I couldn't tick one or the other of the boxes – I think the choice has to be made contingent on so many variables. In fact we have painted timber, double-glazed bifolds (with a fabulous retractable pleated fly-screen) at the end of the dining room leading out onto a terrace and a painted timber, double-glazed slider (with a timber-framed sliding fly-screen) on the other side of the kitchen (but on the same axis) opening onto a raised timber deck. Each works really well in terms of function and aesthetics but they would not be interchangeable as the different locations determined which was more suitable – but they have been made by the same highly skilled window craftsman and have given us nothing but pleasure. And on a hot, steamy evening with both open we have the most wonderful cross ventilation.

Thanks for that! Why not submit it for a Houzz article?

Yip Yah, if you can alter the cabinetry. If all those sections and probably not the bookcase are narrowed to make a gap of 12-15cm, you can have an S-Fold track attached to the ceiling and the sheer curtains will go into the space when necessary. They may pop out a bit, but that will add to the scheme. It is difficult to assess the design scale of those sheers S-fold or Wave track - I usually use white tracks so they disappear and there is one that is only 1cm deep. This is a new way to install roller blinds, which will be hidden. This is more classic in fabric choice, but imagine that the blinds in your situation sit from the ceiling to just below the blocked-in section above the doors - depending on how the doors open. In some instances part of the door stack sits inside, this will mean the blinds will sit about 1cm above - but I prefer to cover all the horizontal lines if possible for a simpler scheme.

Make it a centrepiece. Stick it near a blank wall add wall shelving (modern coordinating colours to existing) above so it doesn't look just plonked on a wall. On the shelves add some "international accents" like a shell from Hawaii or a wooden statue from Africa or a genie bottle from Egypt?.. Make it your souvenir corner and put a coffee table book of photo's of when you travelled to pick those bits up. If you haven't gone anywhere and don't have photo's. TK Max sells international things year round. Photo shop is more user friendly now so photoshop yourself in international places.