Can I suggest looking into having a quantity surveyor assess your property (and you can claim the cost of having this done). They will provide a depreciation schedule for you which will tell you how much each item will depreciate in value over the maximum number of years you can claim. If an item is at the end of its depreciable life, they will tell you what you are able to replace. Even if you only have tenants for a short while, you are able to claim depreciation for a pro-rata period that your asset is income producing. What all this means for you in terms of design - there may be ways to improve the look of your property in line with what you will want it to look like when you eventually move in, which could gain you a tax benefit. Of course, you have to have the $$ to spend on it in the first place. Oh - and in terms of furniture - do you know about Casey Auctions in Hallam? they are close by and you may pick up some really good bargains. I know we did!

just had a look at your existing plans for the second storey.. 1/ I'd make it all open plan .. First I'd move your bed 4 downstairs into the theatre room..reason ? bathroom is existing down there..you can turn it into a master suite..bathroom..study as retreat. which then leave you all that room ..bed 4 ..kitchen ..meals..lounge..foyer to just be one huge living area.. from that living area you can pop in a stacker door/bi folds to lead to your screen verandah. Personally I'd get rid of the screens and open it right up with banisters so you can have fresh air flowing in. You can do the same with the front as well to make it one huge area without much changes.

Speaking of dark and moody walls! We were living in Alice Springs in a two storey house opposite the Macdonnell Ranges which changed from an exuisite purple to red as the sun rose over the ranges. Inspired we painted a wall at the top of the stairs a dirty purple colour which looked fabulous and I would still do! Anyway we had young kids and got sick of painting especially as the rest of the house was to be painted in a sensible white. So we called a painter . The painter arrived and entered the house from the downstairs front door and then walked up emerging up to the top of the stairs and being faced with our beautiful purple feature wall. He said in a loud voice " Well you will be wanting me to get rid of this terrible purple wall first wont you?" We laughed and said no we had just finished painting it!. Taste is so personal. :) 2002

I was thinking of options , and basically Kates sketch would be along the lines of what I am thinking . Just some obvious things -- you have a chimney -- do you want that in your Master ? You want doors off the front Den -- no matter what you do , that will cost reasonable $$$ , as you will have to alter the framing , maybe electrical , as well as obviously cutting through bricks . Could 'just' having screens and maybe even a small roof creating a courtyard in front , using the existing front door and probably creating a better entry experience if done right , be better than that ? Same with things like having an external door from a laundry/mud room ? If that was important , personally I'd incorporate that as part of the new addition at the rear -- its way easier to design framing and walls with a door included , as opposed to modifying a 60 year old building . Basically , we could question every room , and that is what the designer should have done . Without asking , I'd come up with a totally different design , but it would be what I would do , and maybe wouldn't be what you want . And as far as adding upstairs , again personally I wouldn't . Engineering wise its difficult , matching styles is difficult , and cost will be quite a bit more per metre than adding on the rear , but you may feel the advantages outweigh the costs -- only you know .