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...

This is a handsome house. First...symmetry. Can you make the front pillars the same height. I would lower the LH one to match RH. A strong iron railing along the LH side and in the small front piece LH. Keep front door a strong colour....dark green/blue, navy, whatever, and paint the iron railigs the same colout. Avoid lots of small pots...messy and lots to water. You could i) have a narrow raised bed along the RH wall between you and the next property planted with a mix of small evergreen shrubs and trailing plants..small Choysia Ternata, etc., There is a trailing euphorbia (Amagloides ?) which is sculptural but relaxed. ii) Acquire or have built two or three large tree pots. When they are empty, position them in various places, with bamboo canes, to see where they would work best, and how many you want. I would suggest something deciduous with autumn colour and blossom, like a prunus autumnalis; a crab apple; a quince on dwarf stock; a columnar flowering cherry,Prunus Amanogawa....the choice is huge. Avoid cottagey annuals and too much patchy, mixed planting. I would keep pots square, in harmony with the raised bed. This house is formal and urban. Keeo it elegant and with strong lines broken by the foliage and trailers. I needs beauty, not prettiness. cheers

For a usable space all year round a patio roof is the perfect addition to your garden. Our patio louvre roof creates an outdoor living space in your garden perfect summer BBQs and with a decked/ paved or tiled flooring the rabbit will love it. The louvre roof is automated turning the louvres flat to create a fully watertight roof (perfect for our british summers, additionally helps to protect your garden furniture from heavy rainfall. There are numerous design options which is based on your personal desires and requirements. Below are a few examples of different ways your can incorporate an Umbris patio roof. A free standing louvre roof: It can also be fixed to your property and supported with posts: Or with no posts and cantilevered out from the property: We have just had an Umbris installed at our showroom in Amersham at Sky House Design Centre, you can arrange a showroom visit by contacting us on 01494 722 882.

Hello. It looks like the room needs to be softened. The great thing about white is that you can add to it. What are your favourite colours and add white to it to make it lighter. Is there a favourite object you have in your dinning room and add some accessories to match it. You can soften by using wood plants and lighting. You have two box shelves why not put then together in one of the alcoves. That would give you the impression of a bookshelf. You could then get a plank of wood or shelf and place it on it. Which would leave the top to put big books plants / favourite things on it. There are lots of thing you can use to prop up a shelf as long as they are the same height, stools, boxes, wooden blocks, square or other shaped glass vases... You could change the colour of the box shelf fronts, there are an amazing range of paints so get a tester pots or B&Q or other DIY shop will make out colours for you just take the thing you want to match with you. Also there are lots of different colour duck tapes that you could use. Or get wallpaper samples and line the cubes or the outside edge. Do not over fill the cubes with books so you see the lining. Change the look of the files, and boxes by covering them, again wall paper samples, or even fabrics. If you have a fav dress, skirt, trousers, duvet even, that have a pattern or something you like, but no longer fits, use them instead to cover them. In the other alcove, match it to make it symmetrical or put a large plant pot in there. Resting next to it can be more books. Add a picture next to it. Lighting would soften the area's. Some battery powered string lights which you can put in a glass vase, or on the perimeter of the alcoves. You can pin them using a stapler or tool station does an extra strong double sided tape called mammoth. Note it will take your paint off if not careful, so to check position, use bluetac first. The chimney breast could be your favorite pastel colour or strong colour. Or the white framed mirror could be the favourite colour. You could put lots of framed and unframed pictures on it. Charity shops have an amazing frames for pennies. I have even found postersize frames and 3D frames for under a £1. Websites like freeprints will print off pictures for the price of postage, a bit more if you want bigger images. You can frame postcards, images of from magazines, newspapers. Make your own, typographic inspiration, or a persons quote from your computer and frame it... Another shelf / over mantle under the mirror would give another dimension to the area. P.S. Do not forget ebay and local charity shops for shelving. I hope this helps.... but most of all experiment and have fun.