Hi there! Is this photo from Houzz? If so, you can ask a question directly on the photo and the professional who has uploaded it will get notified and hopefully be able to give you some answers :)

Hi Kruti. Those new pieces are lovely. There’s a houzz article in Stories about how to decorate a console table. If you select Stories, then Interior Design, then Decorating, and then type ‘how to decorate a console table,’ in the window, the article should pop up. I think you will find it very helpful.

Thanks everyone so far. Only hesitation with glass (or a white-grey tinted glass) is that it might be a bit glarey with the spotlights above, but will definitely consider it! Cheers Annb, my father built the whole room including the cabinet :). The cd shelves are from IKEA. The metal strips you see are just over-door clothes hooks you can pick up for around $10ea. They just slide on top of any old door and are not bolted on in any way. We are going to install a rail inside to convert this to more of a wardrobe. The room dimensions are actually 3.8 x 3.7, but the width of the wall pictured is more around 2.7 because of the cabinet & bricks. Behind the curtain is a double sliding door with windows and optional external access. Same on opposite wall (which is more important to access.. and has nice views, hence the current, slightly awkward bed placement..) The pocket door is to what will be an ensuite. Main internal access is opposite, or external through the sliding door (marked with arrows in the second pic). The mezzanine is 1.4 wide, with sloping ceiling overhead. Could technically fit that king single up there, just, but the bed will probably be upgraded to a double bed soon enough. It's just storage on the mezzanine for now, but brainstorming... thought it could be used as a reading retreat or put that bed up there for guests once the double bed (thinking IKEA's Malm with the under-bed storage drawers). Just one young adult (20s) using the room. Between the wardrobe, drawers, sideboard and mezzanine there is plenty enough storage space. Drawers and sideboard will stay as is, but we are hoping to use this side of the room more wisely! A bit of a quirky space to get right! Thanks for your help everyone :) :).

Hi, I'm far from the expert on this one. When I did a search for UV resistant woods/laminates up came ads for UV resistant sealer. So I looked into it and didn't find a decisive one product for the job. Olympic Maximum Exterior has a four year wear life. If you can deal with a darker than preferred stain on the first go, I'd go the real timber route; go heavy on the sealer& dark stain.. thats noticeable to fade. .. see how it wears in three years /50-75% of suggested time. Then you can sand and stain to preference; retouch as needed.