HI Sarah I love what you have achieved. Many congrats for embracing what you have and creating something that totally enhances the placement of the fireplace. The space looks like it was made for the placement of that perfect chair and you've done a gorgeous job with your selection and placement of art . I am moving with considerable grief from my gorgeous arts and crafts bungalow to an early1970s small house. I have to say this style of architecture in NZ wasnt exactly a highlight. But I set myself a challange to embrace the architecture and look to enhance rather than fight it . That challenge shifted me off my despair track and now I am excited and hopeful and thinking about space and colour and the amazing light pouring in (a quality of houses of this time)..and textures . i feel so cteative in new and diffetent ways...and it's so exciting. seeing what you have achieved - it is very affirming for me I love what you have created.

My advice is: knock down half the height of the bar counter to put the tv.

Think very carefully if you consider bringing the front door(s) forward. As an earlier poster has commented, it is not a good thing when it is pouring with rain and you are fumbling with keys to get in. If you do decide to bring the doors forward then I would look at fitting a glass canopy over the doors to provide a bit of shelter from the elements. I would point out that arches are not a particularly contemporary feature so it might require squaring off to get the right style. I would get rid of the hanging tiles in the gable. Render the entire front and paint a uniform colour. Grey being very much "in" at the moment. However, white paint with grey doors etc. would work well. I would also take the opportunity to have outside lighting fitted. Something in brushed stainless steel would work.

Hi Chris, If you want to change the look and at the same time significantly improve the thermal performance of the walls external wall insulation with a modern render finish would be a good solution to covering up the brickwork. The eaves would need extending to accommodate the thickness of the insulation plus render coat and, if you can stretch to it, it would be an ideal time to renew the windows (triple glazing would complete the new highly insulated overcoat). However, dependant upon your Local Authority you may need planning approval so worth checking this out first. Assuming you are not in a conservation area, to do the works under Permitted Development rights the material used to clad the exterior have to have 'a similar appearance to those used in the construction of the house.' A timber clad rain-screen could also be used as the exterior finish but again planning approval and details around the windows and doors at the eaves will need to be sorted. Martin McCurdy W: www.mccurdyarchitecture.co.uk