I see this is a very old thread , with lots of comments . I've just skim read them , but I haven't seen anyone suggest anything like my 'top-of-my-head' idea -- I love the wood , and the white contrast , but pretty boring . Whats your favourite colour , or what ties in with the other rooms ? It might be blue or red or yellow or orange or green , as examples . So paint the skirting board and around the door a pastel shade of your choice , and add a small 30cm x 30cm abstract painting featuring that colour as the primary dominant one , above ( or possibly below , or maybe even get 2 matching/complementary ones ) the control panel . One lighting crowd suggested glass shades -- I'd actually go for someothing large but wooden , in much the same shade as your floors and steps , with LED bulbs -- you can get some stunning ones around 80-100 cm in diameter ( sort of a star ball shape ) for $300-400 . Total budget then $500 plus a painter and maybe electrician , unless you DIY .

" How wonderful it is online that now we can all see what amazing ppl are creating. We always have had amazing ppl making such things, but usually reserved for family keepsakes, or nanas specialty. Put down the iPhone and pick up a craft I say!" ~mldesign0401 Indeed. I'm often gobsmacked at what people can do. And it's great to see the process in pictures. I do spend a lot more time looking at others creations the actually doing something myself! One of the traps of everything shared online. I do love seeing the creations that didn't go as planned too! So funny. It's great that people have the sense of humour to still share their "failures". At the end of the day, there's more benefit in the process of creating right? At least they had a go.

Julie Herbert I was thinking of your suggestion for the bench seat and large mirror thoughts as to whether that it would work in this area were I have the triangle shelf. I could move the shelf to another area. What size mirror would I look at for this area.

Hi TommyG, your own instinct and the more recent advice is the soundest - a single large artwork or mirror is what's needed to anchor the space, but as the mirror wouldn't be reflecting anything but an interior wall in that position, go with the artwork. That's always a highly personal choice, but we specialise in oversize canvases (single panels up to 2.8m, or larger spans across several panels) so if you find something you love in our online gallery, we can create it in dimensions you require - as this 2.4m high artwork illustrates.