Thanks Chookchook, but in fact the house is terribly designed and there isn't much choice. We have a single living area that is approximately 6 metres x 4.5 metres. The north wall (long side) has a bank of French doors placed centrally, with clear wall space of 1 m on the east and west ends. The east wall (short side) is a full wall of built in bookcases over cabinets, built around a doorway into our entry hall. The south wall is approx 3.1m long, and clear, currently holding artwork. The rest of it is a triple width doorway into the dining room. The west wall is the fireplace with wood heater insert. Mantle is 2.5m long and 1.1m high. There is about 1m clear either side of the mantle that currently holds wall sconce type lighting. The television, a rescued 50 cm old school CRT-style beast, with accompanying ugly digital set box top and DVD played sit in a pine corner wall cabinet in the north west corner. We have a horrid, old, modular lounge suite in the south east corner. It covers all the cabinets below the bookcase between the south wall corner and the doorway into the entry hall. As farmers only just starting to financially recover after 12 years of drought, and our kids finally finishing school and heading off into the real world, I'm just starting to find enough cash to paint rooms. Re-finishing the timber floors is next on my list. But in the mean time, the boys think they deserve a flat screen, and in reality, they do. But how?

It's always tough trying to find a hedge that will grow in sun and shade, especially when you want a uniform look. Having said that, it isn't uncommon for designers to use a couple of different species - for example one species to boundary fences with another to the front fence. I'd consider lifting the canopy of the existing trees to let light in for more even growth across the hedge, however I'd still expect it to be a bit uneven due to the varying conditions throughout the garden. Viburnum tinus is a good pick for both a sunny position and a shady position, it will eventually get to 2m height and can be kept as low as 1m. If this isn't large enough, you could also try Portuguese laurel, (Prunus lusitanica) which will get to 4m easily enough. Both of these aren't particularly fast growing, but with adequate water and food they should be good for your situation. Murraya is another one that will tolerate sun and shade, though not frost. You won't get as many flowers in shady positions, and it may look a bit straggly. Your local nursery may be able to advise on what is readily available. When you plant, preparation and ongoing care is going to be important as it look as though you have a few plants that the hedge will have to compete with as it establishes (your neighbours conifers and your pears). Digging a good wide planting hole, plenty of organic matter mixed with the back-fill, as well as regular watering and feeding until the plants get established. Much as the Flower Carpet Roses are tough (especially the original pink), I wouldn't recommend planting roses in anything less than 4 hours of direct sun a day. You'll end up having issues with blackspot and mildew, and they're not going to give you the neat box look that you want. Flower Carpet Roses (Tesselaar Roses) are a good tough rose, however some colours (cultivars) are tougher than others. Pink is one of the best performing varieties, and as suggested, reaches a bit more than the height on the label. That may not be true of all the different colours though. Be careful propagating any of the flower carpet roses, only ever for yourself as they are rigourously protected either with trademark names and/or Plant Breeders Rights, making it illegal to sell the propagated material under the flower carpet name, or at all (in the case of PBR). Good luck!

Unfortunately the door had to swing from that side due to light switches having to be a certain distance from water (shower). Plus I’d rather have the first view be of vanity and bath, rather than shower and toilet... Solution was to go for a hidden control arm (Glynn Johnson 410 series concealed overhead door stop) at the top of the door that bounces door back away from shower screen. Can’t see it when the door is shut. Plus didn’t interfere with water proofing/tiling.

This is a gorgeous reno, my favourite this year.