I remember years ago being in a similar predicament and someone gave me some mirror tiles - I glued them on the the wall and thought I was very clever. They actually did look much better in my eyes. Try not to spend too much - I think everyone's idea of a shower curtain will all the bathroom colours in it would probably be the best option. You'll laugh about it in years to come and you will love the improvements you make over time. Enjoy the moment, unless you're selling soon your ideas will change after living there, so change when you can afford it - who cares it's YOURS. Good luck, it's so rewarding and so much fun. P.S. now we have a small bathroom, wall to wall tiles, dark grey on the floor and white on all the walls with a large grey tile up each opposing wall, tall mirror over the handbasin which reflects the opposite wall then a full length bath with shower over it. It works perfectly and looks great.

Yes I notice the same with those angular, trough-like bathroom basins. You have to put lots of water in before you can dip in a face washer or anything. Plus those squared off basins/sinks tend to splash water more easily. Give me a rounded-off basin/sink anytime. Flush-mount preferably!

You have a lot of great features included that aren't replicated in modern houses due to costs. The semi circular stairs, thats wow right there! ^^petapea is spot on by the way! I'm currently working on plans for a house that was rendered in 2006. It has the wow factor; WOW that's bland as bat sh!t.... We're adding things like a bay window, new porch in painted timber and some masonry back to make it look good again. Then the new landscaping will really lift it! You could render garage facade and paint it, pressure clean the rest and do those maintenance jobs like cracked flooring, leaking gutters etc. The stairs are too narrow to be any use so widen them up to 1000-1200 wide. I'd spend more on landscaping (which includes fences/letter box/etc).

I'd say there's not a lot you can do with the garage, overall height limits and ceiling height to garage perhaps? Limited info and unfamiliar with site, etc. so just really guessing here. The stairs however could be changed as could the balcony, etc. Can't see issues here why it can't be amended to suit your requirements. You never mentioned the issues with the designer but perhaps stay with them as redesigning through another may not be ideal either! Some won't touch another designer's work and will start from scratch. Give them another chance to explain why it is all done this way. Allow them the opportunity to amend it and depending on your council, use a SECTION 96 if possible. Council will soon let you know if they can accept it. Remember they've been submitted so I'd have to presume you were happy with them beforehand. Clients changing their mind or have difficulty making decisions happens regularly as its all quite new to them. I too have had clients that love the plan's, get submitted then decide that want to change something that has been there from the beginning.... Windows and doors are usually what my clients change. Frustrating for client and equally if not more so for the designer as it affects the whole plan set and documentation in many cases. I do know many designers will railroad their clients into decisions based on their own visions but this is never a good thing. It's a collaboration between client, designer, council, engineer, builder, etc. and sometimes a bit of compromise by all parties.