There is contrast between the traditional furniture and the focal point of the floor which pops, draws attention. I would recover the sofas in cream colored soft fabric - suede. I would leave the curtains grey, and put down a large neutral area rug. The edges of the room would show the pattern of the floor. I would color the wall and add texture to it, but not too dark as the room will appear smaller. Add a picture and put a nice plant holder, large vase in the left corner of the room - an oriental-style vase. Or, a cream-stripe fabric on the sofas. You could go soft or bold in this room - depending on your taste.

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.

I have returned to your website and my original message is no longer here. Sorry, I guess I failed to press "Submit"- the green means go, I guess. My response does not relate to your request, alas, as I am a site planner and see your problem in the visual and environmental context. It is not obvious in the photos how far down the balcony floor is. Does the opening shown begin at typical height of a balcony, say 3-4 feet, or 1 meter? My initial response was to suggest repeating the strong modern architectural lines with a planter or, better yet, a series of planters of the same size and shape across the entire opening, filled with plants of your liking to bring color and fragrance into your space, in place of the great colors of your neighbor's laundry. If you just want to maintain the simplicity, bamboo all across will give you a light evergreen screen that will accept your rainfall, bring rustling music in the wind, and grow perhaps a foot a day (up to its normal height) soon after planting. Decorative glazed pots arranged in rows or clusters down on the terrace floor will bring delight when viewed from within your home, but will occupy your limited space. Natasha Korn at www.triqita,com is the designer and manufacturer of wonderful fabric designs in silk - many bold patterns with bright colors, in sizes from neck scarves to large wall hangings. A thought would be to frame them on glass so the light comes through from behind and hang them on the wireworks outside. Or perhaps a large wall hanging mounted on a large footed frame or a folding 5-6' (2 meter) tall screen that could be placed inside as a room divider, but then when you need to better control your view, place it on your prison wall outside to bring some warmth and glamour to your view. You can reach her directly, I believe, at natasha@triqita.com, her email site. I hope this has offered further food for thought to help resolve your need. cascio.offsite@gmail.com

Keya, glad you decided to take the one reader's idea about moving the armoires in front of windows that you don't need and giving the bed a wall of its own! And, yes, you can have Roman shades on one wall and layered drapes on the other. When I had drapes made for my tall sitting room windows/doors, I had them use the same fabric for the Roman shades for the smaller windows on the other wall. For me personally, in these older Indian homes with all the odd nooks and niches in the walls, perhaps it would be more soothing to have a light/med tone paint on the walls that blends with the drapes/blinds for an 'uninterrupted' look, and I would use the same color on ceiling and beams. (but that is just my thought) I would start the process with a large carpet with your favorite colors, then choose your Bedcover & cushions, then your wall paint and fabric for drapes/blinds ..Not certain what style you like, but if you really like a particular Ethnic bedcover fabric, you can always have them stitched into curtains or Roman shades too. Can't wait to see the "After" pics!