Hi Sasha. What a great space with lots of scope to move your furniture around, and all that natural light! The first thing I noticed was the dark curtains drawing my eye to the dark window frames. Although you clearly can't do anything about the latter, I would definitely change the former. My go-to place for quick affordable pieces is Ikea and my advice would be to measure up the windows and head for their roller blinds and curtains. If you put 3 or 4 block-out blinds up under that pelmet you can control how much light and/or privacy you'd like and by replacing those dark curtains with a lighter linen variety, you'll add a contemporary feel to the room and bring the attention away from the [I assume] aluminium frames. You could get enough to span the entire width or just a couple for the ends. Splash out on a generous tall houseplant like a [dragon tree[(https://www.houzz.com.au/photos/midcentury-bedroom-midcentury-bedroom-philadelphia-phvw-vp~1905898) for any area's that you might like to add height - I think we tend to fall into the trap of having two visual levels in a room, one being the furniture which tends to end at about hip-height, and the other being art or such for eye level. Both of these are horizontal lines but a tall voluminous plant adds a vertical element like a standard lamp. I'd move yours away from the corner though and place it against a larger expanse of wall. If it has to stay in a corner, put something tall behind/beside it like a narrow book case, or an artwork that's centered with the lampshade. Then it looks like it has purpose. Also, I would move the sofa away from the wall and add a console table as a place to display treasures. Can you swap the long chaise part of the sofa to the other end? Doing this would define that area more and open up the view of your outdoor area. In fact, I'd be tempted to rotate the sofa 90deg to face the windows and put a sofa table/book case behind it for extra storage. I assume that's your TV along the wall to the right - you could shuffle it down towards the window corner and angle it towards the sofa [that would reduce glare on the screen from the window too]. If you do this, you'll create an area for the dining table if you want. I'm not sure from the picture if your table is currently against a wall or if there's more room off to the right that we can't see. If it's against the wall, I'd be moving it across to the left to about where that rug currently sits [a bit further this way though - if that makes sense!] Here's an example of what I'm thinking. That's where the rugs come in. I'd be using two large rugs to both define the areas and protect the carpet. One under the dining table and one under the sofa. These are both areas where the carpet can quickly get grubby! Large artworks are, as you say, a challenge but they don't have to be hung. If you have a large vertical canvas you can prop it against the wall or sit smaller works up on a narrow table [another use for that console table!]. Try to find [or even make] some large canvasses that have a lot of white in them and retire that red pic in the black frame for a while. If you go for the light/white curtains then a complimentary artwork will help to freshen the whole area. Hope I've been able to help a bit!

Many herbs grow really quickly - mint, oregano, thyme and so on. Parsley will reseed everywhere if happy and sage and rosemary are quite large plants. In order to grow herbs well you need to use big pots - this is essential. And then group them together - sage with thyme and chives; rosemary with oregano and lemon thyme for example. The mint must be planted by itself in a decent sized pot and then split annually. Parsley also benefits from being in a big pot that is deep as it has a long tap root. Parsley are usually annuals so allowing them to reseed is a good idea - free plants. You need good quality potting mix that has some fine gravel over the top. This acts as a mulch but also is often alkaline which many herbs enjoy. Once a month apply a very weak liquid fertiliser to the plants along with watering the plants at least twice a week while it is so dry. When you water, keep the water up so that the whole of the soil mix is watered. Add a wetting agent to the top of the soil if the water is running straight through. Herbs in pots need more water than if planted in the ground. The best pots are pure terracotta - they breathe and are also much cooler than other pots that you purchase. But the pots need to be about 40cm in diameter to work. The principles suggested here are the same as for many succulents. But succulents come from a variety of regions and so have different requirements. These may do better in smaller pots being repotted annually.

