Thanks for the suggestion, LesleyH, but actually wanting it for the practical stuff I'd like to get out of sight (electric toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc). We like the simplicity of a mirror along the full length.

Honestly, your time frame is pretty damn good. 16wks from initial concept to an approved DA is very impressive. Ours was 16wk tweaking concept plans and another +6mth in council. We had an approval that wasn't worth building nearly 12mth later. Don't ask. Nightmare council. Another 6mth to Land and Environment Court. Hell your 16wk is looking like a fantasy to me! Construction Plans and Construction Certificate may take longer, really depends how many conditions are attached to your DA. Our last DA- I nearly died when the certifier gave the the 'things to do list' with 30 odd reports, assessments and amendments! We managed this bit ourselves to save some cash (thanks to legal fees chewing up our budget), but boy it cost me in time! It took me 3-4mth to get it all done- delapidation reports, council assets bond deposits, waste management reports, soil tests...it was endless! It might just be that your architect is up to his neck in this right now. IF he is not, you need to 1. discuss costing for him to do this and then 2. instruct him whether or not to progress. Siriuskey's advice is gold. "Keep the door open" The reality is the architect owns the plan and if you sack them- you will need them to sign over the copyright of the plan to a new draftsman, designer or architect. No other architect will touch it till this happens. Try be patient. I don't think there is much info out there to inform people about realistic time frames. It does take time, and due to all the other people involved- engineers, soil testers, surveyors...list goes on. It is out of the architects hands.

Hello Elpi, I really love how you have chosen to display the mirror and artwork on the chosen walls. In regards to the buffet, I think you will find the space isn't blending nicely because it may be a little over crowded. If possible, I would see how it looks mounting the mirror to the wall, and changing to decorations with noticeably different heights. You could still use some of the items that you already have, but possibly opting for a few more that are shorter and rounder, as opposed to tall and skinny. A good place to start might be adding items that are similar colours to that of the artwork. I also, I think this would also help the dining room merge with the living room, which seems a lot softer and doesn't feature as many straight lines. Look for small, rounded coloured decorations, similar to the attached images as inspiration. Good Luck!

I don't think this is a big issue. These lights are beautiful and interesting. I like the concrete detail. This will make a beautiful mix to your marble tiles and add texture. With a beautiful bulb they will make a statement and you will forget about matching the veins:-) I hope this helps! Nathalie