If your block is facing North or West (within Australia) maintenance will be required to ensure movement is minimized. Timber doors are beautiful they just tend to be susceptible to sun damage. FYI Cutek is a great timber protector if you want to keep the natural look however you will need to keep applying year after year.

Hi Siriuskey, They are timber looking tiles - we absolutely love them. We are considering the same for the new place but potentially herringbone/parquetry arrangement. Much more expensive vs. laminate but easier to clean and no concern in relation to water...

Errol, we also have an 80s brick home with similiar window placement. When the budget allows we would like to change the larger of the windows (what would be your existing sliding door in your layout) to french doors to open out to our deck area. We would keep the window in meals area as a window as there is not enough circulation space inside to use a door, even a sliding door. For us, french doors would work best as they can fold back relatively flat against the wall when opened, while bifold doors would stick out too far. We will also replace the old diamond grill screens with crimsafe which aren't as ugly! Why is it that houses in home decorating magazines never have screens? Would love the aesthetics of no screens but in Qld screens are essential. We don't have the issue with lack of light inside that you do (and we love our light-filled open plan space so skylights might be a good investment for you), but the downside is our outdoor area is underutilized as is in full sun most of the day and is uncovered. Could you change your outdoor roof to a vergola system or something more transparent to get more light inside?

Thanks for supplying ceiling height info, something for you to consider with your renovations, legal ceiling height in habitable rooms is 2.4, hence my question. Do you have actual ceiling height of the "sitting room" Habitable Room and Legal Ceiling Heights According to the "Building Code of Australia" a Habitable Room is: "A room used for normal domestic activities and Includes a bedroom, living room, lounge room, music room, television room, kitchen, dining room, sewing room, study, playroom, family room, home theatre, and sunroom; but, Excludes a bathroom, laundry, water closet, pantry, walk-in wardrobe, corridor, hallway, lobby, photographic darkroom, clothes drying room, and other spaces of a specialised nature occupied neither frequently nor for extended periods." Building Code Ceiling Heights A room or space within a building must have sufficient height suitable for the intended function of that room or space. According to BCA Vol 2 part 3.8.2, for the requirement to be satisfied, the ceiling height must not be less than: in a habitable room excluding a kitchen - 2.4 m and in a kitchen, laundry or the like - 2.1m and in a corridor or passageway or the like - 2.1m and in a bathroom, shower room, laundry, sanitary compartment, pantry, storeroom, garage, car parking area etc - 2.1m and in an attic, room with a sloping ceiling or projection below ceiling line or non-habitable room or similar - a height that does not unduly interfere with the proper functioning of the room or space. More than 50% of the ceiling space should be on average a minimum height. in a stairway - 2.0m measured vertically above the nosing line. Otherwise, the room would be deemed to be a "utility room". Technically the height is measured from the finished floor covering to the underside of ceiling or lowest protrusion of the ceiling. If you are trying to determine whether you can build in an area - ensure you take into consideration what you are going to put on the floor. If there is any doubt about a ceiling height - you should speak to your local council: Do you have a Photo of the current front door