And when your child comes in from playing and sits on the $6000 chair and he's got an almost-melted chocolate bar in his cargo shorts (he's already been twitching all over the chair) and smeared hands slippery from trying to dig it out but already the chocolate's come through the shorts onto the chair, well, you do get the picture...@carolins. That's a neat website. Wish there was one for the US. Speaking of the your homeland, the Netherlands, my best friend relocated from there with his new bride twenty years ago. Every one in a while he misses the terrible weather. You know, cold, rainy, cloudy, foggy, and if and when we happen to get a day something like that (we're in N.E. Florida) he misses home! BTW he's one of the best physical therapists I've ever met and I used to go through them like toilet paper!. He got rid of a terribly bad spasm that I had in one form or another for three decades, and he did it in three sessions. It changed my life.

Wow, that house is WAY to big. How on earth do you clean it? Why not have outdoor entertaining on the back deck? This would incorporate flying fox to a cubby and play equipment down the back yard. In the summer perhaps a collapsible awning for during the day but at night just candles and the stars to keep you company. If the weather is too cold you could provide a pile of crocheted lap rugs or fur or old blankets to get the cottage or french look. I suppose then your dining furniture would need to be a style to suit - maybe more relaxed or boho. Anyway sounds good fun - oo I forgot to allow for the outdoor fireplace (stone or brick) preferably. I notice you said any ideas would be greatly appreciated so I will press on regardless another day.

Looks like the drain that the down pipe goes into isn't working as it should, over flows before water enters the drain. Love the random pavers, these could certainly be reused adding a few more to replace the bricked area all on one level as this would enable a better space for outdoor table and chairs. The pergola is tired and would be great if as you mentioned could be raised up a bit, depends on what the Body Corporate will allow, a couple of see through panels inserted above next to the building would help with light. A BBQ kitchen on the back wall, plus I would try to re swing the door back to it, the door gets in the way as it is, can it open inwards opposite the sink. Certainly keep the garden beds it will help soften all the hard surfaces, taller planting along the boundary will also add privacy cheers

I have actually imported furniture myself without a freight forwarder/ shipping company a couple of times. it is fiddly but not impossible. I saved heaps if you don't count my time. And it was a bit of an adventure. It did give me an appreciation of the expenses importers have though and these shipping places (myUS etc) have to add their margin of course. so for anyone considering-anything timber has to have pest certification and that has to be within 3 weeks (I think) of arrival. Then the shippers in their wisdom had put the container on a timber pallet for which I didn't have a pest fumigation certificate so I had to pay $33 to have the pallet destroyed. But with a lot of family in rural/farming businesses I don't mind the strict quarantine. We are very lucky with our relatively clean produce. The customs people at the airport are very discouraging and keep telling you to use a freight forwarder etc (my stuff was already at Botany so no way), there were all sorts of odd fees etc (eg AQIS container fee $6), terminal fee. All sorts of things but it was fun and I saved a fortune, even after GST (I had to pay GST on the freight too, I guess as a 'service', which I wasn't expecting). Mind you the dollar was better then. It wouldn't be worth it for just a lamp but for more stuff...... But then if you were bringing in that much stuff maybe you wouldn't need to save the money. they also required that the invoice from the supplier of the furniture clearly showed what currency it was in. This was a hassle as I had just bought retail in the US. What currency do customs think a receipt/invoice from a shop in California shop would be in? But that's where the bureaucracy was frustrating. a final tip, the freight forwarders usually only include delivery to kerbside. They were even very unwilling just to help me get it into the garage (let alone down the steps/indoors) so you may need someone to help you receive the goods at home and get them at least out of the weather.