I highly recommend Annie Sloan chalk paint. We bought a daggy pine kitchen hutch off ebay fairly cheaply, and repainted it with a vintage/off white Annie Sloan colour, looks so much better. The great thing is you only need to wipe the surface down, not give it a full sand. I was skeptical about how well it would stick, but we've moved house twice since and it is still in great condition. The paint is slightly textured so if you want something that is perfect and smooth with no brush strokes it isn't for you. Two coats and a coating of wax and it looks great. Here's a before and after pic, we still hadn't put the handles back on in the after pic. Not cheap paint, but when you consider you don't need a separate primer or to sand it, it pays off. http://www.anniesloan.com/acatalog/Australasia_Stockists.html

bigreader I'm okie..thanks for caring ..just need time to readjust kind of walked out on my job..so looking for stuff to fill in my time ..I hate being bored and sitting sround fiddling my thumb been looking for courses to do and taking my camera out.. these I took yesterday in Warrandyte..

Hi xclusive Yes you will need to fix the 'rough texture' on the ceiling. Either have a false ceiling battened on or do a smooth skim coat. Also 1. Yes add a decorative cornice- will finish the room and compliment the traditional style 2. Any other mouldings, Id keep fairly simple and repaint white same as wall to brighten and freshen the space. Your ceiling you need to paint half strength white as walls or celing white in a flat finish. 3. Yes- dimmer very important 4. Yes- engineered timber floor 5. yes- rug under table 6. No - I wouldnt place the pictures there- it draws too much attention to this space. Place larger pictures/artwork on the side walls. Id focus on updating the window furnishing treatments to make more of the windows. Replace the pendant light fitting. It's looking tired and will give the room an instant lift. Some ideas below Best wishes

You have a smart, crisp home with a traditional style. It looks like your windows are maybe a powder-coated aluminium in white. It is quite a big exercise to paint these as the frames are so narrow. A smooth powder coated finish needs a bit of preparation (without damaging the glass) to prepare it for new paint. Had you considered where your black paint stops? At the moment the frames look like they are the same colour on the outside as the inside as they are powder-coated aluminium. If you paint them black on the outside, then it will look messy if you leave them white on the inside. I would be maintaining the white window frames and spending the money saved on a better finish for your concrete slab verandah. Possibly a deep blue/grey slab finish similar to Ironstone, and pick up the tiled window sills in the same colour. I would also consider painting gutters, fascias, arched beams and posts all in a crisp white, possibly even Dulux Vivid White, to match the window frames. This scheme will be timeless, understated and elegant, and will complement the red terracotta brick and ironstone roof beautifully. You don't need to introduce another colour when you already have two strong colours to compete with. Best of luck Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls/Dr Retro Virtual Visits