Seriously you need to check out the Kerlite cladding. No need to sand, the variety is huge even wood look. All you need to do is put on a thicker screed. As I said you do need a tiler that has laid it before. Once it's down, it will never break. Google it, the range is amazing and really beautiful. I did ask the tiler about using it over slate and he said not a problem. Got mine from tile expo.

Hi Amanda, the hexagon tiles on the floors will absolutely look great too and if that's the dream, then go for it. Personally, I would also try to run the hex tiles up and over the bath hob if your budget allows. A light grey grout (instead of white) and also sealing the grout properly will help to maintain. I like both vanities, they are very similar, and would probably go with the one that offers the most drawer space as there's not a lot of storage in the bathroom (speaking of which, add a niche in the shower area if you can). Also bear in mind the toilet roll holder and make sure it can be fixed to the side of the vanity despite the drawer (as you can't fix to the other side of the toilet which I presume will have a glass shower screen). Lastly, I know you've already mentioned white, but have you considered timber (or timber-look) panels for the drawer fronts? It's just a suggestion, but it will bring some warmth into the modern space and may also be another way to tie in with the federation style of the home. Found those couple of photos to give you an idea how you can introduce timber... https://www.houzz.com.au/photos/designer-bathroom-project-contemporary-bathroom-melbourne-phvw-vp~32381930 https://www.houzz.com.au/photos/neutral-bay-house-contemporary-bathroom-sydney-phvw-vp~19885477

While I'm with Siriuskey regarding real timber, it would always be my choice, I recently saw a brand new house with very similar tiles down the long, wide hallway into and throughout the open plan kitchen and living area. It could be that it had a north facing, predominately glass wall allowing the sunshine to flood the room, but I was surprised just how good they looked. Perhaps you could check out the real estate websites to find an open house near you to check for yourself? I do think the quality, of both the tile and the expertise of the person laying the tiles, could make a huge difference also. In the meantime, perhaps your partner may see the light before the final decision is made ;)

Just to confirm I have taken the great ideas presented here as advice only and have no intention to do some dodgy diy reno's. With the exception of a couple of quirky exposed timbers as you can see in my pictures there are no other exposed beams. As you can also see from the pictures there is a large roof space on the right (east) side of the house but the ceilings themselves are flat with a slight dip on the north wall. Based on my own personal experiences I would have to agree with Two's Company that there is a tendency towards rendered brick in WA (although there are still many exposed brick houses in my suburb) while double enclosed double garages are also highly desirable. I would also agree that toilets within the main bathroom and non traditional laundries may be considered unusual by many (but not all). Ensuites with toilets however are still very common. Also due to the nature of our work we would prefer the laundry separated from food/kitchen area. For a 4x2 house it is only around 155m2 excluding carport/alfresco which makes the rooms feel quite cramped, hence the desire to open up the family room. However, as Two's Company suggests we will need to first get a builder/eng in to check load bearing walls etc as this will undoubtedly affect what we can achieve within our budget. Having said that I still excited by many of your ideas and with luck hopefully can work some of them into the budget. Cheers all :)