Sound like good ideas to me. Orange door would look good with dark grey render. Stain any timber work charcoal. Also add horizontal boards at the house gable. Incorporate the low wall in the front fence idea by making it higher - maybe just slats so the garden can be seen through it. The mail box could be in there too. Make a further statement with fast growing trees to create an arch over the entry gate.

Rog - congratulations, I think you have done a fantastic job. To me you have achieved a great balance between modern and trendy - modern lasts, trendy not so much, I even find it boring after a while. This looks like a home that has been decorated by the owners' and to their tastes too, nothing looks staged. As for the mural - I'm just speechless, what a piece of brilliance. Having just spent the last 4 years renovating and creating my new home (although I still have loose ends to tie up) I can really appreciate how you must be feeling now, being able to sit back and totally enjoy all the hard work. I hope you have many, many happy years there.

Hi Donna - Look for a company that offer a 10-year warranty and a product that complies with Australian Standards. There are some companies that provide a 'kit' for your builder to install to make it a little bit cheaper again. There are also products that have a 'rack and pinion' design which minimises maintenance and eliminates the need for a motor pit - just do a google search for "dumbwaiter rack and pinion' . Good Luck!

Hi Lauren! Megan from Bluethumb online art gallery here. It's true that green is a trending colour this year, especially as it is complementary to Pantone's colour of the year. I agree with Julie that some art could be a great way to balance the room out, and I have a few suggestions from some of our local artists. This piece is by Sally Browne, one of our extremely popular Sydney-based artists. It's a print, which makes it affordable, although she does have originals for sale. https://bluethumb.com.au/sally-browne/Artwork/yellow-tailed-grey-cockatoo-frangipani-and-ferns-167209 I've gone and mocked it up for you Some other suggestions I have are from a selection of our other popular artists https://bluethumb.com.au/rachael-higby/Artwork/rock-wall https://bluethumb.com.au/haruyomorita/Artwork/Soul-Portrait-2015-1 https://bluethumb.com.au/martinesart/Artwork/ocean-at-midnight https://bluethumb.com.au/rozanna-johnson/Artwork/sitting-still-rozanna-johnson https://bluethumb.com.au/irina-white/Artwork/the-rock-irina-white Art can really set the mood in a space, so a warm toned piece will help with creating a cosy feel, however something more neutral or cream will keep the space feeling relaxing. I've included pieces that cover both colour schemes. As your couch is quite a statement piece, you want to make sure your art is also quite large so that it doesn't get drowned out. For something with a little more edge, contemporary photography is a great option. https://bluethumb.com.au/photography/stuart-chape/artwork/jump-stuart-chape https://bluethumb.com.au/photography/megangeorgephoto/artwork/nature-meets-industry https://bluethumb.com.au/photography/alex-frayne/artwork/rainbow-on-barngala https://bluethumb.com.au/photography/alex-frayne/artwork/nightvision https://bluethumb.com.au/photography/pennyp/artwork/thalassophile-3 https://bluethumb.com.au/photography/martine-perret/artwork/sel-rose-6-martine-perret With styling, I'd suggest lots of textures - think cream blankets with heavy knits, faux fur or a different type of knit cushions mixed with accent colour cushions (draw from your art piece for the accent colour) and some plants to breathe life into the space. Let me know if I can mock any of these other suggestions up for you. Hope this helps! Megan