@fianou, Thank you for your kind words, I agree it's coming along, although not everyone knows that we've been building this home for 8 years now, using only our own money as humble farmers!!! We live in a tiny but comfortable7 square, (roughly) relocatable home and I personally can't wait to get into my new home with all the room and room to put everything in it's place!!! Right now all my posessions are boxed or wraped and in storage in various locations here on the property like our woolshed and an old caravan, as well as things stored in my mother's home a few kms away and with the home having just been sold, means I will have to move this furniture here and add to the mountain of things already in storage!! I'm sorry to say and hope I don't offend, that I don't have an affinity with hanging pots and plants and hubby would literally "cringe" at the thought of growing a vine up our new posts ha-ha I have got a pair of large pots either side of the front door , visible in the photo, housing Wisteria's that I hope to be able to keep tamed and they shoud look lovely when in flower. I originally planned to have about 20 standard roses along the front of the home but they are too much work I've decided and more often than not look quite shabby at certain times, especially when they are dormant, so instead, I have decided to plant several standard grevilleas in a nice stone mulch with a brick border as is the rest of my garden for easy mowing. I actually have quite a large garden but mulch is definitely the way to go and I have used a few different types of stone mulch, as well as tree mulch and woodchips and this reduces my weeding workload, the bain of all gardeners. I'm almost 60 and want to enjoy my home and garden but do not want it to become a burden but should I ever consider a hanging basket, perhaps indoors, I will be reminded of you!!! ha-ha Cheers, Barbara

Hi Carl, you are right about the possibility of hazardous material but unfortunately our budget just doesn't extend to replacing them (at this stage). We have a few more pressing issues to deal with first (leaky sunroom roof, subfloor ventilation system not ideal, drainage problems in the yard) so cosmetics come last. However, I didn't think of replacing the doors or altering them so that's good news. They are actually handmade ( by their old neighbour who was a carpenter) so I am hoping that they're actual timber and not particle board. I know the two in the other rooms are (I'll upload a photo when I take one, they're quite beautiful) but this one looks like maybe it was added in at a later time and maybe not made by the guy next door. I'll have to think more on it. Hard when we haven't moved in yet - I'm just going on photos at the moment! The memory nook is a lovely idea. My daughter would love it. Thanks again for all the suggestions. I also like the idea of using the space between it and the wall.

STAGE 2 COMPLETED! We decided to go with the same dark grey as the front door and glad we did. We love it. Thanks for all your help and advice, it really was good to other people’s ideas as they were things we never thought of ourselves.

You could consider custom joinery that actually looks freestanding - purposefully creating a gap from the edge of the fireplace surround to the wardrobe & on the wall side also. This would also mean that it really does not matter if the front of the cupboards do not align with the front of the fireplace. Adding a nicely detailed leg, and a feature handle (you can get some really unique Australian made ones these days) to give some visual interest to the otherwise minimal finishes. Keep it simple & classic so it ages with your child's taste and preferences. As an example, The Design Files recent article has an image of a cupboard in a lounge area, that could be adapted to two double door units on either side of the fireplace https://thedesignfiles.net/2019/10/interiors-house-p-cjh-studio/. Seems perfect for a child of any age, or even if you want to convert the room to a more 'grown up purpose' once they leave home ;-)