Not a fan of dark colours, they show too much dust and muck. I really like the colour it is and would just seal it.

Thanks to nickybaruch I am now considering doing the floor (which is now sanded back ready for finishing off) with white liming with a slight tint colour in it. Some say you have to be very careful when liming. Is this a problem? I would have thought it would be just like putting on a stain? Anyway doing it that way we would still see the grain of the timber floor which would be lighter than the dark cedar it was before and keeping the pine lined ceiling with the cedar coloured beams will blend in well I think with the lighter timber floor and the white walls we now have. What do you think?

Hi Anna, with your lovely bushland setting my preference is stained finishes that allow the character of the substrate to show through, not paint which will obscure the substrate material. Stained finishes on outdoor timber will be easier to maintain over time too, as you can wash down and re-coat rather than having to sand back. In terms of prep, use an oxalic acid based wood cleaner (following the safety guidelines of course) and give it a good scrub. Don't use sand paper or a pressure cleaner. After the cleaner has restored the wood surface you can apply a penetrating oil finish - at least 2 coats - to enhance the natural colours. If adding a tint, I would look for something that will reflect the bushland tones, probably greys. A strong orange look will not complement the bush tones. For your slab area, I would just give it a good pressure clean then apply a clear sealer, maybe add some grey oxide if the concrete is too light. The aim is to retain some patina and avoid solid blocks of colour like pavement paint would achieve. Sealer will age more gracefully than paint too. All this is subjective of course, but to me working with the colours and textures of the bush is the way to go. Looking forward to seeing your "after" photos when it is done!

Maybe its just me , but this is made worse by having the buttery yellow walls -- in fact , the darker brown , the yellow and the white just screams 1970's and/or bumblebees . The ptroblem is that the brown is still too dark even if you went all white , but it would be an improvement IMO , and relatively inexpensive . I'm trying to think of something better , and to me , a wallpaper that is mostly white with a gold scroll or something modern like gold stripes would look good -- just keep away from anything that looks 70's unless the retro look is what you are wanting . Oh , and maybe add an artwork halfway up the stairs on the 'right' side -- art always looks good if appropriately chosen , plus it will distract the eyes .