Hi Mike and Emma Hope you are slowly but surely getting there... may I make some comments/suggestions that you may or not take on board, but hopefully it may at least give you some ideas/options... Going through a new build ourselves at the moment, and for what it's worth, here's what I personally think: A. Work with what you've got: - additional plumbing work, gas work etc may not be necessary and (particularly gas) can be costly when you're trying to work around existing walls, floors, etc, and as much as possible utilise the existing connections... after whatever you can save here and there, you can spend on nicer cabinetery, gadgets, finishes, etc :) B. Avoid unnecessry structural work: - removing the kitchen/living wall is a must (more space, light, etc) but removing the laundry wall is an unncessary added cost (may even require costly additional strutural support) - putting up a plastered wall on the other hand is inexpensive, allows you to redefine different zones and relocate doors/openings where required (*note: avoid hinged doors in small spaces as you have to allow for wasted space to open door - suggest cavity sliding doors, easy to incorporate in a new wall) C. Don't sacrifice functionality and natural light for design - love full height floor to ceiling cabinets, very much on trend... but they also tend to bring the walls in, which you want to avoid in an already small space... they will also block out more natural ligtht from the only window to the living and breakfast bench (meals area)... not to mention seated guests would be staring at a cabinet tower and fridge - on the other hand a walk in pantry (not that much of a walk in a small space) is also very much on trend, provides more storage and... as entertaining guests in open plan livings tends to happen more in the kitchen... it provides a good hiding place for unsightly items, including frigges... (an underbench bar fridge in the kitchen can easily keep those beers cold... though do consider that means sacrificing some cabinet space) - constantly wiping off the floors from dripping wet dishes across the kictchen from the sink to the dishwaser on the other side bench would personally drive me mad after a while... the dishwasher can easily be connected to the existing sink water and waste points through the cabinerty... any half decent plumber should be able to do that... ON THAT NOTE... or should I say those notes... I know I got a bit carried away :) ... if it were me, here's an idea of what I would try to achieve ...

Hi ysteb1 I found a tile that looks like a light beach style hardwood from National Tiles. They are long (1200mm) and narrow but I think the look will be nice. They are suitable for a bathroom so going to try them out.

Hi Rebecca, There are never any set "rules" about what is right & wrong it comes to design and detail, however "balance" is always a good thing. Generally the shaker style is referencing the traditional/bygone eras which is fine, but why you more likely see this style of cabinetry coupled with handles than coupled with the shadow line finger pull which is a contemporary detail. Unless the proportion of the cupboards is carefully managed and balanced you're probably correct with your instinct (that you must always trust!) that it will be a busier rather than sleeker look, which may in fact defeat the purpose of the no-handles thing that you're shooting for. Whatever you do I advise on being consistent and confident with your decisions, in that there should be good reason for doing something in a particular way. The risk you have doing what you're proposing is trying to be two different things.....it's kind of either go retro and embrace it, or go contemporary/sleek and be confident with that.. Hope that helps...Good luck! Cheers PD

When I read the heading and the first few sentences , I thought OMG -- orange bricks and an orange terracota roof ! But yeah , I'd call that a blonde , with regrowth on top haha ! So its reasonably pleasant , but what to do ? Dark windows would look good , BUT even then , the overall design and even the window size all screams 80's , so you'd spend $20k or whatever to do the whole place with new windows , and it'll just be modernised 80's . And to expand on that , what Julie Herbert alluded to -- the gardens and fence look 80's too . The front fence also looks oranger than the house too -- are they exactly the same as the house , or newer and/or oranger ? One possible 'tie-in' would be some long and low panels of Coloursteel where the rails are ( basically , keep the bricks on the fence , just do in-fill panels in Coloursteel , only going the same height as the pillars ) . The roof looks a charcoal , so I'd stick with that in coloursteel for the roof , IF GOING IN THAT DIRECTION . Why I say that is because I actually think the roof would look okay if you added some mid grey terracotta tiles -- go for a speckled look . Those light grey ones would look too harsh a contrast IMO , but go go mid grey and the existing charcoal would look 'interesting' IMO , it may be cheaper than a full coloursteel roof ( you'd want to check the labour cost though ) , and if say 80% of the existing tiles can be re-used , its probably better both cost but also waste wise ? And that leaves the brown -- obviously , go charcoal there too , along with more modern plants and garden design . And while some people criticise me , because I often say do a 'sunny' ( bright red , yellow or orange ) front door , not only will it look better , it changes peoples focus , so the less attractive features aren't noticed as much -- whether passer-bys love or loath the bright front door -- they'll look at it and comment , rather than noting the brown base or orangey fence bricks .