Thanks Jayme, I get what you mean, it's just not really practical for our house & will make the renovation a lot more difficult & expensive if we start moving walls like the to gain an extra couple of feet. It's possibly a load bearing wall too. But that area which is currently our kitchen where we are thinking of putting the fire place isn't the main living area, it's basically the centre of our living area which is a long room from one end of the house to the other, so we were thinking having the fire there will warm the house better being that it will have the kitchen & dining table one side of it & the lounge the other side. I think we could it a couple of cozy arm chairs & a small coffee table or we could just put a love seat up against the section of wall opposite the fire?

No, I'm sure I've seen his reflection in our ensuite mirror from time to time. But, we're both getting on a bit now, and that could have something to do with it... Though, I live in my own world, where I imagine everyone's eyesight is as bad as mine, so I still don't look too bad!!! Until I put my glasses on....... But we're both healthy and active, which is what counts! Thanks for the positive feedback on the large print and padded bench. I think I get a long planter for under the coat rack and an umbrella stand for the corner where the plant is now.... Any thoughts on this Umbrella stand?????? I really wanted a tall black ceramic one, but impossible to find!!!

I've noticed a recent trend of the vertical color on the island matching the vertical color on the splashback. Liking that trend. So I would say go with the turquoise glass splash back color. Deepen it a little so the hue is closer to that of the floor. Cant tell from pic whether island cupboards are the same color as cupboards above the splashback. If they are, all the better. That then brings the turquoise/white combo forward into the room and gives some unity.

Hi Cazzie Putting a staircase into a room is effectively changing the room into a hallway, and is obviously destroying the functionality of the room. It's clearly a poor solution to access made obvious by the conflict with the window. No matter if you dress it up as suggested, it will always look and be a compromise. I'd be first thinking about whether you want this back as a room or have the space/rooms to go without it. Without knowing the layout of the rest of the house, I would be looking to relocate/rework it. Whilst that is a more expensive option, the reality is that it will turn a negative on the home value into a positive and add value. This is an example of what you see on lots of TV shows where people rectify problems or poor design to make an improvement. Can you post a little more about the layout or other pics? Cheers