Painting the front door a personal fave funky colour would be a simple start and would a more substantial letter box. A few landscape comments- because Landscape is invariably cheaper than building works. The white gum is magnificent but does not look good with the palm. Palms have a relatively compact root ball and are much easier to move. If you have a more tropical part of the garden maybe move it there or advertise it on gum tree (tee hee). It looks like you might be in Perth from the plants. You just need more plants in the front garden and to extend the beds a little. the existing style actually looks good from the photos but is not extensive enough. Decide on a simple theme with the planting that goes with the white gum and the xanthorea because it is a bit of a mixed bag with the palm, little conifer and the flax? If you get out to a native nursery e.g. Zanthorea or Lulfitz you can get some inspiration. Plants like kangaroo paws and scaevolas are fun in Perth to get a bit of colour in a native garden although both are short lived (2-3years)

I would definitely keep your taps and sink, but replace/go over the top of the bench top! It would be nice to price replacing that shower door - change to a frameless or semi frameless piece of glass. Change out all towel rails and such wall fixtures - you can get good chrome looking budget ones at Bunnings that will last three years. Personally, I would definitely paint the vanity doors white gloss - a 2-pak look. You might find the only available options for going over your current floor (other than tiles), are pretty ugly and I wouldn't trust tile paint on the floor it has been known to wear badly. If you don't mind a very small step up into the bathroom, you can tile straight over the top of those tiles, Go to a tile outlet place and you will get very nice tiles in the small quantity you need for less than $100, and the tiling job shouldn't take long or cost much. I have done exactly that myself and I would look into that if you really hate the floor tiles. If the wall tiles are cream and not white, I would paint them with white tile paint. If you do change the floor at all, I would get tile paint in a similar tone - say a stone or grey colour or something similar to the floor colour you go with and use that tile paint to paint carefully over the dark brown stripes in those wall tiles - or better still - try white tile paint over them first and see how they look. I would definitely be painting all that mission brown trim and the inside of the door white if it were me as it will modernise and freshen the space right up, but if you really want to stick to a timber stain, then yes, I would go much lighter than it currently is. Definitely paint the vanity doors in my opinion though if you want to update the whole look in there. Would be best to get rid of that piece of timber between the shower and the door too! That's just me though! Best of luck with it!

totally concur with retro - I def wouldn't plaster over the timber, there's so much character, personality and identity - but i don't have to tell you that because you're a woodworker! .......Plaster's boring and generic when too much of it is used.... as always, it's about balancing elements. And you start with the big stuff, and work into the detail. Consistency is also important. Personally, I'd start with getting the flooring resolved and work from there. Sure, possibly clean up some trim detail that could be positive and let the character of the major elements shine. The other big thing (and often forgotten) is on these places is focus/budget given to suitable furniture and configuration of it. It's also often the cheapest way to upgrade & get a space really sorted. The big 3 on your place judging by the photos are 1. floors 2. kitchen and 3. furniture......don't spend your money on plaster for the sake of it and lose character - I'd advise distributing it into lighter/more streamlined furniture/furnishings upgrade(such as a quality central rug) to offset against the existing natural character, better balance the materials and let the whole thing come together. Cheers PD :)

All the 'sad' and disapppinted people commenting here; those who 'dislike this and that, or want to see 'character' retained, etc, etc, ought to get out more; to go see the world. As far as I can see, much of the architectual integrity HAS been retained. Is this 'sadness' a Victorian thing?; must we save all the old buildings, all the trees, the whole planet - from what? For what? Despite the hype, we're not likely to tip the place off it's axis anytime soon. Likewise with older houses; give them fresh breath, i say. Using whatever our creative and forward-looking brains can offer us is a positive solution to all things. My recently renovated heart agrees! This cosmetic reno' is nothing short of a grand improvement on its' former presentation; it's lighter, brighter and far more livable; refecting the owners outlook on life, I'd say. So, to all the 'experts', to those who want to pretend that they'd prefer to live in the dark ages - say, the 70's which were notoriously bland and most everything built then was built to a tough budget. ( I remember building in the 70's, in the 80s', renovating and building in the 90s', the nouties and still renovating now; i just can't seem to leach it out of my DNA as I complete the restoration of a 1930's Cal' Bung', one runied in the 70s' by some hapless 'handyman' who insatlled a plastic Chub and added a Victorian bull-nose verandah! All my homes turned out differently as my tastes and budget changed. Beginning in 1974 when I painted the front door of my 60's 2-bedder, bright yellow, the weatherboards 'Conifer'; the darkest posible green, now cracking in the sun, no doubt! Or has it been renovated by some 21st century house-hipsters? Then in 1976 I chose Avo' toilets, basins and bath ! Used native timbers, unpainted T & G everywhere, too ) I pulled out 'space wasting' french doors and installed open arches ! And wall-papered everything that didn't move. Not every so-called 'mid-century' home is a classic, or is worth preserving. Like this one probably was, they were pretty darned ordinary, particularly compared to those of the Victorian, Edwardian, the Art Deco and Californian Bungalow styles before them; all of which HAD definable chararcter, had enduring stlye; and are much sought-after and highly valued for having it laid, thickly, throughout. 70s' era homes were / are lacking wholly in character; and they lacked space, lacked insulation, lacked lots of design and comfort amenity we all want and deserve today. They're, nevertheless, given a new and longer life when younger eyes and energy are applied to their renovation, design and decor. Good on them!