After I had finished my Archi Masters I was working for an architecture firm who also did a small amount of work for a volume builder. They were actually a pretty good quality builder and at least got the orientation of their 'pre-designed' plans correct. We had the ability to make minor changes to every job and it pained me to see so many simple to implement passive options not being incorporated. Had most of their clients known that they would be saving MONEY over the longterm by making a few minor changes to suit their site, they all would have done it. The problem is unless someone can sell this idea to them as a financial/lifestyle choice, many just think it is about saving the world. It is a no-brainer if you have in interest in it, but for those who don't know, there is no-one there selling it to them, especially on the lower end of the market.

Hi, tiled walls without tiling could be done with custom printed wallpaper, similar to brick walls without bricks. Have a look at our website at "www.misterwallpaper.com.au" and look for images at "fotolia.com" using "tiles" or "ceramic tiles" as search term, to find the right image of tiles to create your tiled wall. We are happy to help you. Kind regards Tom Wallpaper

I have a house that is tiled in a multicolour slate tile all through the living areas. The house was built in the 90's and was only 4 years old when I bought it in 1996. I am assuming your tile is also a natural stone?? if so it will need sealing as they are porous and may need resealing down the track, we have only resealed our floor once. Make sure you keep a note of the brand and type of the sealer for future reference.I would not take it through to the bedrooms - too much. The floor is very forgiving of dirt, dust, food splashes etc, if you have a busy week and don't get round to washing or vacuuming the floor no one will notice. The multicolour will work with your hamptons inspiration, careful choice of wall colour is needed, you may need to have the floor laid before you make a final choice to see what the colour it throws. A wall colour with a slight hint of colour works better with the multicolour than the bright whites or yellow whites. Hope this helps.

I picked tidy & organise the home, due to the fact we rent & would love useful information & photos of how to store things with limited space & making it feel more like a home without breaking the budget, would love to win the beautiful book for a dear friend who has had a rough couple of years & I know enjoys cooking, she deserves to be on the receiving end of something nice