Need to know what boxes to tick to create an outdoor room that is comfortable, practical and reflects your individual style and personality? Read our tips for 5 ways to create an outdoor room that makes the most of your entertaining area, no matter the weather or time of day. 1. Fit for all seasons What is the point of an outdoor room if you can’t use it all year, or when the weather changes? This is when the right roofing or shelter comes in. Not only does it need to be weatherproof, but tough enough to last many years. This is where stainless steel roof sheet comes in, which not only looks great but is extremely strong. You can also opt for a more flexible roofing solution like our ‘Eclipse’ louvre roof, which allows you to adjust the panels, for more or less light – all at the touch of a button. There is also an insulated patio roofing option, which gives you year-round climate control and access to the alfresco life 365 days a year. 2. Cook up a storm Chances are you want to cook up a storm in your outdoor room, so make sure you plan what facilities you need. If you entertain a lot then you should consider going all out with an outdoor kitchen. Here an integrated oven or BBQ, cabinets, benchtops, fridge, sink, pizza oven and even a wine fridge (or 2) could all be on your wishlist. Products and materials need to be able to withstand exposure to the elements, so choose wisely. Stainless steel makes sense for cookware, with engineered stone or natural stone for benchtops, while cabinetry should be moisture resistant. You also need to plan the flow between your home’s kitchen and your outdoor room. Ideally access should allow foot traffic to move freely between both rooms. 3. Accessorise it We like to call all the accessories that make your outdoor room functional lifestyle extras, because often it’s the small things that make a difference. That means using it all year round and not waiting for the weather to be perfect. Here quality accessories like well-positioned downlights, heatstrips, fans and exterior blinds allow you to use the space no matter where the mercury is at. 4. Get it decked Having solid level surface underfoot is key to enjoying your outdoor room, and decking is a great option. We love hardwood timber, because it is tough, looks and feels great and has what it takes to absorb all the foot traffic you can throw at it. Popular timbers include Jarrah, Merbau, Spotted Gum and Blackbutt, as well as composite – which is a mix of plastic and timber fibres. Like the other elements of your outdoor room, you are likely to need planning permission for this, so check with your local council beforehand. 5. Screen your privacy Nosy neighbours a little close for comfort? Then you need a screen to give you some privacy while you enjoy your outdoor room. You have a number of options including timber slat, metal trellis, PVC or even bamboo. And privacy is not the only benefit you will get from a screen – they will also provide shade, shelter from gusts of wind and any eyesores you don’t want to see – like your neighbours fence

When you are running through your thoughts, options, colours, designs, etc for your new outdoor living area, deck or patio cover; we will guide you through three areas of consideration. These are: Design, Materials & Accessories. By considering these three areas whilst you are investigating the options to enhance your home, it should mean that you will ultimately achieve an outdoor living area, deck or patio cover that is function (by functional I mean an area that I can use all year round), meets your budget & lastly looks great. Today, we are going to focus on the first area – ‘Getting the Best Design for your Patio Cover Outdoor Living Area’. So, what are your design options? Flat Sillion Traditional Gable Hipped Roof Dutch Gable Curved How do you choose the best design for your home? Consider the size of the area you want to cover Why? If the area is too small a gable might look out of place for the size of the area. How will it be connected back into your home? Do you have a high eave line or do you have to fix the patio cover above your existing roof line? As an example, you might not want to then install a gabled roof line if the connection point will already be high as then the patio cover will be too high, could look funny & won’t offer much protection. What’s your budget? A gable might not fit. As a very general rule of thumb, a gable can be double the cost of a flat roofed structure, as you have more material required & it takes longer to install. As an alternative you could still get height within your outdoor living area by using a skillion design. Gables: ‘Gables’ can come in a variety of forms – Hipped Roof, Dutch Gable, but the most common is the Traditional gable. One feature that you can include within your gable is to add down lights within the ridge line. This not only cleans up a often dirty or forgotten area but can also make the area more functional so you can use the area in the evening. Think about your accessories early when designing your outdoor living area or patio cover. TIP: If you are considering any form of gable, get the balance right. Sometimes a gable can look squashed if the area is too small or too flat if you don’t get the roof pitch right. Refer back to the existing roof pitch of your home & try to match it; this way your outdoor living area or patio cover will look more integrated rather than a ‘slap on’. Flat: Its flat – pretty simple. Sometimes, people try to make it all to fancy or complicated. Remember the KISS method (Keep it Simple Stupid), as sometimes simple can sometimes be better in your design. Ensure you have enough height to play with if you are leaning towards a flat roofed pergola. If its too low the area could feel claustrophobic & might not get enough air flow. Skillion: I think that a skillion design is sometimes forgotten but can often be the most effective. A skillion is where it is higher at one end & lower at the opposite & it can work really well on a double storey brick wall or even fixed above an existing roof line. A skillion can also give similar benefits of a gable – such as good height & thus air flow, without the cost or complexity of design that sometimes follows with a gable. Curved: Curved patio covers can be used with either a Colorbond or polycarbonate roofing material. We don’t offer a curved design option within our range simply as the amount of homes we just don’t see homes which already have a curved area. To install a curved roof we feel would make it look out of place. I hope this helps you get a better outdoor living area for your home. Remember that all of our material options (detailed below) can be used in any of these design styles. 'Premium Series' Colorbond Insulated Lined Ceilings Louvers Would you like to find out more? Can you entertain our relax outside all year round? Is your BBQ & outdoor furniture always covered? Contact Usto have a discussion about the options available for your home. We highly recommend that you share a coffee with us in our office so you can have a closer look at the products available in our display. We find that this helps our clients a lot as they can get a ‘hands on’ feel for each material option. Our display is by appointment only, so use the link below to book in a suitable time for us to meet one on one to casually discuss your outdoor lifestyle. Book a private consulation in our display - click here