A chippy can create any kind of decorative effect you desire (its just fibre board and mouldings) and you can vent the mechanical hood under it. I have a godawful stainless steel modern hood in my vintage cottage. I'm sure the last residents loved it, but they failed to actually have the hood vented properly. It just vents into the roofspace. So I now have the opportunity to remove the largely useless anyway hood and start over. I'm planning the same as you. A faux hearth, boxed in with fibre cement board and then with decorative mouldings attached. The actual mechanical part will be properly vented outside.

Hi Malibu_tan Well I must also agree with the other four comments "the fireplace is a focal point" , all I would add to that is - man/woman has been looking at fire for many years, and it's reference to our being most likely goes back to primordial times. Fire (the moving flame) is deeply rooted in our psychic, and our relationship with safety and comfort, I would remove the heater and celebrate the fireplace. You can always put in an ethanol fire and close of the flue if required, but I would not get rid of such asset to your residence and your life. Depending a bit with the style of the house I would go as far as providing side book shelving storage, or DVD's, or your best collection of miniature spoons should miniature spoons bee your interest. Whatever you wish to display for your or your friends enjoyment. Then I would complete the lounge design around your final choice of tiles and mantle, if you are putting in a slightly better mantle than you have at present, or if you are going for a modernist look. (it all depends a bit on tastes and budget) If you are in a "period style" you could look at something like Regardless of your tastes I think you can get an ethanol insert in just about any fireplace, corny as it sounds the fireplace is "the hearth of the home" . Possibly not the response that you were perhaps seeking, and you might have a lot of reason why you want to remove it - well I would like to hear your comments. Hope this is of some help Regards Michael Manias

What is on the second floor?. Is this a slab on ground? Is the kitchen dining on a lower level, is this a built in verandah? Depending on if this is a slab on ground or raised off ground so that plumbing can easily be done, i would take out the laundry, just leave fireplace, maybe make that two way fireplace, wood or gas, and have dining here, which would open up that funny sitting room to this dining space and provide kids play area with build in window seats and the like. Does anyone really use formal dining now? build in the gap from sitting to front room, maybe even stealing a bit of space for storage. I would enclose that room next to entry to the study as most studies nowadays do not have to be massive spaces, unless clients are involved, that would make it quite place. With the storage space taken out for the dining play area, this would still be big enough for most. I would remove the existing study wall or at least open it up if structural to have the butlers pantry one side laundry the other with a gallery kitchen in front. Making the remainder the living space. Depending on budget i would raise the floor so that all this space is on one level. Depending on what the floor is or how many finishes you have i would make sure they are all the same. New timber floor, or new tiled floor, or carpet, what ever you like. If the terrace is then too low it might be able to be lifted simply to meet this new level. I would remove the hall cupboards to give more space to the living area and provide a wall with door if you like into the lounge room and guest suite from entry and then make the bedroom bathroom hall more private so that anyone staying will have a master suite, entry off entry, while family could still use the facilities. I think most people could cope with 3 entries off the entry, and the living door could be left open so that visually it can be seen as you enter the house, or if privacy is required, now that the hall cupboards are removed the entry to the living could be shifted down. If the laundry and garage were a bit bigger i would suggest a double garage, but they are too small. To keep the kitchen and dining in their current space would be one mistake after the other, unless you are overlooking some amazing views. Ros

I think you first need to look at your general area and the size and style of homes there. Attend open homes and check what others have done or not done and the price they sell for. Even look at returns on leasing according to the style and condition of the house - Estate Agents will happily help you with this. Depending on movement in the market around you, this can take time, so be patient it will be worth it in the long run. You can be a little adventurous with any upgrades when people are upgrading and renovating all the time, just don't to too far with what you do or how you do it to avoid overcapitalising or limiting your market. I'm also finding a lot of buyers are resisting ultra modern homes, they like modern but not too OTT so beware of adding features that may not appeal to everyone. Again, studying the type of people in your area will give you clues as to the type of people who will want to buy into the area, the type of lifestyle they have and what they want in a home. The trend to putting ceramic tiles in kitchens and casual living areas is fading and they are much more expensive to take out and replace. Definitely not a good idea if you decide to lease as they can be broken or even pit if not cared for properly. I'm presently looking to buy a new home and I'm seeing too many homes where tiles have been destroyed which is going to be a very expensive exercise to replace. If you are going to lease, keep things simple. I think Oklouise has nailed a very simple plan although I would take the toilet from the laundry, some space from both the kitchen and living area and put a separate powder room beside the laundry so you can make it more attractive for guests. One slide-in door from the hall opening to a lobby with the laundry going off one side and the power room the other, would take care of any odours or noise. The washing machine and dryer will make noise too. I don't think I would attempt to create a master suite downstairs, I know many who agree with me on this, but dividing bedrooms over two levels tends to create "fractured" families. You certainly won't want to be running up and down stairs all night to a restless or sick toddler. It then becomes too easy to have the toddler in your room and that can be a very hard habit to break. Three bedrooms are sufficient for many people so a simple upgrading of the bathroom, wardrobes (if necessary), flooring and window covers should be all that is necessary for the upstairs. The emphasis these days seems to be more in living space and entertaining especially when it includes generous outdoor areas , so I would make that your priority.