Hi Lainie, I have used removable wallpaper from The Wall Sticker Company in several of my homes and it is reasonably easy to apply - best if you have someone to help hold and smooth it out. It takes a bit of patience but the end result is sooo worth it! It will totally transform a dull space into something special :-) In my experience it also removes easily without damaging the walls, just like they promise. I have been testing some wallpaper samples out in my daughter's room, I first put them up about 12 months ago and have moved them a few times, they peeled off and re-stuck without any trouble. Here's an important warning though - don't attempt to clean the wallpaper or get it wet in any way as the dye will smudge. I have done both full feature walls and lower half wall borders around the whole room, both looked spectacular! Good luck with your decorating project xx.

This room looks delightful Sylvia. I have not specified aqua in any home to date, but often use a soft, celery green on internal walls to bring in calmness and light into a home. I think that you need to love the colour and every time you see it, it makes your heart sing. Then you will never tire of it! Most people go with the "safe" option of a white or off white, but the rule book does not state that one has to have a white interior. Do what feels right for you and trust in your own instincts and forget what general opinion will say.

We're looking into this but haven't decided if we will use these plans or use an architect with experience in passive solar design. I've started preliminary discussions with a builder who has experience with passive solar houses, although he predominantly does small scale volume building. Hoping he can bring his purchasing power and systems to this project but allow us the flexibility to create what we want. He's enthusiastic about passive solar design so that's a start. We haven't discussed these plans yet, but at a rough estimate he's suggested in the low to mid $300,000s for a 200m2 house including garage, polished concrete floors, reverse brick veneer, increased insulation, quality kitchen appliances, with BAL up to 19, static fire tank. Not including PV panels, driveways, landscaping. Does include hydronic heating. Of course it does depend on the finish you want, type of builder you go with etc. Could easily be much more than what we were quoted. A discussion with a different builder, for similar sized house, to increase insulation as required, $2-3,000, add double glazing, $14,000, polished concrete floors, similar to fairly standard tiles or carpet. These are very rough estimates. things that would also increase the cost, lots of glazing on north elevation, higher ceilings than standard project home. Large eves to the north, the room sizes are generous, internal masonry wall, draft proofing. Life time running cost would be much lower than conventional house. I live in a cold climate so thermal comfort is important.

This place , in Houzz Photo's , seems along the same lines . Most of the windows are lighter though , but the high ones seem monument or similar . If you look though , its the colourful surfboard ( cleverly made into an outside shower ) , the stonework , the charcoal gates and aircon covers , the crazy paving that gets the attention -- 'your' colours are a pretty neutral ( aka bland ) background , and as such the window colour is almost irrelevant -- silver or monument or even mid-blue all just blend in . What features are you looking at adding ?