hang a curtain track attached to a piece of wood suspended below the ceiling (anchored in overhead beams) with drapes or panel blinds or roller blind or venetians could work and/or what about an island bench made out of kitchen cabinet on castors with space for stool under overhanging counter

From the title I was expecting something completely different. I think your house has good traditional street appeal. The two things I notice are the balustrading and the landscaping, which I see others have also commented on. I'm not sure what to suggest about the balustrading but somehow it looks not quite right to me. I think those ornamental panels look too busy? Landscaping can really enhance a house. Yours looks quite nice in the second picture but in the first picture it draws attention to the fact that there is no clear entrance. Be careful if considering painting brick or replacing aluminium with timber. You could end up with a high-maintenance facade that looks like a budget reno. I think your house could be completely updated with render and new windows and glass balustrading and maybe a stackstone feature, and I have seen some like that which look beautiful and it's hard to believe it's the same house. But if you don't want to go the whole way then I think you can get a nice result by working with what you have as much as possible rather than covering it up.

Plan everything & get quotes for all elements, electric, plumbing, insulation, sound proofing... strongly consider solar passive, energy rating, double glassing, water recycling, ongoing maintenance, organic gardens, shrubs, fruit trees, fences (style & cost). Uni Queensland has some young engineers developing Tiny houses plans & fabrication so Google them. Investing in an Owner builders license would be a good insightful investment. Know the costs right down to council fees before you commit.

Hi Macymacmaples, I would go for a 120cm to be sure that you are not splashing water everywhere. The latest trend is these single panel showers but they do come with their own challenges that need to be addressed by a professional. A shower tray with proper drainage is a great way to start. The most common errors we see in renovations with such showers is that the drainage has not been thought through - so the water runs everywhere. This makes keeping a clean bathroom impossible. If you want to ensure that water splashing/running is not an issue, I always recommend a properly water-tight shower box. But the decision depends on practicality VS aesthetics and the advice of your builder.