I am so happy to see you here! I will have to go back and see if i can retrieve my posts... thought I would make them into a little book for my daughter, with photos. Quick run-down on the bathroom (not travels, no time) - The kitchen has a rather elegant sliding door with beveled glass panels. Painted white, since this was the original colour. GD's new bathroom has the doors I had picked earlier; i thought of polishing them but decided sprayed automobile paint (on a resin primer) would wear better. Especially since it is such a small bathroom, and she is so splashy. I have this finish in my kitchen and it has lasted 15 years now. A tad chipped here and there, but only needs a wipe down once a week. Same finish for the balcony doors, also split like the bathroom. We have a new wardrobe, a study table with built-in shelves, and a small chest of drawers for her odds and ends. I want to re-tile the tiny balcony, more as a little statement. Currently we are looking at Portuguese tiles, though I did think a mosaic with a funky cat might be nice. Let me see the costing. The room will be painted a neutral adobe, with bright white woodwork and an off-white ceiling. This means she can go wild with cushions and covers. Other changes in the flat; We have changed the glass in the master bedroom and living room from small cramped panes to a single pane for each section with a 1" bevel all round. Doubles the cost of the glass, but looks so elegant! The air-conditioning is being re-located. The compressors were all mounted in the bedroom and living room balconies, which looked terrible and meant the balconies (very narrow, only 30" deep) couldn't be used for anything. Not even plants. So they are being moved so that the compressors can be mounted at the rear of the building. two down, one to go. Now we can put in some nice plants, fishtail palms etc. The kitchen counter on one side came out intact and will be reused elsewhere. I am planning overhead storage, cupboards, and a draining cupboard for plates and glasses. Right now there is no dish washer, though a place is earmarked, but for now I will put in a cupboard with steel racks for cups, glasses and plates, all hidden behind pressed glass doors. This is all in the planning stage.... Pictures in a little while, they are mostly on my ipad and don't transfer well to the mac. They come without numbers... so I have to rename the or something. Somebody tell me how to do this!

Tsilanko, I would always recommend professional installation where needed. But what I am doing here is suggesting that WHEN you are planning to build or renovate, to consider how your plans will affect you in 20 or 30 years time. Split levels are very hep when you are young. A kitchen 3 steps down at 30 is rarely a problem, but might be a hazard at 60, or, as Marjie1059 suggested, if you break a leg. ... All my parents' homes were terrible for old people. They were forced to move to a bungalow in extreme old sge because the location and design of their home was more suitable for an active young couple with a large family than for an elderly couple with stroke disabilities. I would not want to move again, so my present home has features built in that make ageing in place simpler. Mostly small changes, like grab rails, and lever handles on doors and faucets. A major disability suddenly suffered requires major changes if permanent. I did look at this because it came up in the discussion, but if you look at the heading, Planning for Disability, it means just that. Plan ahead so you don't have to make expensive changes later on. But thank you for your advice, yes, major changes are not in the DIY domain.

Mohammad. I understand your program. You may be lost in the details at the moment. Please do follow and trust the advice given here by all these people. You are about to embark on a reasonably expensive journey. Get professional help with someone who you can sit down at a table and brainstorm with them your ideas and intentions. There are Architects and there are professional building designers who are members of the American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) who are well versed in projects such as yours. I personally love a design challenge. After 38 years designing homes and special use buildings I enjoy this type of challenge the most. I am in Ohio and may not be close to where you are but I am sure with a little investigation you will find the best design professional for you.

Hi Rorli, I hope you are doing well. Congratulations on the space! The best way to cozy up a space, without spending a lot is through - Art - I feel the Giant picture on the wall is substracting from the space rather than adding to it. You can replace it with something beautiful that you like and/ or a medium sized framed mirror - This will reflect all that beautiful light in your apartment and make it more spacious. You can add a wall hanging in the empty wall space near the bar area. Rugs - A giant rug which accomodates bothe th sofas rather than just the coffee table. This will also make the room look bigger. However, It is important to buy a plain or maximum two tone rug for this effect to work. If buying a rug with lots of detail, please buy it in a lighter color. Cushions - Lost of colorful fluffy cushions in various shapes and textures and a couple of throws wil help balance out the beigeyness of the sofas. Lighting - Adding fairylights in the balcony and a couple of tall lamps in corners will help too. If you can, replace the central light with a chandelier of your choice. Plants - A few indoor plants add that homey feeling while having the added bonus of supplying oxygen. You can also opt for fake plants, if you don't want to buy real ones. Common color scheme - This is the most important aspect because even after buying new furniture, it may not look good if everything is mis-matched. To make the room feel more spacious, you can shift the light in the corner next to sofa, after removing the sofa from the corner a bit. You can also just replace the single seater with a luxurious Armchair of your choice , tilted to face the tv and put the small table next to it to turn it into a viewing area/ reading nook. Above - Blue/ white color scheme works very well with plants. Monochrome neutral color scheme with pillows and throws. If you need any more ideas or help, feel free to contact me. Hope this helps!