Thank you so much for your comment after all this time. The colour you have suggested brightens the front door area beautifully and if the two red pots were painted in a tone to match, we think it would look great. Not sure if you can get Crestview doors in New Zealand but there must be something similar. We like the idea of going away from another cedar door - mainly because it would stand out too much while it was weathering. I don't know whether we would have been that brave but the tangerine works so well with the jade green of the joinery. I have re-laid all the stones and put a new wider front step in. The timber colour will soften down in time. I put a big pot in the garden to draw visitors to the front door and have added some colourful bromeliads to the garden alongside the house to make the area a bit more cheerful. We can't make a decision about what to do with a larger 'overhang' to protect the front porch yet - it is a project in progress. Thanks again for your post.

You have several choices at different price points. 1- Sheet rock, plaster and paint This is the most expensive option and will add the most permanent value to your home. 2-Wallpaper over a heavy liner paper. 3-Prime then paint the wood, it will give you a stripe effect. Let me know what you decide to do. Linda

It depends on the species of wood (I.e. How hard or soft) and whether or not the ambient temperature can remain as stable as possible. What you caulk and paint in warmer weather may look great now, but when it begins to get colder, the wood begins to shrink, and the caulk will begin to pull away. This will look worse than if you didn't caulk at all. My suggestion is to use a caulk like the brand called "Big Stretch " in an attempt to avoid this.

Having been brought up in a Lockwood home I can appreciate your love of the wood. I notice you have a light green bench and that would blend nicely with some similar colours in the room. I would consider having your cupboard doors replaced or sprayed to compliment the bench or visa versa you can have your bench updated with a new finish to modernise it. Perhaps you could just price out the cost of a new bench and leave the rest of the kitchen as it is. The odd bit around the dishwasher looks weird and that might be able to be fixed by curving a new bench into a small breakfast bar type set up. If there is room I would also reposition the microwave to the right of the cook top and use the existing space for a display or a lovely pot plant.