The bookcases are all different styles so I would either paint them all the same colour as the walls or think about some built in cabinets. I would paint the beam the same colour as the ceilings to give height. (I did this in my home and it made a huge difference)I would also mount the TV above the fireplace. Think about replacing the curtains with Roman blinds. The floorboards are quite yellow so if you bleached them and and painted the walls a light colour then your new brown sofa becomes the focal point . I would change the coffee table and add a bright rug and cushions. It's better to have colour in the accessories which are less expensive to replace than having colour in the furniture.

We love our bar and so do our neighbours with many Friday night fizzies. It opens up to our entertaining area, and doubles as a kids area during the day. For parties and impromptu gatherings we push the lounge back against the wall and open the folding doors and when its getting late the doors get closed and it is quite sound proof so the music can be cranked. It suits our busy lifestyle with most of our entertaining done at home and it is seperate but still part off the house.

Hey Paul! Firstly, congrats on starting to adult. I'm yet to begin the homeowning part of that journey but nonetheless will relish in offering my thoughts on your male-accountant-esque aesthetic skills. 1) Glass panels - scrap them! $500 could be better spent elsewhere and it's common, like mentioned above, that people don't want the insides of their cupboards visible. 2) Blackbutt laminate floors and gloss white cupboards - matt benchtop colour I think should also be dependant on paint colour of the walls as well as other furniture. Not sure if you've mentioned that? Neutral is always safe though. In terms of flooring, I agree with the other commenters again in suggesting you rip up the carpet yourself and see the situation on your hands. A bit of elbow grease (and probably a few swear words) and you'll have saved some cash you can invest in the appliances. The amount you're investing in renovating the kitchen should also depending on the scope of your other renovations of the place (how much you're changing/investing in living, bathrooms etc). Side note, but an important consideration, is thinking of the kind of future tenants you would want living in the space and what they would consider important. Kitchens are often the heart of the home, so investing a little more here, especially if visible from front door, IMO isn't completely irrational. In terms of payment/thanks for input - please send cookies.

bigreader I'm okie..thanks for caring ..just need time to readjust kind of walked out on my job..so looking for stuff to fill in my time ..I hate being bored and sitting sround fiddling my thumb been looking for courses to do and taking my camera out.. these I took yesterday in Warrandyte..