having done the same thing many years ago i can make the following suggestions: ...have a good all weather drive and parking area for a crowd of house builders and visitors before the house is built, plan for a fenced off dam to attract wildlife that can be viewed from the house, if you have any slopes reseach "haha" for dividing areas, your local council or Agricultural dept should be able to advise plants native to the area, concentrate on trees and big shrubs (planted in groups and heavily mulched) before you worry about garden beds, invest in perfect planting holes with plastic tree guards and an irrigation system (even a plastic bottle of water upside down next to the new planting will help) invest in some basic fencing tools and start dividing the property into separate areas for specific purpose, starting with a house paddock small enough to mow with a domestic mower, keep the majority of trees and big shrubs outside the house paddock a good fire break away from the house (check out fire prevention for your area) don't build a house meant for the suburbs on your property, create shade near the house with extensive verandahs and pergolas to create shelter from sun and wind from every direction, build your garage or big shed away from the house with a covered walkway creating sheltered courtyards (like an English walled vege garden) plan for water tanks to save water off every roof (including the chook house)...our best idea was a big covered alfresco area carefully screened with shade cloth and a locking door...kept out flies and snakes, great safe space for little kids and dogs as well as room for a table seating 20 for Christmas. Illness forced our retirement from the property just as trees were reaching maturity so make sure your trees are planted first to give you the opportunity to enjoy them sooner and very best of of luck with your new life

We call it tapestry brick. We've one on the dining room of our 1930s weatherboard. We've left it as in and built a wine rack into the box part. The walls are all dark wood panel which we're leaving. If I was painting the panelling I'd paint the fire place. Plenty of pictures here on Houzz of fireplace make overs.

From your latest photos it looks really great, glass would look awesome also , it really depends on the look you are after, glass would look really modern but that iron work looks really great, decisions , decisions.

Hi, I am adding a small sitting room as the first room in my house you will see upon entering, it is 3.9m wide and 3.65 deep. I am concerned that the 3.9m wall which will have a wall nib (gyprock) and then painted will look overpowering in this room. As an example the pic attached is what I am trying to achieve however this is a 4.6m wide room. Does anyone have pics or ideas of how to make this work without feeling clumsy? Thanks in advance