You have a few options here to make some big improvements. 1. You could remove the wall that has the doorway in it. You may need to relocate your stove and range hood or you could have a range hood that you can see "in the round". You would lose those upper cupboards though. or 2. You could remove the other wall to the side of the doorway. This would then mean that your kitchen would open up to the living area but you would lose some full height cupboard space along that side. I also noticed that your TV is located in that corner. Do you need it there or can you relocate it to free up that wall? or 3. Perhaps you could flip your kitchen so that the breakfast bar is near the dining table rather than at the other end. The stove and range hood could then go at the end where the current breakfast bar is as well as upper storage cupboards. Having the kitchen open onto the dining area could be very nice if that's what you are after. It depends on the rest of the living area, too, whether you would like to open it up totally as well. There is a lot to play with here and it can be a lot of fun. I wish you the best of luck with your renovations.

If the brick is a functioning chimney I would leave it other wise a rough render could work. One of the issues is that the nearby features such as the light and painting clash. As in the dining room, try a large mirror and a big photo e.g. to link it all. Also good rugs with strong reds, browns, oranges would help co-ordinate the rooms at low expense. I would try a colourful Moroccon style rug near the brick feature before attempting a major fix.

Ros213 GI, I think it depends on how much you want to spend. Both options can look beautiful. I also saw on this site somewhere that people had used a stencil to paint a wallpaper like wall (it was in a lounge room but looked great all the same). I tiled to the ceiling in both small bathrooms that I have just renovated....tiles and tiling work out quite an expensive outlay. However, I was doing some dreaming the other day, and went through a home that I can't afford, as per link.........it's bathrooms gave a sense of luxury and beauty and yet very little of the walls were tiled....I think it all comes down to good design in the end....https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-qld-grange-133034482

Hello Jaqui. Be careful with using greys, especially if there is a lowish ceiling downstairs or limited light downstairs. As a principle I normally make the ceiling height down stairs at lease 200 mm higher than upstairs purely for the light quality. Also ensure that you trim / offset the grey with a brilliant white, or else it can look insipid. get colour samples and try them out first. Hope this helps. Alfred Botha - www.gapdesign.com.au