Hi again Ramona! Thank you so much for your interest - you have to let me know if you're ever in Wales and let me buy you a drink! We haven't done anything to the room in the last week; a couple of friends came by and said they like it (and then moved promptly to the cinema room which is much more exciting). What we manage to do is actually decide on a design of the shelving/ cabinets going in the alcove; that in itself is a great achievement, as I always tend to like at least 2 totally different designs and then take forever to choose one. Anyway, below are two photos of the style we would like to have. I know you suggested no floating shelves; however I'm not ready to go all the way traditional - I've not grown up that much! I like the clean look in those photos and we would probably go with the black and white scheme. Also, I've decided to use the 'bulls eye' painting on top of the mantel, which would throw out the purple theme and bring a red-orange one! But that is why I prefer the background (walls, sofas) to be neutral - I can then play with different colour schemes without too much trouble, just new rugs and cushions and paintings and you have a completely new look! And that's why I think classic (not traditional, but classic) works best, you can always accessories with whatever's the current trend and then change easily when it becomes dated. I guess living in the UK made me adhere to their way of thinking (although I made an exception with the kitchen!) The other 'close contender' was this other photo - they also have the shutters we would be getting next week. Apart from the high gloss, that style looks more formal to me because the shelves are 'anchored' in the cabinet, not the walls. We haven't decide if we're going to paint the ceiling or not - I think you were right and it would create a bit of drama with the pendant - I guess we would decide after everything else is in place. Many thanks again, Luciana

Living in a rural area, none of the homes are numbered so we had to choose a name for our place. We got together as a family and threw some suggestions about. Eventually it was between 2 and we let the children decide. It was shortly after the first 'Lord Of The Rings' film came out and so the name they plumped for was influenced by that. I'm glad they chose it now as we get so many people commenting what a great address we have, especially paired with our street name - so, we live at 'Rivendell, Devils Highway' which, luckily, is actually as picturesque as it sounds and I think pretty cool

I already have a reading corner near the other windows. The gap is 4.5 metres. I wonder if I could put a long E-shaped 70 cm-high and 40cm-deep partition behind the sofa along the gap from the edge right upto the wall. The two U-shaped sections formed can be seating areas with two good looking broad planks placed on, 1 or 2, 18mm plywood covering the gap. Cushions and thick rugs can soften the seating and back. The part of the E-shaped partition along the wall can be extended till the window for a display section. Thus, I can have a separate seating area facing the window wall. Rail or cable lighting on the ceiling above which I already have. What say ? Could it work ?

Adding some greenery to the empty corner could indeed help soften the expanse of tile and stone, creating a more inviting and balanced outdoor space. You might also consider some permanent fixtures like a small statue or a wind-resistant shrub that ties in with the existing Myrtus planter if you don't want to opt for a larger, heavier pot. For the area on the right at the top, since it also appears quite bare and has an olive tree nearby, perhaps a couple of matching pots or as Isla said, a bench or some seating could unify the space and provide both aesthetic appeal and functional seating.