I have an open plan home too but mine looks a bit larger. I would open the space instead of trying to make rooms using the furniture. If there is no other wall, you could put your couch where the tv is and place the TV on a smaller table on an angle where your gas connection is. I would also lighten and brighten the furnishings with chair covers, cushions and maybe even a stretchy lighter couch cover (good too as you can wash so keep fabric on couch clean). I would add some drama and frame the windows with ceiling to floor side drapes leaving the rest for natural light. You can easily do yourself with some cheap cotton fabric and some curtain hardware (as they are not functional, you just need to hang and drape on sides). Id turn your dining table the other way and get some nice stuff happening on your fence outside to draw the eye to the out doors. You could grow creepers, ivy or hang some trailing plants in a row from the fence. There are some great pots that hook onto the top of fences for this so no drilling required. You could also combine fake trails with real until the real ones grow for instant green. Amazon have cheap fake trailing ivy etc. Or, Put some ficus or other trees in pots along the fence. Id repeat some green indoors too ie a pot here and there in corners as you have so much light. Id also get a washable rug to cosy up the tiles and make it look less stark ie one you can throw in the washing machine! I just bought a soft one from target for $25! Alternatively, buy an outdoor plastic one as they can be hosed. I use one of those too and as I have pets, tits great. They have some cool designs too. Chair covers will update your dining chairs and are cheap on sale at places like spotlight and kmart. Lastly, Id look on gumtree for some cool lamps or a hanging light for your dining area. You can be modern but always balance with some natural elements like wood so maybe a wood based lamp or a couple of wooden ornaments. :)

In a previous post on this discussion forum I described my laundry bin...a 30L cardboard barrel which I lined with an old shower curtain and decorated still reigns supreme on the lid of my top loder, Nobody knows what it is and its a never ending source of admiration from an artistic angle. Lacking floor space the only option was to sit it up there or out on the veranda.It works as a cat toy too. It has, however, acquired some vents in the lid since some of my art shirts are often a bit oily and I learnt that some oils tend to self combist in enclosed spaces and can be the cause of house fires. Sometimes hiding things in plain sight is a good option. With Tribbletrouble45142k7Trek...Your baskets sound pretty...why hide such nice functional souvenits!

Could you swap the fridge with the wall oven, going by your photo both fridge and Wall Oven would fit side by side. I would definately have the fridge on the cook top wall and not on the other side of the kitchen. I see by the photo that the timber beam could be in the way, I would speak to your plumber who should have a simple solution on ducting the range hood. A simple one built into a special cabinet above the cooktop can recirculate or be ducted outside by either exposed stainless tube for your industrial/country look or have the ducting boxed in, the ducting can be flexable so no problem avoiding beams.

Unfortunately Erina, your best bet sometimes in this industry is to cut your losses and if it important enough to rectify, outsource a separate contractor/company to come in and re-do it at your own expense.....you just have to look at it as part of the cost of your project.......many people will have stories of deciding pay twice (sometimes more!) to eventually achieve the satisfactory results - ultimately you have to live with it long term and sometimes it's worth it to get it right....ultimately only you can make that decision one way or the other........it's not necessarily right or fair, but unfortunately these are the risks (& hard lessons) of building Best of luck Erina, PD :)