Thanks all - our belongings arrive this week so I will have a go at transforming the space with what we have then search for new things to add. We have quite a bit of art with strong yellow colors and also a Tibetian Chest with yellows and greens. Thanks again!

Thanks :) Yeah decided to go with tile. So sand cement is ok over existing tiles if I prep them first? Only problem is, the new pad can only be about 30mm at it's thickest (leaving up to 15mm for tiles) otherwise it'll end up being higher than the hallway floor. So I either need to make the fall shallower or not bother with the waste and make it all level. If I made it level, could I use levelling compound at that thickness or would deck mud/sand cement be the best option? Also, should I be putting in mesh for strength? (I know I should (and will) ask the local hardware what they suggest, but it's great to have suggestions from the Houzz community also)

Hi Cathrine, just a little sketch here for your tricky little bathroom. I was trying to get a bigger bath in, hide the toilet behind the door and have a vanity with lots of storage. What do you think? Let me know if you want to explode this any further. Thanks Gunnar

Hi Joanna, It really comes down to three questions that you will need to ask yourself; 1. How much can you afford now 2. How patient are you... 3. How much maintenance do you want to provide Screens will give you an instant effect and won't require any ongoing maintenance and they would provide a more modern aesthetic to your space. They won't help to soften your space though, and as you have a lot of hard surfaces I would certainly recommend you look at trying to achieve this. You could achieve this by growing some climbers up the screen or by planting planters in front. In terms of colour, I would go or a darker one as this will contrast well to your existing surrounds but darker colours tend to disappear into the background visually, so it won't feel as cramped. In terms of cost, i'm not sure exactly how large of an area you need to cover, but they can get quite expensive. Prefabricated screens you can get from hardware stores are the most cost effective but are limited by design and colour. Custom ones are more flexible but will cost around $900-1500 per 2m H x 1m W panel, plus labour. As for plants, here is where the patience comes in.... If you can wait for the plants to grow in, this will provide you with the most cost-effective approach if you get the plants young. However, you can scale your decision to suit your budget with either small, medium or mature plants. Medium-mature plants are likely to cost less than getting custom screens built and installed, whereas small plants might cost the same as a pre-fabricated screen choice. Plants will also soften your space, but will also require the ongoing maintenance and without a strict schedule, you may end up with a similar problem with pests like your Portgegues Laurel. Gardening and garden design are all about weighing up your priorities vs your ability to compromise against budget, patience and ongoing maintenance. In answer to your question - It's not about what I would do with the space! You need to live in it (and pay for it!), so make a decision based on what you are comfortable with now and into the future. Whatever you decide, any change to your garden is worth the investment! Good Luck! Martin City Botanics