Hi! Are you talking about the panel underneath the breakfast bar? I'd need a little more info on the style of the house and your planned staging to be sure, but I'd suggest something like painted pressed metal or a wallpaper (something robust that can withstand being kicked occasionally!). You could repeat this theme in your splash back (in the case of the pressed metal, not the wallpaper!) or back wall, or even on the door (if that's actually a door and not just an archway), depending on which you went with. Here are some pressed metal pics for inspiration: http://www.pinterest.com/roomtomoveint/pressed-metal/ ...and here are some fun wall paper suggestions that might work... http://revivalwallpaper.com.au/WallpaperPebbleLeaf http://revivalwallpaper.com.au/Wallpaper/WallpaperDenver http://revivalwallpaper.com.au/Wallpaper/WallpaperClassicStem Is the wood ridged paneling or just flat? If it's ridged (as in boards), once painted that will be quite a nice effect in and of itself, especially once you add some stools in front of it. As an aside you've also got a nice opportunity to improve the ambience of that room quite cheaply by swapping out the overhead light fitting. Something like this could work nicely: http://www.beaconlighting.com.au/lighting/pendant-lights/modern-pendant-lights/florida-580mm-wicker-pendant-in-natural.html ...especially if you splashed out a little (perhaps next year when you move in) and added some complimentary, low-hung pendants over the breakfast bar and some sconce-style task-lighting over your benches. Let me know if I can offer any more help, and have fun with your reno this weekend. I'd love to see what you end up with :)

I found the following photos that may assist in getting the look you want. You are right the white furniture will make the purple wall pop. It can still work with your grey suite, just not on the same wall as the suite. Your TV wall sounds like the best option, but before you paint the whole wall, try painting a large piece of board that you can prop against the wall for a few days. This will let you see it under different light conditions at various times of the day. [houzz=] [houzz=] [houzz=] [houzz=] Accessories are important, complementary area rug (pic 3) , coordinating cushions and some artwork (pic 2) will tie it all together. Key is not to over do it with too much furniture - keep it simple. I am not a fan of fishtanks in the living room, unless you are really up for maintaining it, as they can quickly become murky and could spoil the fresh look you want to achieve. A high storage unit might be more practical and useful as in pic 4. White timber blinds instead of the curtains, definitely, with side drapes to contrast. I'm afraid you will have to repaint the other wall and when you do find a big piece of artwork to hang there instead. Good luck, you have good instincts for design and don't forget to post some updates.

Hi Sheila, what a gorgeous outlook! i would consider Planting out a low hedge as your boundary the same as the one adjoining the church walls. If your not sure what it is, a local nursery could help with a broken branch, my reason is to try and connect establishment and your homes new landscape, so that it doesn't feel like new and old. I think blending between might be nice. I would urge you to not keep your boundaries square and obvious, instead, layer in front of this low, dense hedgerow, with perhaps balls of trimmed wistringea, also known as coastral Rosemary, it is soft, greyish green with small little lilac flowers, it's also a native that with tolerate the cool winters and hot summers well. I know it to be a quick grower, and cheap to establish. clipped into clusters of balls, it becomes sculptural, and I would continue that idea by mass planting around your borders with interesting layers of foliage. incorporate local stone, which the church is surely built from, in the form of bench seating, random paving, or stone boulders in your beds, ground covers are carefree, interesting and low maintenance, things like euphorbia, with white subtle flowers look like snow on the ground, clumps of lambs ear around pebble pathways are soft, tactile and silver, they blend between the ground cover up to the low lying shrubbery, and the occasional tree. i would build a post and beam structure out your alfresco with perhaps a Boston ivy planted to cover it, or maybe a wisteria in white, the Boston ivy turns from green to red in autumn and is striking against stone. reclaimed timbers even railways sleepers might provide the rustic touch the church provides. Being a small area, I think a crushed granite pebbleb could be sufficient in your back area, with gardens not defined with borders, they could cascade over the edges, softening any man made lines, use random stone pavers crazy paving where a harder surface is needed underfoot. It will be low maintenance, and can grow a ground over between them, in time, this will become your greenery to an otherwise almost fully paved entertaining area. I think the gorgeous gum in your background could provide your colour palette, greys, blues and lilacs, with white as a standout accent in your chosen flowers, if any. try not to formalise too much, keep things free flowing and create generous beds, so your outdoor area feels a part of the surrounding landscape, and not just put in for barrier. I would use some clever, and cheeky lighting, both in your yard to highlight your topiary balls, your alfresco and that gum tree, so the ghostly trunks are a real showstopper by night, and without fences, spotlight to angle at the adjoining stone church, and highlight it by night to your benefit. I agree you can tell a story with your landscape, but not everyone wants to delve into a deep and meaningful connect ion with their project, sometimes a story already exists that you just want to sit back and appreciate rather than write a new one. Be mindful of the church, it's contribution to your landscape and how you can passively connect to it. i would first get a list together of some plants thT youse locally and are beautiful to you, also look at the churches gardens, and if there's anyway you can link into its architect, or garden in some sort of tribute to it. good luck, can't wait to see more.

Looks good. Before I read through discussion, I had these thoughts. You could look at painting on the front of the wall only, not in the porch/entranceway area underneath, double strength of main colour. So you could as an option get a test pot of Dulux double Self Destruct or even triple. I would not use Monument, or similar to the roof color as it will disappear into the roof. I also think the front fence would look better painted a stronger colour from your existing but as it seems it has just been painted perhaps you could do that, when and if you liked, to cut down expense. On the Dulux website they also give you colours that look good with Self Destruct. (Picture below). Another option is look towards going bold like a strong blue or blue green. Something like in the picture. That's my feature wall, Resene Billabong. ...or a dirty purple or a blood red. It's starting to get really personal of what your tastes are. Perhaps you could Half or Quarter the main house colour in the entranceway so it still flows but gives you more light. Exciting stuff!