I would steer clear of the beige couch. Black would work though. dining table will need to be dark timber and if you use large colourful floor mats to define the lounge and dining area, I don't think you will even notice the floor tile. you may need some decent gripping underlay for the floor rugs as well.

Q7) Louise - I live in a small federation single fronted cottage in an inner west suburb of Sydney and would like to freshen the façade to modernise it and improve on the street appeal. Within the next month I am planning on replacing the bullnose awning to one that is flat but angled, paint the exterior of the house and lay tiles in the porch and step areas (carport and planting to soften the façade will come later). The tiles that will be laid in the porch are artisan style ones shown in the pics below, steps will be marble. The house is north facing and I am going for the Hamptons look. I would like to know (a) if you think this colour scheme will work and if there is a better colour scheme that you can please recommend - Dulux tranquil retreat for the exterior, trims will be crisp white, surfmist for the awning and momentum for gutters, (b) should the awning have a corrugated or trimdek profile and (c) the tradie will be removing the timber post and replacing this will aluminium ones white in colour - is aluminium a terrible idea? The houses on the street are a mix of federation, bungalows and modern ones. Some are as-is in pretty much original condition and others freshened up with render and paint in pretty neutral colours.

As you haven't supplied any measurements, it's a little hard to gauge the correct size of the lounge etc, however, I would definitely take the dining table out of the lounge. Like oklouise, I would set that up in the kitchen area. I would opt to place it hard against the laundry wall and pull it out into the kitchen when it is required. I would also opt to have a narrow table that could be lifted to become fullsize. How friendly a terms are you on with your landlord? I would be putting a good case forward to him/her to install a heat-pump high on the wall above where the dining table is in your pic. There looks to be an area outside the WC wall to place the outside unit and it would be very easy to duct through to install the inside unit. While at it, get the heater taken out. Hopefully, the landlord would be able to see that a heat-pump would be cost effective whilst freeing up the corner for you. Do a little research beforehand. I would put the TV, and other lounge cabinetry on the white wall that backs onto the kitchen and if possible, around the corner slightly, where the heater is. That would free up the remainder of brick wall that has no window on it, for you to arrange your seating. As already suggested, I would also set your guitars up near the base of the stairs. Thoroughfare from the entrance, to the stairs, to the outside and to the kitchen and bathroom needs to be an uninterrupted flow.

Studying your photos, the lounge is sitting in the part of the room that ideally should have a small dining table. This tells you the current lounge is way to big for the space. Your area is the same size as my lounge room. I have measured it out and You have plenty of room for the appropriate size furniture set out exactly as Julie Herbert last photo. But acknowledging the room size in photo is larger than yours.