Now it's beginning to work! Luv the rug! A few more red showstoppers, and I luv the post about matting your family pic, and larger frame for it. Looks like you might be a bit uncomfortable with the great post idea of moving your sofa out into the room away from wall. If so, could you accept putting it diagonally from the entrance doorway, across that corner where it is, stopping at the edge of your window? That's a bit of a move outward, still can see the fp and tv, and show off your new rug, which could go diagonally in front of the sofa. Then, if you like that, after a while you could move it on out as Deb K suggests. Sometimes intermediate steps are more doable for us than those big changes.Same with painting; if you could first paint just the fp wall, then later paint other walls...seems some color would really make it more homey. Would you cosider a quite contemporary fixture for the light in the center ceiling? Maybe a bit of red could go there!

With the pantry being located where it is, it provides a opportunity to make it inbuilt and continue your bench top along. This would then provide more bench space and would make sure you are using that wall to its full potential. However for space and flow and to make your kitchen more ascetically pleasing, we would suggest keeping the island bench and making the appliances integrated. This provides opportunity to make that far wall a feature wall, which can be as simple as a blackboard or pictures, to making it a colour feature (depending on you cabinetry) or even to make it high class you could create a wood paneling feature. I hope this helps, either way you can add bonus features to your kitchen, you can create more storage and bench space with changing the pantry, or you could make a design feature out of that wall. It is up to you and where you design flair may take you. Good luck! :) If you would like to see these designs with a quote please call us on 03 423 9067 and we can organise a free one for you. Below are some pictures - in built pantry vs. feature wall. (making where the appliances are a low bench top with below cabinets). (goes beautifully with a black and white colour palette).

I have your setup #1 and it works well, we do drip a bit of water on the floor between sink and dishwasher, but you learn not to!! Also it gives a full clear bench on the peninsular for eating, setting out, or working or whatever. Your kitchen is slightly narrower, from memory ours is 1.6M not 1.3 as you have yours, Our peninsular has a circular end which has actually proved very beneficial for sitting round, and seats up to 5, meaning you are not sitting in a long line, but facing each other round the end, - I love it, it is a real gathering point. The outer side of the peninsular curves in to the centre, then flows out to make the circular ending, so its not protruding into the kitchen but into the other side, sorry I don't think I can add a sketch to this.

An avid reader and a keen photographer I wanted to create a room for this 17yr old teen, that reflected what she loves. As you can see the before image, of the room is not recognizable. There was a small window where the beautiful window seat now resides. The windows were all placed side by side as they came from other parts of the house, to form the corner window look. This room needed as much light as possible being on the south side of the property. Before: After: The wall shelving was put up at the time of the renovation, the floors sanded and new cupboards installed (Terranova Building and Renovation Services). The beams and ceiling were stripped and painted Resene standard white. Before: After: Apart from the wallpapering which I had an installer put up, the rest of the room was painted by myself. The Curtain Lady, (Cambridge) made the window seats. Overall the room is very pleasing to the eye and has a lovely calm feel about it. Natasha the proud owner of this room is very happy in her special space, and now the problem is... is it too nice to leave home now? After: See entire project here!