Hi amaliar, still a bit hard to work out even with the plan and your pictures, but I would reverse the areas, make the current sitting area, near the fireplace, the dining room and make the dining room the sitting area. In the dining room run the table across and exactly centred in front of the fireplace, not the skinny end of the table in front. This would give the dining table the slightly elevated display look which would look lovely when your table is fully set, with candles and or flowers. You could back the L shaped lounge up against and along the outside wall which adjoins the deck, I would have the L section slightly extend across the other room which would be actually behind the lounge/couch, this room on the plan is at the end of the deck, this would allow you to put one or two leather chairs and a small sidetable or lamp table to create a seperate reading area in that back area, it would also allow you to place a tall lamp behind and/or a standard cantilevered lamp over the L shaped lounge, which would look nice (example photos below). By running the lounge this way it would not have it's back to the dining room, it would make the entertaining space open so that some guests could utilise some of the dining chairs by turning them around and face other guests who may be sitting on the lounge, with a lovely big rich rug in front of the lounge/couch. It would also allow good flow for walking through the rooms, would make the rooms look larger and not cut off. Good luck.

Hi, Add some really good soil mix, a watering system would be great, I love black mondo and lambs ears together ( both very hardy) and I would plant dichondra ‘silver falls’ to trail over the retaining wall, the colours will go beautifully with the steps and compliment the house, could look gorgeous

Thank you all so much for your time! Great ideas - I am in Melbourne Julie Herbert, so your photos are perfect. Yes Lyn Huppatz - I’ll start going to the nursery soonish to get some solid inspiration! JE C - I am thinking I would like an out door seating area, but as for anything else - I’m really not sure yet!! I guess I’ll just keep on looking at photos and piecing it together!

We have recently added a new lounge room to our house and I need to connecting it to the old house using 2/3 internal sandstone slab - not paver style steps, laid brick style. I have pics that show exactly what I want but the job requires a stone mason, who may also need to cut sandstone into desired shapes and roughen edges . I am in need of a stone mason who can come to see the job and discuss things with us. I have been in contact with quarries re sourcing the sandstone but I really need a stone mason in the first instance, we are in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. If anyone knows someone they can connect me with I would dearly appreciate the help. Kindest regards, Koula