They paved paradise and out up a parking lot. Then when it rained hard the toilets all overflowed. Permeable paving and planting to soften and break it up could avoid widespread catastrophe. If the space in front of house where big enough I would create something with planting around and amongst it. It isn't big though. It might just fit a tiny electric car but that wouldn't be adequate for work.

As someone who taught Textile design on a degree course (before retirement) and prior to that worked in a famous national gallery, I have extremely eclectic taste. I have work painted by myself, work collected from other artists, limited edition prints, framed ephemera, and even two very large antique Victorian watercolors in gold frames - which I wouldn't probably buy these day, but do provide a bit of "weight" and gravitas in rooms. I like to put them against ultra modern lighting and pieces of furniture to give a bit of edge and conversely, put modern art against a couple of pieces of antique furniture we have.

We've had the 'Pockethome' heating system by Elektrobock installed for a few years now and have found it to be fantastic - separate time- and temperature- control of every room. Must say, though, that I'm considering an upgrade to the Honeywell Evohome system. Mostly on spurious aesthetic grounds but possibly justifiable for consumer research on behalf of clients! Hopefully the technology will remain sufficiently open to avoid the old VHS / Betamax battle...

sianember - Love the mirrors! They bring back happy memories. I have a business 'upcycling' furniture - although I've been doing it for over 20 years now and recycling was hardly a thing, let alone upcycling, in those days :D - but I started out selling mirrors on Greenwich market. A friend and I would find old mirrors in junk shops (this was in the halcyon days when every high street had at least one, sadly they are few and far between now) and we would 'pimp' them and sell them. We were particularly fond of using shells as they were free, meant we got to spend a day at the seaside and we could use the children to collect them!