Now for Mr 16 months... I really can't decide. His room is going to be on the cold side of the house, with not so much sun so I want it to get that cozy sort of feeling when you come into it. I was thinking yellow or orange curtains? But then I don't know what colour to do the walls. These are some fabrics I like:

HI Madison There are pros and cons for every situation, but you need to work out what is best for your lifestyle. Personally, I agree with the carpet in the living room, and hard flooring in the kitchen/dining areas. All you need to do is work out your demarcation points (where carpet will meet hard flooring). A great retailer should be able to visit you at home, discuss options, give you pricing and away you go! (Us if you are in Auckland :) ) With littlies, I'd suggest a vinyl plank.....other posts will tell you I'm a big fan of it, but with kids, toys, mess, liquids etc, vinyl planks will give you the best wear over time. They are very hard wearing (Karndean have lifetime residential warranty), easy to keep clean, and waterproof - can be installed in all wet areas. Timber flooring, depending on which you choose (real wood, engineered wood, laminate), may not be the best "fit for purpose" products in your situation. Whilst I'm not trying to champion one product over the other, having had carpet with little kids, and putting drop sheets over carpet, under highchairs, why wouldn't someone not put in vinyl planks?

It sounds like you've been through quite the rollercoaster with your building project! That's really frustrating to hear, especially when you had a vision that you were attached to. Construction dilemmas can be a lot to handle, and I can only imagine how the stress might have piled up over time. If you're feeling stressed (and who wouldn't be in a situation like this?), you might want to consider working off some of that tension. Since you're into home design and creating beautiful spaces, you might appreciate the aesthetic and functionality at Hitsona's fitness studio. Sometimes a little self-care and a change of scenery can inspire new ideas for other areas in life, including home design.

I am building and my kitchen is a large space with plenty of storage and bench space but I don't know the best flow. I know I could place the fridge and oven along the wall opposite the sink in the island bench, but I would really like to put my sink under the window and keep the island bench free. Please note: the pantry is behind the kitchen. Can anyone offer me advice on what they think I should do and where they would place my fridge, oven, hob and sink / dishwasher so that my kitchen works effectively and efficiently? I would really appreciate your ideas. Tess