A Craig - your roof is what is known as a Mansard style. Search 'Mansard Style roofs' on Houzz for a lot of examples that may give you some answers (see one below). Obviously this home was built pre aluminium guttering that does not rust so to replace the existing guttering with seamless aluminium should solve your problems. It would be worthwhile replacing the downpipes with aluminium too. A bigger problem you could probably have is matching the existing tiles, but from photos on Houzz it does appear you would be able to get away with a different tile or even use a slate were you to change the flat area to a slightly pitched roof. Your existing tiles can be resprayed a different colour too. Call in the experts, the more people you speak to the more ideas you will get. Afraid whatever you do will be expensive, but consider it money well spent to alleviate any future water problems - water does so much damage that will negate all other renovation work you do in the house. [houzz=]

Hi Rick, I am presuming you are in Queensland because of the pebble crete driveway. If so i would suggest you get rid of the whole dated bed and go back to lawn. Save what you can from the bed, the palms and conifers would look great in pots. They could also be put in long planter box under the front window symmetrically with an agave in the middle. Your house has straight geometric lines so would suit formal style garden with Murraya hedging, grow to mid thigh height across the front from letterbox , leaving open for entry path, and both sides could be higher. For height I would plant advanced Bangalow palms or candle stick Cyprus pines either side of your entry, and put a stepping stone pathway in the lawn, from your front boundary near letterbox to the front door to save visitors from squeezing past cars. The other path which comes off the driveway would be just for your own use. I would under plant these with 3 Cycads or Zanadu for each, fill in and edge with Rhoeo making a small bed. This will make your entry stand out. Improve soil with compost or cow manure be for planting and mulch well with dark cottage mulch. On the right hand side between the end of the window and the new hedge I would plant a shady evergreen specimen tree in the front corner of thelawn. The trees over the road in the pictures look good. Tuckeroo tree? Under plant to soften with star jasmine ground cover. Clip to keep neat. your lawn needs feeding then it will lush up and be more protected from the heat. Keep blade high, don't scalp! Simple and clean lines look modern and stylish. Good luck! Josie

All - Thank you so much for your suggestions. Very helpful! Oklouise – Thanks for your suggestions. I like what you’ve done. I had not thought of the the off-centre solid wall suggestion in the tv room. This will make the space more functional. Very helpful. Thanks. Siriuskey – your design was similar to oklouise’s, so again many thanks for this. I like what you did with the entry area so will see if I can make this work given the dimensions of the house. BTW - the house is brick but I am thinking of partly limewashing/whitewashing it - but this is a very low priority item right now. Dr Retro – thanks for your comments. Appreciated. Yes, I'll check the sizing of furniture etc. Kate – thanks for your question re: wall at the end of the dining area. I’d like to create an attractive focal point from the kitchen to the garage wall, rather than just have an off-centre garage door (i.e. going for a look more like the below). I’d also like more storage so I added the partition wall, which could also have cupboards on the garage side. But your vestibule idea could work too. I will look into that while taking into account the other ideas from houzzers here too. All very helpful. Thank you. Dreamer – thanks for your suggestions as well. These give me food for thought so need to ponder more. I’m not sure there will be enough space for a fridge and an island but will draw it up and see. Just to give you more info here, not essential, but I would have liked to be able to have another tv (hidden in a wall-mounted cabinet) on the existing east-west wall that divides the kitchen-tv-formal zones now where the tv faces the kitchen so I can watch the news while cooking. I have looked at adding storage to the entry area as I think the house needs more storage so I will look at this some more again. Thanks again. Really appreciate you taking the time to get back to me on this. Cheers. Thanks again everyone. Cheers.

"the one big thing I would do is swing the toilet back to the RH wall" Moving the toilet to the RH wall is exactly what I would LIKE to do. I don't mind changing the vanity - wish to do so, and new countertop and sink as well. We would loose some of that blocked vanity space, but gain more floor space. However, the issue is moving the toilet when we're on a cement slab. It would be cost prohibitive to jack up the plumbing in the floor and move it. :( I did, however, just discover REAR draining/flushing toilets! So, it may be possible to move the toilet and run the plumbing in the RH wall! Esp since there is another bathroom on the other side of that RH wall, so the plumbing would (potentially) actually be accessible. Hmmm.... (And, no...I do not live in Australia. Not sure where That came from...?)