I remember years ago being in a similar predicament and someone gave me some mirror tiles - I glued them on the the wall and thought I was very clever. They actually did look much better in my eyes. Try not to spend too much - I think everyone's idea of a shower curtain will all the bathroom colours in it would probably be the best option. You'll laugh about it in years to come and you will love the improvements you make over time. Enjoy the moment, unless you're selling soon your ideas will change after living there, so change when you can afford it - who cares it's YOURS. Good luck, it's so rewarding and so much fun. P.S. now we have a small bathroom, wall to wall tiles, dark grey on the floor and white on all the walls with a large grey tile up each opposing wall, tall mirror over the handbasin which reflects the opposite wall then a full length bath with shower over it. It works perfectly and looks great.

Well nasmijati has much to offer. For my mind i would like to get an understanding of who you are before thinking too much ahead friendlykim. If we leave climate change, fire zones, function, ergonomics and sustainability to one side we might consider your childhood experiences, your passions, sufferings, do you like literature/ Japanese poetry? - will you have mist in the winter months? what music do you like? imagination as play in defining space, choreographing shade and light, will you have children to consider, would you consider a more elemental use of water for swimming and other opportunities in place of a lap pool? we could talk about art, what artists you love, insight beyond reason which comes through our relationship that your garden may feed your mind on a daily basis. Have you travelled? Does the north African civilization have anything to teach you for garden application? - what is your latitude? Has contemplation placed it's hand on your shoulder by this stage of your life? I should stop - for me it's not really about design, it's about the life of the mind and arousing latent, hidden aspects of who you are - your life narrative. This is how I would start making a garden for you and preferably over lunch - it is primarily about love in the end!

i also think the outside stairs work better for coming home with the groceries in good weather and, having lived in a similar upstairs bedroom overheating can be a problem: use the best insulation in the ceiling, roof and walls including between the ceiling of the living areas and the floor of the top level (our top level bathroom used to get a hot floor from the heat in the roof space). Shade cloth roller blinds or shutters on the north facing window. (do you like the French balcony?) will improve comfort levels and check out "stack effect" ...having a window open downstairs and a window open on the opposite side of the house upstairs will flush out the house as hot air rises..install closing doors on stairs and hallways to reduce draughts and contain heat in cold weather and add ceiling fans to increase air circulation

Difficult block to get a good design onto. Privacy being a corner block, driveway entry point, etc. Even solar passive would be pretty average here (costs to achieve to retain privacy, etc) but you would get northern light. Garage location is the issue but this was touched on previously. I would remove the stacker door facing west and replace with window. Probably have both the windows at say 1500 mm high x 2170 mm wide?? I'd be looking into these sizes further but just a starting suggestion. I would remove the door facing north (near garage) and replace with a window at say 1500 mm high x 1570 mm wide. If you can't do that use a glazed door instead of a solid. East facing veranda is good. South lounge is good for TV - would need to close curtains to watch TV if it was to the north. The changes shouldn't cost much ($2k for amending plans, submitting to certifier, etc is at the upper end but minor in comparison to construction costs, you may save money/cost neutral as you're swapping door for window, etc.) Surprised you got away without double glazing the west facing windows.