Wow, that's an ugly solution for wiring. I'm so sorry for you that it hasn't been done in a nicer way. Boxing it in would do the job, but you're not allowed to drill the walls. Was this done through or by your landlord/lady? I would talk to them and perhaps they will allow you to box it in. This looks horrible. Otherwise painting it white would probably be the best solution. Good luck.

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!

Hi Rose. So sorry to have been absent for so long -- I lost internet connection for a solid week. Tore all my hair out, and now this bald lady is saying that the angel above would make a good fifth element, I think, if it's the right size (not too big). It you are considering purchase, try to borrow it first to see. Otherwise, put something in roughly the same size and shape -- scrumpled up paper can work -- in that position. Trust your eye as you did so well with the start of the vignette. I would prefer your original arrangement, with that, to the the second arrangement, in which I think the white is too stark, and the colour too bright. You want a feeling of age and patina, which is what you have in the first arrangement. Also, in the second arrangement, the clock and the couple are overwhelmed by the bright white. My thought about the lace runner is not unconnected with Decoenthusiaste's comment above. I don't think your items are too feminine, but perhaps underscale. But adding a large item won't help; a runner could, by enlarging the footprint (base area).

Just because you want to use the space below the stairs, do not just add drawers or shelfs unless you reaalllyyy need it. I would suggest go for adding something green to your house. Its healthy by adding air purifying plants. These plants are nowadays available in most of the nurseries and moreover Green patch in the house gives a beautiful look to the house and is also good for eyes ( the green color). Below are few picture to motivate you for Green patch or Indoor garden.