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

Hi Diana. Re your windows I would look at something like this (dining room pics in link) http://www.drivenbydecor.com/2015/05/window-treatments-tricky-recessed-corner-windows.html 0r have a voile blind inside the recess and the curtains hung outside to give more height to the room. I'd go for a pole that doesn't contrast with the wall colour. Farrow and ball blackened may work for the walls (which way does the room face? I'm assuming some of the pics are a little dark as you didn't have any light behind you when taking the pic?!). Were you planning on dressing the feature window? As you've got cool and warm greys I'd layer them so a warm grey sofa with a cool grey or maybe blue ikat cushion. I'd have seating at right angles to the fire, sofa to the right of the fire with a lamp table closest to the fire and 2 accent chairs opposite, patterned ones might be nice. I'd go for large art over the fire rather than a mirror as you've got the window, perhaps a landscape. In terms of the look you want, perhaps look at velvet for the sofa. Lamps will add cosiness, a driftwood lamp will give the natural look. Add texture for the seating, perhaps a patterned cushion in front of a textured one and a textured throw on the other arm of the sofa. Also use plants and perhaps some faux flowers (I like oka faux hydrangea but it needs to be mixed with foliage). Perhaps a brass glass coffee table to add some warmth with some coffee tables books and the flowers!

How about open book shelves at the front with a sliding ladder for access and a hidden storage space behind. We’re always happy to help if you need any further advice. If you’d like one of our floor plan design experts to help you optimise your space - visit our website: www.betterspace.co We offer a low, a fixed-price package that include tailored design, furniture layout recommendations and a professional floor-plan drawing as well as a 3D package which includes a 3D floor-plan and photo-realistic images that will help you visualise your new design. You can use promo code ‘houzz’ for a further 15% discount!

I’ve an old cottage too and have a floor lamp behind chair (Jim Laurence) and a couple of lamps on side tables, I don’t use the ceiling light. Try Cowshed Interiors for cottage-style lamps https://www.cowshedinteriors.com/