Focus

We're focusing on a couple of things here at the cottage - firstly to get this place running as efficiently as possible.

This means focusing on electricity use, water use, waste in and out of the house... all those things that lead to a comfortable financial situation.

Our electricity bill is kept very low thanks to the solar panels on the roof and this being a small home.

Our water bill is non-existent. We are self-sufficient in water with two large tanks capturing the subtropical downpours that happen here every year.

The other thing we focus on is recycling, repurposing and re-vitalising what we have rather than buying new.

Making our own furniture, repainting old furniture... those types of things.

At the moment we're undergoing a pretty major renovation here - walls are being painted, furniture moved around, furniture made from recycled timbers... and its all coming together really well.

While Cedar Cottage is only a small space, there is so much you can do with it. For example we have a choice of five different eating areas both inside and outside the house and through clever design we've been able to do this without making the house feel crowded.

We're also going through a big 'lighten up' stage at the moment too - lots of light and bright things going on here to lift the decor and freshen up the feel of the house.