Thank-you both for your input! I think I'm tossing up between putting the chairs in the nook or against the long wall. If chairs go in the nook, it's cosy and there's more walkway space as you said, Luke, for beanbags etc. However, what would I do with the 2m wall near the entrance? Would seating there be a bit odd? However having the screen in the nook would allow for a longer row of seating I think? So potentially more people could fit in, although those sitting near the door may have an obscure view of the screen. It seems like both options have pros & cons! We don't have anything that needs to go in, so to speak, although plenty of seating options and tables for drinks etc would be really great!

I am going with an iron bed with queen size mattress. Scored both for just 100 AUD. I find IKEA very expensive in Sydney. Not sure if it is the same in US.

Hi all, I'm new to this and would like to any feedback from others who have installed refrigerative air conditioning with ducts under a raised timber floor, and what issues they may have experience by using a common heating and cooling ducts. We are also building a new home that will have raised timber flooring so we can install ducted heating but, in our case, there is no roof space to install ducts in the ceiling in any case because our house will have 2 skillion roofs, one at 15° and the other at 7.5° pitch, both meeting in the center of the house, and running the entire length of the house. The other challenge we have is that half the house along one side will have raked ceilings in the living, dining and kitchen areas and will extend along the entry hall way, whilst the other half of the house where the bedroom bathroom laundry etc., will have flat 2.75m high ceiling and the available roof space will be minimal. The option of ducting the cooling beneath the house is attractive because we also don't need bulkheads.

Before replacing your curtains as this can be quite expensive for such a large window, if they are in good condition, add a band of extra fabric to the bottom in what ever suits you, your existing curtain track can then be moved up to the ceiling for good looking full length curtains without the large round eyelets, could save you a lot of money, I would look at replacing/removing the sheers cheers