I see this is a very old thread , with lots of comments . I've just skim read them , but I haven't seen anyone suggest anything like my 'top-of-my-head' idea -- I love the wood , and the white contrast , but pretty boring . Whats your favourite colour , or what ties in with the other rooms ? It might be blue or red or yellow or orange or green , as examples . So paint the skirting board and around the door a pastel shade of your choice , and add a small 30cm x 30cm abstract painting featuring that colour as the primary dominant one , above ( or possibly below , or maybe even get 2 matching/complementary ones ) the control panel . One lighting crowd suggested glass shades -- I'd actually go for someothing large but wooden , in much the same shade as your floors and steps , with LED bulbs -- you can get some stunning ones around 80-100 cm in diameter ( sort of a star ball shape ) for $300-400 . Total budget then $500 plus a painter and maybe electrician , unless you DIY .

When you render the bricks I would consider leaving some of them exposed here and there - that reminds me of old Tuscan buildings! I would include some large terracotta pots with olive trees or lemon trees, also as others have suggested some brightly coloured geraniums in hanging baskets against the wall or in terra cotta pots. Here are a couple of shots of my back deck (which isn't looking its absolute best) but to give you an idea of the large pots and colour. You have a beautiful spot to work with good luck! Sue

Oooooh lovely to see such great work in my neck of the woods. Pity City of Bayswater doesn't do heritage awards you guys deserve one.

Just a thought, have you checked your lovely flooring will persist under new cabinets or more importantly the gap created by the island bench. Possibly put a simple narrow breakfast bar (with power point of course) across a couple of the window sections, lovely to sit and look out of the window and preserve the look and the light. Then you would save some depth into the living space, as the current breakfast bar is quite large and deep.