Thanks so much everyone - this has been great. Sorry for the lack of response - been flat out!!!! It must be hard for you American guys to work on such old English designs.... The ideas have gradually culminated into what really would look good on the house. Ourfarmhouse - these are absolutely great ideas, and thanks Everything Beautiful for getting the jist and putting the ideas onto the house image - nothing like seeing an actual design on your own home. We've got an architech working on it, and he's keen on the iron-wrought idea... but we're not sure. Basically toss-up with this and Everything Beautiful's design (2 above). Going with a four-pannel door, but would like to incorporate some glass somewhere! Possibly a panel above with the house name engraved on it?? Victoria - absolutely right...! We don't need to sit outside with the weather.......... say no more! Just wanting something to cover yourself while you're unlocking the door. We've also done a tour of the local areas, and found a couple of porches - amazing what you find right on your doorstep! Will attach pics shortly...

Thanks guys for the tips on the skirting board, carpet, and TV-bench wall. Loving that last pic carolins - would be great to find a space for a huge canvas somewhere in the living room. Re: the living room wall I've been putting some ideas together and I'm thinking maybe wall-mounted shelves above the bench. I'm not keen on IKEA's floating 'Lack' line as the shelves themselves are too chunky at 5cm think, which leaves me looking at options with visible brackets. Also, I've been looking at IKEA's 'Ribba' picture-ledge which looks like a great way of leaning art, photos, and attractive books against the wall. Loads of pictures on my pinterest boards (linked above) but here are a couple more. What do you think? I've never bothered with wall-mounted shelves before because until now I've always rented, so I've no idea how to fit them, or what sort of weight they can bear. I don't want to be worrying about them falling off the wall or caving my house in... Loads of inspiration: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316122185/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316123494/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316164297/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316164260/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316164186/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316163841/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316164238/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316156139/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316156108/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316156080/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316156076/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316148220/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/479281585316153138/

Hi Wendy, thanks for your comment. It's all garden centre stuff, nothing too specialist. From memory: tree fern, fatsia, box, date palm, hydrangea, passion flowers, lilac, salvia, eucalyptus, lots of hosta and ferns, trachycarpus fortunai, wisteria and some grasses. Basically anything that google said was tropical but fairly hardy in U.K. climate. Hope it helps :)

I really wouldn’t go with imprinted concrete. I spent a lot of money on my drive and regretted it hugely. You have to have expansion joins which are unsightly but necessary to stop cracking. Problem is the cracks can still happen so I ended up with huge crack which ran almost vertical to expansion join and also a number of smaller cracks in other places. My neighbour had there’s done same time. They haven’t had significant cracking although much smaller area but colour has faded and stained with oil.Tarmac centre with a gravel edging and granite setts can look very smart and that’s what I would choose over imprinted concrete or block paving if you don’t want the upkeep.