Well after a very (very very very) long time my Living Room is all but complete. There is some work to do behind the new steps and some trim to be put on the bookshelves. A light is to be put between the couches (that the electrical cable hanging down) and the wall lights are going to be removed. So just a quick rundown on what has been achieved; Two sky windows - Velux - roofing guy Sheeted under the beams - plasterer New carpet – Bunnings – carpet layer Closed off the old bar and put in a door – builder and plasterer Installed ceiling fans – Hunter, remote control, reversible – electrician Installed downlights - electrician Painted the endwalls – Solver Paint but Dulux Chine White colour - me Painted the ceiling – 2 x coats Solver Ceiling White over 2 x coats plaster board sealer - me New blinds (venetians) and curtains - from Spotlight - me Installed a gas bayonet heater (until I can afford a gas ‘wood’ fire for the fireplace – cripes they are expensive) – secondhand from Garage Sale - me Installed bookshelves – 2 x 202mm high + 2 x 106mm high Billy Bookshelf and 2 x Brimnes Cabinet - me Built and installed new steps and bench top on bookshelf – laminated Beech bench top, cut to size and routed, stained and oiled - me Sofas – Ikea Ektorp - me So some things I would have done differently. The downlights would be warm white not welding mask white. In fact I would re-think the whole light thing and possibly use lights with reflectors that were dark so that light was only reflected down. They would ‘lower’ the ceiling and make the room cosier I think. I kinda like the ceiling fans but had seen some which were awesome but really expensive. Then I saw ones very similar to the awesome ones but much cheaper but by then it was too late. I should have put bi-fold doors where the old bar was instead of a swinging door. I suspect that it will be unlikely now that I can use the room for its intended purpose. In fact with hindsight I coulda shoulda done the job myself rather than getting a builder in. It’s not as good as it should be and that has disappointed me. The bookshelves have come a up a treat – need to finish them off though with some trim. All from ‘Ikea’ except for the timber bench top. The bench top was a light bulb moment and breaks up the all-white appearance of the shelves. Also the white of the shelves and the white of the cabinet were slightly different and the bench has helped disguise that. The bench top and the steps were laminated beech panels from ‘Bunnings’ that I had cut to size. I stained them, put a router over the edge to round it off and then coated with Tung Oil. The bookshelves look bigger in real life than they do in the photos too. So now to sit and enjoy my handy work.

Hi deewb, I really like the inspiration images and cushion options you have selected. I am a big fan of Sarah Richardson's designs myself and love the idea of mixing beautiful patterns together. If you are interested I work with creating high quality photorealistic 3D Renders for residential homes and am happy to help you out with your bedroom makeover. I can create 3D visualisations of your room and we can try as many different cushions and furniture items as you like and this will give you a realistic view of what your room will look like fully furnished. We can incorporate existing furniture as well as add new items from stores you like. Let me know if you might be interested. Below is an example of my work and you can view more projects at www.vizcor.com.

Great job- really fantastic. A tip for anyone in the process of renovating a bathroom: I used Blake and Taylor chalk paint with a couple of sealer coats to paint a laminex vanity in our bathroom- and it looks great. Easy to apply and looks like a million dollars now. include new knobs from the great range at Paddington Hardware, and you can spend the money you've saved on good tapware.

the verandah is a critical aspect to the original - I'd advise against altering or removing it- it adds dimension and character to the facade/form. I'd recommend any potential alterations/additions (if ever/being entertained) to be contained to the rear and respect/retain existing character that is contributory to the significance of the style of the building. Perhaps consolidate some ideas/goals and then seek some preliminary advice from a professional who is familiar/experienced (and respectful) to the building type you're working with....best of luck with it :) PD