Old post but thought I'd update. We have finally moved into our forever home and on occasions, obviously in winter, we still have crying window (sob). We have the wet windows on the south side of the home which is the shady side so not unexpected but also on the north side where we still get lovely warm winter sunlight streaming in and I still do have all my windows slightly cracked open and it does help. Incidentally I have glass bricks in our bathroom on the south side and there is no condensation on this window at all. Our home has insulation in both the exterior and interior walls and we have double insulation in our roof, so factor 7 unlike the usual factor 3.5 not that it probably has any bearing on the moisture issue. We have a 1.8mtr wide veranda surrounding the entire home so the windows are some what protected from the elements but when the temperature gets fairly low and can be almost zero in winter, it seems impossible to prevent this crying window sindrome but I can live with the fact it is fairly easy and quick to remove with a Karcher window vac now, brilliant little machine at $99 and it only takes a few minutes. We have an exhaust fan in both bathrooms that is vented outside so the moist air does not go into the roof space and in fact even my rangehood ducting is vented outside too!! We even had condensation in the roof cavity as well to the point of having a rainforest up there but since fitting another whirlie into the roof making it three in total now, it appears to have almost entirely eradicated that problem. I can say catagorically now that crying windows are a very difficult problem to eradicate in very cold climates where obviously the inside of the home being heated at night is going to create the perfect conditions for the condensation to settle with the inside being far wamer than the outside and there in lies the problem which canot be changed. I have blinds and curtains that I close ever day before dark but it makes no difference. As I have aluminium windows and doors throughout, so no timber anywhere, it isn't such an issue for damage but annoying none the less but life goes on and I do so love my beautiful new home!!

Hi Aecordts, where is your house? The birches tell me it's not tropical, and the view shot suggests New Zealand. Wellington? Your front garden is "of its time", which isn't 12 years ago but about forty. I'd bring those conifers up to date by adding a couple of good big rocks, some gravel and scads of tall grasses and bright perennials. The whole thing needs loosening up. The only thing I'd lose completely are those lollypops under your front windows. They look twee. Go for some roses, not hybrid teas but rugosas or Portlands, or maybe one of the more solid and shrubby David Austins. The important thing is that the foliage comes all the way down to the ground. Alternatively, fill it in with black (and I MEAN black!) phormium cultivars. The columns are fine as they are.

Jacey, nice to see you are still here, many aren't after this length of time. I'm having a little chuckle here as when I originally read your post, my first thought was "move house", but I didn't want to sound so rude as to say so. It reminded me of my first house which was at the flat end of the street but the other end was very much "mountain goat territory" and the driveways reminded me of yours. After living in the homes for years, some spent mega amounts removing rock and excavating to create a garage more at road level and from there the stairs started zig-zagging to the front entry, new front entries were even created at a lower level, but the stairs still continued inside the house, there was just no escaping the climb. I wondered how you even got your wheelie bins up and down the drive. Hope you are enjoying your new home, long term I think you made a very wise decision.

Hi Kate, I have to agree with you, I absolutely hate that mint green so I feel for you that it just doesn't suit your colour scheme irrespective of how much others suggest this green and blue might go together, personally I don't like blue either so I might not be much help there ha-ha I do think the suggestion of placing a mirror over the splashback could be the best option so that you don't run the risk of damaging any part of the kitchen trying to remove it and I think a mirror could look amazing, catch the light and obviously make the room look bigger too. Good luck. Barbara