We rent unfurnished, so always have our own furniture around us. I don't go in TOO much for the soft furnishings (rugs, cushions, curtains, throws), as they are cluttersome and really interefere with a low-maintenance life. Moreover, sadly, my posters, paintings and photographs have had to stay in storage for about five years, due to increasing fussiness by landlords/ -ladies about holes in the walls. HOWEVER, it is crucial to have ENOUGH of your own things around you, so that the web of YOUR things covers over a space which is, essentially, not yours. Minimalism has definite limits. Our last place had revolting dull mustard yellow walls, which definitely needed covering! Bookcases (with books!), a folding screen/ room divider, tension rods to create hanging rails, and one big rug (for the sitting room) come with us everywhere, like the interior of some sort of nomad's yurt! Seasonal and fresh decorations are another way to decorate a temporary home, and they leave only biodegradable waste, rather than broken MDF or shattered plastic! Leaf-skeletons on a string and rosehip-studded twigs (snap off the thorns!) for autumn (Fall). Holly, ivy and dried wildflowers for winter. Fresh wildflowers for spring and summer. Herbs in the kitchen.

Hi. The mosaics are beautiful and I think what is throwing you off with the white tiles is that they are matt and not gloss, when the sink and toilet are shiny and the mosaics are shiny. I think it looks good so far and what would really help is to paint the window frame. I would usually say to use semi-gloss, but in this case, try a matt white paint to tie in the white tiles. Still use a moisture-resistant bathroom/kitchen paint to make it last longer. I would put a tall and narrow mirror above the sink in either a venetian style or with a frame that picks up on one of the abalone/capiz shell colours in the mosaic tile (it is difficult to tell exactly what colours are there on my monitor). That will help carry the reflective nature of your mosaics around the room. The pictures below are for ideas only (some only ship within the US, some are crazy prices, and none are the right shape!). Good luck! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/168744317262351893/

I feel like I'm making loads of decision but still not really getting anywhere. There is so much to think about! Spotted some lovely toggle light switches so I've already bought them. I know where the light switches are going but its a case of figuring out the best places to put the plug sockets because we have so many in my mums house but we still run out! We've opted for a few USB sockets too so at least if we are charging phones and laptops, we are freeing space for other things too. In terms of kitchen layout, the suggestion of the seating in the bay window is great but because that would mean the kitchen would have to go at the other end, we've decided against this. It would work, and would probably be the best option once the horrible extension is knocked down but at the moment, the extension blocks all the sun light on that side so the kitchen would be very dim and dark for a while. The extension is something we are saving for and is more likely to be done in 4-5 years time so I'm not sure it makes sense to be in a dark corner for that length of time. We've had the house a month tomorrow and so far it has been ripping the house apart. January is the month we put everything back! Super excited. Plumber, heating engineer and builders are all put to the task in January. New floor in the kitchen, wall removed and built up again to accommodate the new window so that we can have units underneath, first fix plumbing, first fix heating and boiler installation. All other windows to be installed. Hoping that guttering and chimneys can be looked at too! We have a chimney breast on almost every wall which I'm sure was great for heating years ago but as they are no longer used, they cause so many damp issues! I bought paint tester pots today - I have no idea why, we are nowhere near ready for that but it just felt nice to buy something pretty and cosmetic rather than look at insulation and damp proofing. P.S; any suggestions on obscure glass for the bathroom and hallway? I've been given a huge list of options but unsure as to what to choose. Thinking just Contora or Arctic?

I've been thinking about options to cover all basis and came up with this. To allow guests to use a bath/shower the ensuite would be shared. I added a wall in the master bedroom to divide it and add privacy so guests don't have to walk into the bedroom to get to the bath/shower. The upsides are that the ensuite is larger, includes a bath and shower and has more vanity room. Also, by diving the bedroom I can add sort of a walk-in wardrobe. The downsides are that there's only one bath/shower that has to be shared and guests have to walk through the walk-in wardrobe to get to it. Also, it reduces the size of the master bedroom but it's quite a long room anyway and it would cut out the light from the windows in the bedroom. Personally I don't see these as big problems but I guess some people won't like it. Do you think this is a good idea?