Hi, we are extending upstairs over a older red brick home. we have Ironstone windows, gutters, roof. We are going to render the extension but don't want to go lighter like a Dune colour but more of a medium grey. We will be replacing our posts and garage door with timber (also have a timber gate) so I feel like we can get away with a darker grey upstairs render. Do you know a good medium grey that goes well with Ironstone? Initially I was thinking Simone Weil and maybe even Guild Grey if it's not too dark?

we can't read the wording on the floorplan but it looks like the designers have produced what you asked for internally although i would prefer a simple verandah across the front door instead of the gabled porch. The feeling of a high ceiling can be achieved by having a raked ceiling over the living, dining, kitchen and stairwell, tall enough to have generous ceiling fans without having to raise the ceiling of the whole upstairs. Install an opening window as high as possible in the stairwell to improve stacking ventilation (with electric window openers) Overall ventilation can be improved by aiming to have an entry and exit point for breezes on opposing walls in every room and short horizontal windows (like the ribbon windows on the old east elevation) tucked up high as possible under eaves on east and west walls rather than tall narrow windows can improve daylighting and help reduce overheating. Consider security fly screening the external areas to exclude harsh sun and bugs and allowing stacking doors to be kept open and the outdoor areas to be used as much as possible (with the screens on the outside openings the stackers can be installed without their screens, improving the connection to outdoor living areas)

You would have to ask SCA. I believe the gable roofs are for council (streets-cape). The cladding being corrugated, cost (pre-finished) and proximity to the coast (durability).

Hi Sarah, hope you enjoyed your travels last night, that's something we have spent our lives doing plus living in different countries. Do look into the attic room/s they are lovely and the Velux skylights very unobtrusive, look great and if positioned correctly take care of venting any hot air, as I mentioned ours were pivoting ones and could be locked open in several positions. I much prefer these to dormer windows, you don't really notice them. The stairs were built off site and lifted into position and installed, built in. At the time we did ours a very good friend a builder did the same but just completely opened the whole ceiling space right out towards the gutters into a large bedroom play study area for his daughters, also using Velux windows. Glass ceilings, like Velux windows have been around for years, believe me I know, we're both getting older. Velux windows can be used as glass ceilings in opening and non opening configurations. I would love to see you keep the outdoor loo as well and updating the old shed into a new connecting space to the house, perhaps a glass breezeway. I will have another look at your plan again over the weekend. I love your front iron gate as well, auto sliding driveway gates work really well and would really fit with your carport. My brother in law put in a tall timber sliding gate at his last home, lovely cheers