A couple of things from me. Firstly, the cornice painted a yellow makes the ceilings feel lower than necessary, paint them out white or as per tour ceiling rather than accentuate the highest perimeter moulding, you don't want yo draw attention to the highest detail not being high! Secondly, to make the room feel fully addressed the window has to be looked at in context of your room. The house style is important, but more so the room space and light. As you have a verandah you probably have in direct sunlight, but the room is not large, so i would try to make the window feel part of the bigger picture rather than contrast with it. Which is what the red does, effectively looks like a red rectangle dominating a small wall. Do the opposite, taking colour cues from the room will make it feel unified, therefore bigger. The caramel carpet, for me is where I would draw upwards from. I suggest a rattan roman blind, the texture and stiffness will resolve that terrible sag, let in diffused light and provide a natural element needed in country style schemes. It allows the scenery to stand out, and colour is easily built upon it. If you need further blackout, you can install a uv cheap roller blind within the window frame, which would be hidden from view by the roman blind, so it can remain up most times and the roman can frame the beautiful view, allow light and then use the roller as your night privacy blackout blind. Most Romans look best as a frame treatment, they dress the window better than they function on them. Shutters would also be stunning with their play and filtering of light, but costly. And just a tip, your bed would feel far more luxurious in that space if it were not heavy in colour, the metal and timber, both which are not genuine as in fake cast iron and artificially stained orange pine date your space, that is not a dig, just an observation. You could do an upholstered bedhead for a luxurious look that a linen would tie in with the soft furnishings, you can address colour in many ways, but the blinds, carpet and bedhead should be neutral unless you can afford to upgrade often?.. A layering of texture and tones rather than colour is far softer in a country space, that's why it's done often, creamy whites on a caramel carpet will really brighten and freshen that space, , timber lamp bases, fabric shades, plush pillows and personality pieces, you'll have a space you can't wait to get to. I hope this was helpful!

Thanks for asking.. I am so happy.. the house was so decayed so we decided to rebuild the same look of a 100 year old cottage but move all the living to the front for the river view.. so happy we did it and went for light grey and white and yellow.. so pleased and we have people in the park comment.. we could not go any bigger because of council and flood zone but it makes it special as it is. Some pictures I just took.. I took a picture of the outlook so you can see why it feels just right.. still work to do as in the gardens and just finding the right plants to put in as it is full sun. Will ask for help on that one too to make it feel cottagey but not block the view. Thanks again for asking. Karen

Running cladding in opposite directions gives a contemporary look. Many examples I've seen seem to vary the profile width each. ie. narrow verticals juxtaposed with broader horizontals. You could clad base in a recycled plastic timber-look product or composite timber cladding. (Colour stable and no maintenance). Stone could look fab too. Painting it the Farrier would definitely be simplest. You could do a contrast with the verandah floor and its edge.

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