Good morning to Dorset from Scotland! My husband had a birthday last week and is now saying we're 'pushing 60'. We're active and fit, lol, but sensible too-the day will come sooner rather than later when one or both of us is not able to claim to be spry. Because the little cottage is in such a sad cosmetic state it was listed at a rather amazing price and we locked ourselves into it too early thinking it was a perfect spot for us to grow old. Whoops, thanks to several posts here about doing a reno or new build with a mind to age-in-place we are having to admit that is not the house for us. Luckily the town is the 'gateway to the glens' and if we wanted to use it as a holiday let we could easily. It's also becoming a commuter town-the hardier type people from Dundee and Aberdeen are buying in to take advantage of the great mountain lifestyle whilst being able to easily commute to their 'day job'. We were not looking for an investment property-not especially keen on the idea but more and more we're thinking that's what we've got. We measured the borrowed wheel chair, and also took the measurements of the typical mobility devices available now (the ones that are adverted as being in-outdoors), and frankly held up against the kitchen and bath measurements, there is no way we can make the bathroom work. Up thread (I think it was Deborah Butler of Brickwood Builders) a wet-room was mentioned as being best to accommodate a roll-in shower but hard to do as a reno project. Looking at the floor-plan, home report, and our own measurements confirmed that on this wee cottage-there is no way to do that and no way a wheelchair or mobility device is going to be rolled in that cupboard size bathroom. The kitchen could be managed if we drop the pantry wall idea, but the bathroom we planned to make a shower room is not manageable at all, and there is no room to extend that space. We would have figured all this out but much further down Reno Road, lol, so this thread has been a huge help to us just on that! Because we're now doing a much simpler reno (dropping the wider doorways and sliders, the ramp, and a few other a-i-p doings), the cost to renovate that lovely wee home is much lower too. The only things we won't be able to do ourselves is the shower conversion and the rewiring. A huge savings that we're going to need to find the right place for us! We know now that we need to look for a home with room to enlarge bathroom and kitchen areas, and with a less tricky entry to incorporate a ramp. For starters:) We have to be out of our current home by 1st August when the new owners will be arriving from Australia. We've borrowed the use of a caravan from friends to live in whilst doing the cottage reno (now that's small space living!) and that's going to be a help but I sure wish I'd joined Houzz sooner! I would have started this thread BEFORE locking into a property too small for our needs. Too, rather than use it as a holiday let or sell it on, we may move into the cottage once the reno is complete but we do know now there is no way we'll be able to age-gracefully-in-place in it. Sigh. Oh well, our builder is happy-he wasn't keen on trying to fit those sliding doors:) Take-Away For the Day? Be sure the property has room to expand vital living spaces before making an offer that is sure to be accepted:(

I must say, your paintings are rather intriguing!! Not me, but love them anyway! And some of your stuff looks so cool and eclectic, including the menagerie on the walls :)) I'd place them in the alcoves. You could try and get a close horizontal alignment, even though it might look a bit too high above the telly, but with all the going-ons in the room, I'm sure it's not going to be too obvious. Or place the Tv on a taller stand :)) If you'd rather have them on the chimney breast, then I'd definitely have them at different heights, like below (sorry, I have a very basic graphic app) Again, I think your room is going to look great! Congrats!!

I absolutely love the look of shelves in a kitchen - they help to create a really light and simple feel to the space, and create a stage for all your favourite things. However, they do provide less storage. So if you dont have the luxury of plenty of storage, I would suggest going for wall cabinets instead, or having a mixture of the two. There is something to be said for keeping the walls open too - it can be tempting to fill every possible space, but don't be afraid of leaving space for your cabinets to breath. This might mean having a clear out, but it will make your room feel much more open. Charlie

thank you ALL mulling over all these comments. Just had a specialist kitchen fitter in for advice his thoughts were and im quoting "at the moment you have a very grand type look with the beautiful corian worktop yes french windows will let light in but chopping the base units will give you little to no work space around the cooker and will make the kitchen look smaller as no continual line and to replace this kitchen now again in solid wood would be approx 10 to 15k" so we discussed replacing the lower doors in solid timber again in a colour called daktar lightish greeny grey but leaving some original oak colour in my cooker plinths and inside bookcase end unit and my winerack and replacing the top glazed units in same greeney grey colour to tie top with lower units lights in new plinths in lighter wood and also replacing the ugly dark window sills in the same timber. Replace the table and chairs with a more contemporary acrylic table and ghost type chairs to create illusion of space but still serviceable for my needs and pets. Oh dear what do you think???? im not a good diy painter to get a professional in to paint I think would be approx 1500 anyway so feel first plan I would get more of a finish and expensive lux look. Hoping achieve classic but on trend look. See image I love but reverse it original oak at top units and greeney grey on the base units what do you all think will it work before I part with my cash again hate to be disappointed again8