I love your fireplace. I would not alter it. The door and the floorboards draw your eye straight to the fireplace. I wouod definitely alter the light fittings. I would have the tv on the dining room wall to the right of the arches. I wouod have one lounge on the window wall opposite the tv and a chair in the corner if there is enough room. I would have an eyecatching wing back chair to the left of the fireplace opposite the dining room and white lacy soft curtains softening the window wall. To the left of the fireplace near the dining room arch you could add some interesting decorating piece. I would concentrate on making the fireplace wall the focal point of the room and the tv corner a secondary focal point that is soft and relaxing. You could trow down a couple of beautiful, thick, soft floor mats to soften the brick and provide a texture contrast. Overall, I love the room, it has character and strength, its not boring and mundane. Good luck! I hope you find something that suits both you and hubby

One suggestion I'd make - shelves above a bed are very hard to reach, without standing on the bed. There are many beds though that fold up into a wall cabinet, so take up the thickness of a mattress/frame when folded up. It also makes for a tidier office when it's not a guest room. You may have to hunt for a fold-out that hinges on the long side - most are hinged on the short side (i.e. hinge under the pillow). If you can't find the right unit you might be able to swap with the shelves behind the door, or on the opposite far wall. You'd then have to rejig the other shelves you want above the bed, or move the bed unit the depth of the shelves out from the wall, or rotate it 90 degrees to parallel the wall to the credenza. I'm trying to work out exactly the same problem in my study as we speak :-) albeit with a different floorplan. Good luck!

i too prefer symmetry but with limited space this option has worked well for me to store all the things you mentioned including a vacuum cleaner and carpet shampooer but another option for you could be to have the original arrangement and use the broom space as an alcove without a door or walls keeping in mind that the counter needs to be at least 2150 wide for the laundry basket, washer, dryer and skinny tub and should be at least 650mm deep to allow for the water hoses and cords and power points behind, leaving an alcove about 450mm by 1m with no door and a very narrow side opening to squeeze everything in

1.4 x 1.4 is pretty pokey , and no , I suspect an 820 door will be too wide unless you swing it outwards , which is just weird . If it swings inwards , even if it at 90 degrees to the toilet itself , there will be almost no room for a person , a WC and the door 'swing' . Most doors are at the end of the room , the WC at the other end , and that will make it even worse -- if the WC protrudes 50cm from the wall , and your door is 820 , you have 8cm in which to stand ! Setting the WC 'offcentre , the door off-centre the other way gives a bit more space , but add a basin and you have an obstacle course to negotiate . Is there any way you can take the length to around 1.8-2 metres ? A width of 1.2 works , 1.4 might sound better , but with only 1.4 of length you are pretty much stuffed . .