Firstly...are you sure they are jarrah and not som other more exotic timber? If you are fortunate enough to have a genuine 1932 built cottage I say "Don't Do it!" Just look at the beautiful timber in that floor! It would be sinful to paint it. I have a 1924 cottage with beautiful hoop pine floorboards all from the day it was built. My suggestion is to have the boards sanded and polished. I would not even dare go near them with polyurethane. I have turned back the clock and used the methods of the period of the house...a mix of pale boiled linseed oil and kero. Put it on with a mop or a deck mop or a wool mop leave it soak in. Re-do and leave it soak in,,,( you won't get patches...the floors will just soak it up.) Third coat, add a bit of turps to the mix as a white ant deterrent. Then, when the floors look like they've soaked up enough, get a big old fashioned string mop...if you can find one...or use a deck scrubber and old towels...or even a wad of new ones...100% cotton...its worth it, and rub off as much of the surplus as possible...wear sox so you will notice when the sox do not get oil stained anymore. First go is a long process but you will be really pleased when the floors have had several "drinks". After that you could get just an ordinary floor varnish or oil or just a sealant. Some of the modern wood treatments are really good. Then, every so often do the boards over with your "Oil Mop". You will never find timber like that again and, in my experience, it adds to the value of the house big time. Do what you like to any gyprock and plastered walls but PLEASE love your floorboards and any natural timber...especially from that era. I've been in this old cottage for 32 years. Everyone wants to know where I sourced the "new" floorboards", and who did I get to make my silky oak windows! Hope that helps.

To Ella Kate Thrupp....."a woven piece"...as in a wall rug or a tapestry suggested by yours truly and Tribbletrouble441452k7 Trek? Or maybe you have a more novel idea in mind? Have you come across any "woven" art in your professional travels? I have a friend who actually weaves tapestries on a loom as they did centuries ago thread by thread. They are exquisite and each a unique artwork. She works professionally on commission Very time consuming, meticulous and expensive and she also does it simply for relaxation and sells them. Wonder would there be anything along this line available commercially today? Such a "woven piece" would make an enormous impact in any room, so beautiful and unique in a bedroom especially if a design woven to order...but Yikes $$$$$. Afterthought...a painted MURAL designed to order might be a touch of luxury if you engaged somebody to do it and they presented you with a series of pictures for you to choose from.....that would not fall down! I did one for a friend's guest donga in Charleville QLD...she wanted a fantasy and had a lot of input herself, it was a collaborative effort and she got exactly what she wanted. Can't go wrong with a mural...can always paint over it when you want something different.

Thanks MB Design and also Lesley Hawkins for your suggestions. I did some research and found at a company that supplies a DIY product. It's expensive, and creates an appearance that is possibly too 'artificial' for our garden design. Back to the drawing board. :)

Further to Julia and Julia's decking and planting comments I would consider tidying up the front eave. At the moment the carport and verandah look like late add-ons (which they are) due to the "stepped" gable. By extending the verandah and carport roofs forward to align with the front gable fascia, then adding a consistant fascia and eave lining across the full width of the house the side additions will look more integrated. Don't even think about a faux stone as they look fake, and you will need to continue it down the sides so it looks less tacky. I would consider just painting below the beading line a darker shade of the wall colour to anchor the base of the house. I would not widen the windows as the rythym works quite nicely, but consider increasing the height to the ceiling line to give a better proportion using awning style windows instead of poorly proportioned sliding windows. If you have ceilings that slope to match the roof line the head of each new window should be raked to follow the ceiling line. If this is the case then you will have a nice looking home with a slight mid-century modern vibe, and which may even be the best looking house in the street! Best of luck Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls