Astraea, when I emptied mum's unit, I just absolutely turned everything upside down and inside out. Luckily I found money in the first drawer I opened that put me on my guard. Talking about going out in the car reminded me - mum had a disabled parking sticker that had to be attached to the windscreen if the car she was in was parked in a disabled parking area. When she came to live with me I kept it in the glovebox of my car at the ready, but somewhere along the line when mum had first got the sticker someone must have given her very clear instructions to ensure she kept the sticker with her at all times as they were readily stolen. Obviously whoever had explained said that it had to be displayed on the windscreen when the car was parked, but mum, in the fog she was in by this time, didn't get that bit. One time I had to go to the RTA to have mum's address changed to mine so of course I had to take her with me for her to verify things. I parked in a disabled spot as they are wider for wheelchair access, put the sticker on the windscreen, got the wheelchair out of the boot and got mum into it, not taking any notice of anything she was doing. We got into the RTA, took a number and waited a while before we were served, then I took mum over to the counter and explained the situation, whereupon mum pulls the sticker out of her handbag to show the clerk. Of course I freaked as they are very quick to book you if you are illegally parked in these spaces and told mum she wasn't to take it off the windscreen again. Mum felt she was really going to get one up on me as she was always going crook at me putting it on the windscreen for people to see it and break into the car to steal it, and told the clerk to tell me the rules how I wasn't to leave it in the car. I think the poor woman wet herself seeing the comedy side of it, but trying to keep a straight face while she tried to get through to mum that it had to be on the windscreen. Of course mum just kept arguing with her then that she knew better because of what she had been told. In the end the clerk told me to get back to the car before I got booked but said to let her know if I was and she would try to clear things for me. Fortunately I wasn't but after that I had to be so careful to ensure I put the sticker on my side of the car (which it wasn't supposed to be) but it was the only way I could stop mum getting to it.

Air condition is called aircon, the combo air conditioner & heaters that you hang high on a wall are called swingers. Countertops are called benches, yards are called a gardens, closets-wardrobe, bonus room-rumpus room, hardwood floors or any wood is called timber. Living in the country is living in the Bush. Carpenters are called a Chippy, electrician -Sparky, brick layer-bricky, plumber-dunny driver. Downtown is called CBD. Neighbor is spelled neighbour. If a room is painted and decorated in updated colors & pattens they are called “Fresh”. If a house is updated in higher end-sophisticated materials it’s called “smart”. Fittings-are basically light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, appliances. Color is spelled colour. Picture rails are still pretty common. Queenslander-is a traditional style of home in Queensland that has a bungalow/Victorian/country/cottage feel. “security screens” are popular on windows & doors-which is a metal lattice. Full fences around your property are also popular.

Wuff, you wrote my bedroom memories of my room at our farm. Lipstick pink carpet and psychedelic curtains and bedspreads. I still think it was the coolest room I ever had! I am currently using 60's and 70's colours and patterns to decorate my fabulous 1965 built home, with a 1970 sunroom extension. Psychedelic black and white vinyl in the bathroom. The rest is white and beige lamipanel in the wet areas. I have an orange and cream geometric patterned quilt cover and pillow slips I love in my bedroom and found psychedelic lime, purple and hot pink , with white splotches linen for my guest room. I have a lime green glass splashback in my kitchen, with terazzo look minoleum floors and blackwood cabinetry, with butcher block benchtops. I kept to white enamel appliances for 60's authenticity, but did use a stainless steel cooktop. I also have 1960's canisters, two sets one ranges from tangerine, to pale lime, beige, deep aqua and salmon, the others have bight fruits, with black lids. My jug is electric blue, with a matching toaster! I have my original 1970's microwave and food processor, as well as a hand me down 1960's Sunbeam Mixmaster, with all its attachments! My laundry has a mix of cream and beige floral and lime green and more blackwood cabinetry and the benchtop matches that in the kitchen. My sunroom is resplendant with its spotted pine feature wall and lime green and olive cane furniture, with masses of much loved houseplants, including a hoya that occupies one wall, that is as old as I am. Both of us turn 60 next year! The whole house is painted in airey cream, an off white, that just takes the chill out of white white! My lounge is a collection of antique vases, fine bone china, silverware and blond wood lounge and dining furniture, all that were proudly displayed by my parents in the 1960s and 70's when antiques were all the rage! There is not a single tile in my house, by choice, to avoid mould and heavy duty cleaning! I hate cleaning tiles as much as I hate the colour grey! My place is filled with colour! Luckily the beige shot silk curtains that are the bedrooms and lounge are so neutral they go with all the ecclectic items and 60's era styling I so love. Their quality means they should see out at least a century of wear!

Hi Maria, we love the wood but it is a little overwhelming in that space with the timber floor. A liming white is a great idea as mentioned by a few people here. This will let you have the best of both worlds, a lighter, brighter finish while still allowing the wood grain to show through. You could try Feast Watson Liming White Floor Finish (yes, it's not a floor but it has the size of a floor!) and build up the number of coats until you are happy with the amount of timber grain showing through. You'll probably need to give it a light sand first as it's most likely already got some type of coating on it. The other option would be to leave the walls as is and consider a large, light neutral coloured rug as pompom suggested on the timber floor and perhaps a good sized piece of art on the wall or white wall shelving instead of the dark side unit you have to reduce the amount of timber in the room.