusive, look great and if positioned correctly take care of venting any hot air, as I mentioned ours were pivoting ones and could be locked open in several positions. I much prefer these to dormer windows, you don't really notice them. The stairs were built off site and lifted into position and installed, built in. At the time we did ours a very good friend a builder did the same but just completely opened the whole ceiling space right out towards the gutters into a large bedroom play study area for his daughters, also using Velux windows. Glass ceilings, like Velux windows have been around for years, believe me I know, we're both getting older. Velux windows can be used as glass ceilings in opening and non opening configurations. I would love to see you keep the outdoor loo as well and updating the old shed into a new connecting space to the house, perhaps a glass breezeway. I will have another look at your plan again over the weekend. I love your front iron gate as well, auto sliding driveway gates work really well and would really fit with your carport. My brother in law put in a tall timber sliding gate at his last home, lovely cheers

You can buy the caboodle bamboo kitchen bench top from Bunnings wood section and cut it to any size you want. If you just wax it, it is quite rustic and would save you the cost of getting a benchtop made. It comes in two thicknesses and is 600mm deep. The piece that I bought was 2.4m long. Have a look at it, at least. Then if you have some other rustic pieces or even units with steel tops, it can tie the rest together. My vote is to keep the stove and get some rustic or industrial cup'd handles. A real farmhouse kitchen is a mix and match thing. My vote is for trying to keep the bench you bought as an island if you can. I would go for open shelves along the wall where the stove and fridge are and put the microwave on one of them. Maybe you could find some different tiles for behind the sink. I would rip those shiny ones off the wall and choose something that will fit in with your mix'n match rustic style, or just something quirky - even old wood. It all depends on how much money you want to spend and kitchens add up very quickly. If it functional and pleases your eye, then you are a winner. If the carcasses are still usable, it is much cheaper to just get new doors for them, when you can afford it. I wouldn't bother with window covering in the kitchen. I would just leave it for the light. Maybe a glass shelf across it with some herbs on it. It already sounds good to me.