just viewed your imagined dilemma - the jade colour of doors - are they a laminate - if they aren't - yes if you desperately need a change - have white laminate (like the whole neighbourhood). but if the jade cupboards are definitely laminated I would not replace - for the jade is stunning. Furthermore, you would make a good move to extend the black high-gloss laminate to those floor-level cupboard doors which currently have a wood strip (which the previous owner did (I presume)I would suggest you have a single black strip definitely 2inches high inserted as a line in that area. (this job must be done by an experienced laminator - to perfection (this will eliminate the eye-sore strips of wood.( but it must be applied as a continuous band (from a to b) - not bits - Furthermore, the high-gloss black floor-boards will look good so close - meeting each other. I NOTE YOU WOULD DO WELL WITH A LARGISH SLEEK KITCHEN SINK ( YOU SEE BY DOING THESE SMALL CHANGES YOU ARE GETTING A WHOW KITCHEN. Am I imagining the green which seems to extend to the ceiling line is not cupboards up there if that is so do not take the green up to the cornice - the cupboards are the feature not the walls - the cornice in that room should be taken out - having the plastered wall reaching the ceiling without cornice. Your kitchen cupboards are the feature.(it would be good to paint upper walls and ceiling. Just "off white" I am reluctant to tell you the kitchen window should be wider as the kitchen has a message but the window is like a poor relative. If you carry-out these changes - the kitchen should be free of everything else - no utensils on the stove, nothing on benches or on top of other areas - the colour and impact - that is all that is needed (plus it has become modernised) - despite your belief that white is in - maybe in hospitals. Good Luck

They look great in that photo, Northstar! Works beautifully. Will be fine over your bench. Didn't realise how large your p really space will be. Wow! No, if you replace pendants that have staggered drops, the fittings are completely removed and new pendant fittings are installed in their place. The electrician just shortens the drops without cutting them & the extra lenth is hidden away in ceiling.

Sorry, I can't send photos at the moment as we are having our kitchen renovated and all the lounge furniture is stacked and covered. Our house was built in 1960 but everyone thinks it is a seventies house because it looks just like them. We have been progressively renovating and the kitchen is the last thing to do. We actually bought mid century modern style furniture from the Modern Furniture shop in New Farm/ Fortitude Valley in Brisbane, and a parker dining suite from an antique shop. (My partner hates clutter.) The area in our house that is the same as the one where you have your TV actually has had a set of internal stairs cut into it going down, and we have a piano in the remaining space with our buffet up against the balustrade. We did have our dining suite in the same space as you have yours, but it is an 8 seater, so we swapped the dining and lounge furniture and put our 2 seater sofa, 2 armchairs and oval glass coffee table against the wall opposite the kitchen. We use both more now because the dining space is bigger and the lounge space is cosy and inviting. We have a large area downstairs which we have turned into a combination mancave/TV area/ entertainment, casual dining and summer living space as the concrete floor keeps it cool and comfortable. What I love about a big space like this is that you can change it around if you find it's not working for you as it is, or if you just feel like a change. Having to keep to the TV points reduces that flexibility a bit, but maybe you could consider swapping around the dining area? It's just a matter of figuring out what works best for how you like to live, and trying out different configurations might help you do that.

You could try Wet & Forget on the driveway. You can buy it ready to use and attach it to a hose or buy a bottle that you dilute to use in a sprayer. I have used it and it works - slower than water blasting but it won’t damage driveway if it has some damage? I can’t quite tell from photo if that’s grass clippings/mulch or broken concrete on driveway? If you use it be careful not to spray garden bed. I live in FNQ and we planted seaside daisy - doesn’t need watering but it also won’t die from our wet season. It’s a ground over and spreads out beautifully in a courtyard area that’s get a lot of sun. Just needs a trim from time to time. I see you have Rio (purple green ground cover) which you could separate and plant down the path but it does like water. Maybe for the fence you could try attaching lattice to it and plant another passion fruit vine to help cover the whole fence. It does look like you need to get rid of some woody parts of the passion fruit. It’s a tough plant and will enjoy a bit of pruning. We had one that I thought had died last year and it has returned with no help from me. Be careful with the heliconias and gingers ... they can get out of control if you don’t stay on top of them. Anything tall will cover your fence but it will also cover the passionfruit vine which obviously loves the spot it’s in. Good luck!