"Architect-designed houses are not accessible to all." This is a myth championed by the building industry. Alternatively, why not focus on the key benefits architects bring to a project. Here are a few for you: • Appoint an architect to your project and you’ll gain a home designed for the way you want to live.The alternative is a builder-designed home that suits what the builder is used to building. Quality builders will ask for plans and specifications to be thoroughly documented so that they can go ahead and do what they do best, which is build. Working out with the owner what you’re going to build and why is the architect’s role. • An architect manages planning approvals. This process is complex, often arbitrarily applied by many Councils, fraught with pitfalls for the novice and is ramped up every year with new hoops to jump. If you want a professional on your side who knows the territory, will go in to bat for you and will forge a way through this minefield, you need an architect. • If you’d prefer to put the works to tender to a number of builders rather than having to accept the quote of the builder you started the process with, you need an architect. • If you’d prefer to protect yourself with a proper, architect-managed ABIC contract that works equally for both parties and is legally enforceable, you need an architect. • An architect will minimise costly changes during construction as he or she will produce a proper level of drawings (expect 20 x A3 pages for a new home, rather than the 1-2 pages you’ll receive from a drafting service.). The reasons for this are that you have on paper exactly what you want to build. Without this, you are entering a contract with a builder with none of the details resolved. You wouldn’t do that if you were buying a house, so why do it when spending an equally significant amount of money? Unfortunately, some builders see this approach as an opportunity to happily accept constant changes from ‘project managing’ owners because it’s just another variation that he can charge for. The longer he is there, the better for his margins, particularly when there’s no contract to speak of. Finally, an architect is a specialist with a professional duty of care, irrespective of financial gain. In other words, they’re there to support and protect you, without benefit to themselves. No one else in the building industry can provide this.

if the original asbestos walls are in good condition then they can re-be painted but if the walls are too damaged to be saved the asbestos needs to be removed by professionals and the cladding replaced, no reason you can't have different profiles on the front and sides as long as joints and corners are sealed properly but if you plan to install new windows it could be better to wait to repair sections of wall as the windows are replaced (i'd prefer to have all the roof and external walls in good condition and then do the internal work at leisure)... .modern fibrous cements are excellent ...we've just used flat fibrous cement with curved battens over joints and very happy with the results for our 50's house (there are several different brands available through the big hardware stores and research on line is much easier than trying to work out the variations in store) the gabled portico can be made as a separate structure or as a extension to the roof with valley gutters depending on placement of the solar panels (and/or solar panels can be moved)

From what you have said, I think smaller separate pieces such as couch and chair(s) rather than a large sectional is likely to work better in the space and still allow for traffic flow. However, if you still have lots to do then don't rush to make large purchases. In the meantime, if your current sectional looks better pulled away from the wall a bit, then perhaps you could rotate the side table so that the long side runs parallel with the sofa arm instead of the wall. Would that help to stop it blocking the doorway and resolve the 'not quite right' placement?

Sorry, I can't send photos at the moment as we are having our kitchen renovated and all the lounge furniture is stacked and covered. Our house was built in 1960 but everyone thinks it is a seventies house because it looks just like them. We have been progressively renovating and the kitchen is the last thing to do. We actually bought mid century modern style furniture from the Modern Furniture shop in New Farm/ Fortitude Valley in Brisbane, and a parker dining suite from an antique shop. (My partner hates clutter.) The area in our house that is the same as the one where you have your TV actually has had a set of internal stairs cut into it going down, and we have a piano in the remaining space with our buffet up against the balustrade. We did have our dining suite in the same space as you have yours, but it is an 8 seater, so we swapped the dining and lounge furniture and put our 2 seater sofa, 2 armchairs and oval glass coffee table against the wall opposite the kitchen. We use both more now because the dining space is bigger and the lounge space is cosy and inviting. We have a large area downstairs which we have turned into a combination mancave/TV area/ entertainment, casual dining and summer living space as the concrete floor keeps it cool and comfortable. What I love about a big space like this is that you can change it around if you find it's not working for you as it is, or if you just feel like a change. Having to keep to the TV points reduces that flexibility a bit, but maybe you could consider swapping around the dining area? It's just a matter of figuring out what works best for how you like to live, and trying out different configurations might help you do that.