You have a great opportunity here. I do not recommend placing a tv over a fireplace. Yes, we see it often, but it is not practical for two reasons: 1, the tv has to be placed too high and 2, it is hard on the eyes to be looking at the fireplace light and the tv What I would do is to remove the plaster and re-expose the brick. You could paint it an interesting color or resurface it. Then, I would add a unique mantle.If you have the funds, ideally the threshold should be removed (more contemporary) or resurfaced (more traditional style) The wood store could be a book shelf or display shelf. In the right corner, I would place a comfortable reading chair. The TV I would place on a different wall. Without seeing the entire room, I am not sure where.

Hi eclipse 66 I'm sorry to hear about your break in. This is quite tricky to picture as I wasn't certain which walls related to which, but I will give this a go. I wonder if your ceilings are around the 2.4mtr mark, as your doors suggest. Although you have many windows that are probably floor to ceiling, each room is sectioned off by this central corridor, so no real natural light gets down there, is that right? The little natural light that might filter through would be absorbed by the walls, and the colour you have on these walls would not be easily seen. Without. Sounding too mainstream here, I would absolutely paint an offwhite wall the entire corridor and each adjoining living area off that, with exception to your kitchen. All ceilings purest ceiling white along with the window frames and all internal doors. The walls in a satin finish to help the light reflect a little, and move around the wall without being too shiny. You haven't mentioned your floor? Try to keep it consistent in all the living areas including your hallway, and only carpet the bedrooms as these doors would be closed often. With the door filled hallway being a white gloss finish, and a white ceiling in a flat white, the walls will feel a little warmer in comparison, although still a white, perhaps something like a hog bristle 1/4 strength by dulux. In your main living room, and kitchen, paint the hog bristle in full strength, so it feels warmer, as these spaces flow onto each other, feeling larger as a whole. With your doors being so tall, (or the ceiling being comparably low), hang your window rods if any right at ceiling level, use a sheer curtain that even when partly closed let's light filter through, they dress the window but won't block light, for that install roller blinds that will roll right up exposing as much daylight as possible, and if privacy is a factor, the sheer will provide a buffer and still seem light filled. Even if these are never used, framing the window will place an emphasis on the window frame, and more importantly the light they provide, swell as an illusion of vertical space even without it. Aother suggestion for that hall is to use this principle to heighten the ceiling, visually, is to use lining boards vertically, or a wallpaper with a strip or vertical print. Drawing you eye upward toward the end, with a wallpaper, I'm thinking of one I've seen many times over, it's a white or cream background, with an image of birch trunks, the base or top of the trees arent revealed in the picture so it doesn't make the space feel from a low or high perspective. This would provide a creative distraction to the corridor, evoke a feeling as you have walking through a beautiful place, and is graphic but still very neutral. You can even paper you doors so when they're closed, the hallway won't feel so busy. I would remove carpet in the hall if you have any, because a warm closed in space without proper airflow, or light feels stuffy, and carpet absorbs sound and lint, where floorboards or hard surface atleasts has a sound walking down it, which amplifies noise and feels bigger again by comparison. Against this neutral, cohesive space, your furniture andpersonality pieces can really stand out, particularly the red. I would also use this in the kitchen somewhere, maybe a gingham check fabric on the kitchen window or just your accessories. The less is more theory also extends to colour, particularly in smaller busy spaces, minimize these elements, like the repeat of doors and architraves on your walls, by tying them in with single colour, and keep your decorations either in a theme or single colour hue. Scatter your colour around so visually you have somewhere your eye is drawn to around the space. If you get pictures I will know if I'm way off track, but if any of them resonate with you, then great. Good luck. Ml design

Thanks for responding. We're in Auckland, New Zealand and close to the sea. Outdoor living is quite important but it does get chilly in winter so it's a balance. There are three adults and two young children in the household (one of the adults is an Au Pair who likes to spend time in her own room in the evenings). The kids will watch their cartoons generally in the morning and a bit before dinner. Then in the evening my husband and I will relax and watch TV. Right now the kids' toys are in the family room downstairs. We are foodies and like cooking. Generally when guests come over we all hang out in our small kitchen at the moment. The dining table we use for every meal time. We also like the idea of being able to get to the deck from the kitchen, rather than having to carry food in summer through the lounge/dining. The entry way is that big in order to reduce on the structural work but also in order to ensure that the door to the staircase is not in the lounge.

I agree with emily. if you want leave connections and/or a little extra room for what you don't want, but feel you may need for resale. I think the tub is a pretty important item. wet room not at all, and shower is give or take. i would prefer a big shower and a tub for soaking in, but I have always had the combo. I remember my mom built during big wet bar craze, she did not care for one. had space built, capped off connections and use as a closet. Now it is 35 years later, everyone wants to buy and tear down. Darned if you do, darned if you don't. i agree, I would also really like the separate toilet, we are not share everything people.