we've done both: with the render finsh and painting the Hebel was more labour intensive, not cheaper than brick and the joints broke down after only two years It does provide good insulation but the same or better results can be achieved more efficiently...our next project will be reverse brick veneer with insulated Colorbond cladding..we concentrate on the shell of the building (roof, external walls, windows, doors and floors as the internal fittings can be added or upgraded over time...living without a proper kitchen for seven months allowed us to pay for better quality windows but you must plan to suit your climate and conditions, good luck

Laura- Thankyou :-) Maybe not to everyone’s taste but I’m quite proud of myself. I didn’t have funds for quite some time to do a feature I would like and didn’t want to paint the wall so am happy with what we have. It has brightened a ghastly retro dark room and since we can’t get rid of the arches in a hurry it has made it bearable at this point. Yes I made the limewash myself. I made it just with line and water and it has stood the test of time so far, being over a year. You can create a lighter look by doing one- two coats, basically the more you do the darker it becomes. Also the more you do it the less mottled it becomes and more solid white. i believe (though could be wrong that your one is possibly German smear more than limewashin). Whitewashing again is different. I could not buy the limewash product here in Australia though saw an awesome product in the states called Romabio (omgosh so nice). At any rate yes I made mine, I did see recipes which I think had salt to bond the product- but didn’t use that and was absolutely fine! I practised in my garage wall and was thrilled with the result. You used a brush to hatchcross the product on, that is the technique that stops the process becoming terrible. The more I have done, the better I have become (there was a lot of research involved in getting the technique right to avoid drops). I am not sure I would want to try it on the outside of the house unless really confi

Don't try and modernise this home, it has a lovely mid-century character that you should build on. I suggest to all of my clients that they should live in a home for at least 12 months before spending big renovation dollars. Understand how your house works with the change of seasons, and the existing electrical and plumbing services. Sometimes when you are on a tight budget in an old house then boring things like gutters and hot water systems are more important than supeficial aesthetics. Elements that are not original, such as your roller blinds at the front aren't contributing to the look of the house. The right landscaping could provide the shade you need and look much better. Love it for what it is, rather than try and make it into something that it is not. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

I am coming in very late to this discussion. But is there enough room in your space to move the furniture like this? I have moved your wooden coffee table where the couch is, and moved the cabinet so it is not the first thing you see as you enter. Moving the grey side tables to form one “modular” table creates a uniform look that doesn’t sacrifice functionality. The marble side table would then be used next to the other couch (as the cabinet is where it used to be) I would also take up the whole space between the aircon and the floor to hang your ‘family’ picture frames. The gorgeous plant is then placed on top of the coffee table to become the hero in the space. I noticed you used a grey soft looking throw blanket on the couch to the right. Is it possible to get matching versions of this to cover the sofa against the wall for the dogs? The texture and colour of the sheets you are currently using is what disconnects your lovely couch from the rest of the space. Regardless of what artworks you choose to use for above the couch, having a darker frame will help to ground them in the space. The white frames are getting lost against the white brick wall at the moment. You have great taste in furniture, it seems to be editing the layout of the space that is not quite working in your zone. Hope this helps!