Yep, birds I would say. More likely Cockatoos or Galahs. Notice the timber framing has been gnawed. They do the same thing when burrowing out a tree nook for a nest. If they keep coming back throw about a 1m length of black irrigation pipe on the awning near the hole and that should scare them away as they think its a black snake. Same principle applies on synthetic grass when they decide to have a chew fest on our tennis courts.

Hi eleanorgreen1 Love the house, as others have stated above "great little hat" on the house, Good slope on the roof and great veranda for breezes and sleeping outside. I would be delighted if someone asked me to design a house in NT and I came up with that design. There is a few things that I can suggest and I hope they are of some use. 1. If possible I would dig a trench next to the perimeter of the slab of about 600 wide and 300 deep and fill it with pebble and gravel stones. This is to remove any excess water that may come of the roof (connect it to your drainage system - or lowest point of your block) and also to reduce the possibility of termites and other small critters coming through into your house. Termites do not like ground that might move as they build a tunnel in front of themselves as they proceed forward and any "gravel" or water of any kind they tend to avoid. (Love the termite mounds by the way - fantastic landscape design - at no cost). The CSIRO has fantastic information on termites - I don't think the trench would keep snakes away - hate the little critters! - Taipans - those horrors follow you home. 2. Providing a topping to your slab externally might improve the look especially on the exposed veranda - but the topping should have some form of "non slip" surface - maybe with some carborundum in the mix so that it might not get very slippery when wet. However I think plain concrete if finished with 'hard topping" is an excellent solution. 3. Love the idea of "Screens" but they will have to be securely fixed as they become missile in high winds. 4. I can not see any water tanks or solar energy equipment on the photos - I just wonder if this could be an advantage in your situation. As you have some very large verandas I wonder if large garden pots, something to the size of 800 round and 800 in height, these could still be moved but may break up some of the straight strong line of the house. Even two or three would do he trick. I would paint these with a strong colour to give a focal point and arranged strategically around the veranda. 6. Defining the entry to the house might also provide interest. I think it can be done with the large pots and also with a maybe a little bit of tilework and some form of path leading to the entry. 7. Painting the elevation that contains the entry a different colour might also brighten the place up a bit. I would not paint the whole of the elevation if its the long longitudinal side - just the central part up to a defining area like the first two windows. 8. Some nice landscaping at some distance from the house to be enjoyed from the veranda view might also help (Keep the termite mounds - they look great) There is no plan and no north point so its a bit hard to comment further especially in relation to orientation and internal plan layout. I think you have a great house and some subtle design improvements will make it even better. I would be happy to comment further on this project. Best for the future Regards Michael Manias - mm407p@gmail.com - web: newhomedesign.com.au

I am well educated in sleep science & assess sleep as part of mental health assessments. Good on you Vy (2017) re CCI www. I usually find people want to tell me lots about their poor sleep. After I have learned about their mental, physical health & lifestyle I offer advice to improve their sleep IF they want to know. Mixed results. Why? It is rare that people want to address their lifestyle, not least alcohol use. Most assume there is a pill available. I am not a prescriber so I don't have to enter that discussion. Why am I writing about this in Houzz? Bedroom design. Bedrooms are only for sleep, intimacy changing your clothes. Thus keep them plain, simple & DARK. Stop making them full of all the light you can get (small windows please for ventilation & easily darkened at night). Bedrooms are not for entertainment including all forms of media (Yes sleep apps are great) & family parties. Blue light in the 60 mins before sleep reduces melatonin by 50% speeding up dementia, cancer depression, anxiety, etc . Huge rooms are a waste of money since they only for 8 hours of sleep, at night, in the dark. The best news of all: increase anti-carcinogen, & reduce dementia onset activities, that only happen at NIGHT, in the DARK when you are ASLEEP for 8 hours. Sorry shift workers. Learn about this.

Like the general layout of your kitchen,,,but I feel, as I do when anything resembling an island dominates a kitchen space, that the line of cupboards in your last photo with the wide island top, is intruding into the space and giving a feeling of cluttering...doesn't "flow", its like a baricade...and this feeling is repeated with your lovely modular lounge facing the TV. I feel I'd have the urge to throw myself over the back of the lounge so to sit and watch TV. I'm not really good at arranging already bought furniture in a new place so not the one to tell you what to do instead...but thought I'd give you my first impression on walking into your space. One thing I don't like for kitchens is islands of any kind. If I were confronted by that row of drawers and the solid looking island top...if it were mine...the first thing to be removed would be that...sorry I can't give detailed advise of what I'd have instead as that's a very useful work space, but it would be something more ..."open", maybe even something moveable that could be tucked away under a bench and pulled out when needed. I love your beautiful table and chairs...maybe move the table to that spce or maybe even have a second, lighter coloured, plainer, very stylish and unnusual but more casual table in that space...maybe even a substantial glass-topped table.? I'd have something that was both utilitarian, substantial and even ornamental.....for the feeling of 'lightness and non clutter"? Agree with bigreader......a rug under that lovely table would give it a lift.....maybe a dusty blue? If you like browns and nutty colours then dusty blues are a good "lift" colour. Also, think of blues for window dressings...whether curtains, blinds or even internal shutters. For curtains, See if you can find some of wide vertical striped fabric...preferably different pale blues....keep away from "greeny blues". Turquoise is a popular colour but I find that, for me, it drains the warmth out of a room no matter where it is used...and if you like browns and neutrals its not the shade of blue to put with them. See the blue you have on the side of your..."island"? Well, not as bright as that. Imagine it a couple of shades lighter and paler and dusty...like the blue of Wedgewood china...very sophisticated and is a good "all-rounder" - nothing much it does not complement...AND... Wedgewood is a "warm" blue. Many other shades of blue are naturally cool or cold and make one feel that way....good for beach houses though. In general I do not like blue, you won't find any in my house...(except where I thought it would appeal to buyers when I was going to sell up)... so this is a completely unbiased opinion piece. That's about the limit of my inspiration for your place tcmaim....Your table was my starting point. Not too many like the dark brown furniture...I LOVE it! Wedgewood blue and chocolate brown....YUM! For other colours I see off white or even a patterned creamy hue with dusty Wedgewood blues........and I'd have that colour on the kitchen floor too! Maybe unnusual and not very "en trend" but I think it would really work well in your kitchen.. maybe even as a splashback if you did the floor..and those little "In ceiling" lights would, in my view, look really nice and cosy up th whole area. The tall cupboard near the doorway.....for my liking it needs to be taken to ceiling height...as it is it gives the feeling of a flat pack piece that did not quite fill the gap. LR