If you are on a tight budget look at Op shops for a large white pot to put your plant in. And a large mirror, sometimes you find an object or mirror or art work in this shops but colours are ghastly, you just have to imagine it in different colour and you have that perfect piece that is missing , repainting is easy and cheap and if you are not sure how , just ask Us Houzzers . Keep in mind that one large pice on the wall is better then several small ones. You will need a better coffee table maybe a glass one, IKEA has some cheap solutions , you might be able to find a larger rug and softer, although the round one looks good. If you are on Face book join local group "Buy,swap,sell " you can get great thinks for very little money and sometimes it's free. Don't rush. And if you buy something that you find was a mistake you can sell it on the same site. Have fun.

another idea if you had a plain pelmet that was within the alcove that came from the bottom of the picture rail to the top of the window and flush with the walls on both sides painted the same as the wall colour., you could then run your black curtain rod across the alcove pelmet which would look like the wall. When I had my Ferderation House we painted the bedroom walls up to and including the picture rail in the same colour. The wall above the picture rail and the ceiling were painted flat white, along with skirting boards, an old painter told me about this and it looks brilliant. A couple more photo's for you with different looks This is similar to what I have tried to explain by running a plain pelmet across the whole alcove and then the black rod running from either side outside the alcove with the curtains against the outer wall, the pelmet would look like part of the wall.

Losinreno, please speak to your real estate agent. Give him/her a list of the items you would like to take with you. He/she can then go to the buyer with that list. The buyer can then tell him which items they do not want. And negotiate on the items they do want. The buyers may not want your cabinets, or your light fittings. If you do get the items, please ensure any damage to walls is repaired, and light fittings replaced. But, this should of been detailed in the contract, not assumed. Your real estate agent should be helping you with this. If you are not getting help, then go to his/her superior for guidance.

Many thanks for your comments folks. I was wondering if there was something out there I didn't know about... cellular blinds I haven't tried but I know they are expensive. Blockout curtains I know work well with pelmets and when extended past the windows at the side, and that doesn't work out cheaply either. I imagine we will need a combination of these. We will probably put a pergola out to the east side of the house with a deciduous vine, so not worried too much about summer. Will use canvas external blinds if it makes the house too hot. I like sun in the morning to get me going, and avoid it in the afternoon and on summer evenings.