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 .

Craftsman as a style is more related to what Australians call Californian Bungalow. It originated in the British Arts and Crafts movement in the 1890s but was popularised in America by The Craftsman Magazine , founded in 1901 by Gustav Stickley.

What a great big room. The ideas are endless. Not sure if you live in Melb but I would get professional help. Honestly it doesn't cost a lot and you have peace of mind. For the painting go to any paint store, even Bunnings. They have the ph nos for a paint colour consultant. (I went with Dulux) but most Paint companies now have colour consultants to come out for a fee. The consultant comes out for a fee approx.($150) but that was for a few rooms. Then if you buy their paint, the price of the consultation is deducted off the paint you purchase. So really the consultation is free, if you choose their paint. Freedom decorator consultant works the same way. Can't remember how much (no more than $200) and she gave me great ideas. If you buy anything from them, again it's deducted off your purchase. There is no commitment with either paint company of Freedom to purchase from them. The advantage is, you can have the amount spent deducted from purchase. Honestly it cost saving and you get professional advise. Win Win situation. We've built 3 times and painted the house myself, and I have been so glad I did the above, with both paint and furnishings.. Plus I do up my own furniture, (most bought at garage sales) so I only purchased what I really wanted from Freedom, the rest 99%, I got from op shops and did up myself. But the ideas are helpful. Honestly, you need to know what decore you want in your room? So they will work around that. If your unsure, they will look at the rest of the house and work with your ideas. I like French provin. So I worked around that, Just to give you ideas you don't have to spend a fortune. My bedroom is also huge. Haven't took photos all-round. I redid all the furniture in both rooms. The above cabinet was brown stain which I painted white. GOODLUCK

Thanks Anne and I will look at pale grey given the maintenance considerations. I have already paid for a colour consultant who was great but the Reckless grey she suggested for the house render and basalt gutters/fascia and front wall were too grey when we had the render samples put on and while it had a modern look, it was not giving the beach/coastal feel. I will head back into our inspirations paint store this morning to see if I can find the warm grey colours that have the most similar colour make up to Dune, and go from there. Anne you don't happen to know the dulux colour most close in composition to Colorbond Dune so I know where to start? Thanks again and I would love to hear from anyone who has got a dune roof and hear if they tried light coloured gutters and what render colours they have used on their walls.