Id have Raised planter boxes put in around the outside of our yard so my mother in-law doesn't have to spend hours on the ground with a bad back to do the gardening!..

Besides the fact that it isn't my style (and thus I agree with oklouise to sell on ebay...), the first thing which strikes me, is the crammed working area: stove/ sink/ prep. How can you operate in that space? Other side appears to be too far away to be practical? Then the fridge! If you have an expensive and very ornate kitchen, you can't have a free standing fridge! One way or another your fridge has to be integrated, which brings you back to the style question. Either you like the style and just want to i.e.white wash it (liked that option, if you are into beachy, country), then you need a matching door made up (I'd calculate 2K) and buy an integrated fridge (A$ 2-4K) or you don't like the deco, lay-out, impractical space and want to replace it all, then you can possibly get away with a free-standing fridge in a much less ornate kitchen. If you basically don't mind the kitchen and can work well in the crammed working area, or your budget doesn't stretch to a new one (think about $ 25k+), I agree with the white wash solution and taking off all the excessive ornaments and trims, putting in a flat SS or glass range hood. Also install rails with hooks next to cook top and hang your utensils, you need every square inch on the counter! Microwave to be incorporated perhaps under oven and off benchtop. Maybe spend the money and buy a matching Miele microwave, will look nice with the oven. Look into brightening the gloomy kitchen (on top of white wash) by changing the black bench top and splash backs with light ones. It might save $$ if you just get the ex one covered ( I guess about A$ 6-7k). If it was my kitchen I would definitely sell it, before spending all that money on bench tops, fridge door, integrated fridge, m/w integration, removal of trims, painting, splash back etc. and still end up with a mediocre and impractical kitchen. Would be very interested to see more of your actual style. Can only make out an Ikea shelving unit on one photo... Your decision has a lot to do with the longevity (and cost) of a kitchen, your actual style and the practicability of the ex kitchen! If you can afford it, think long term and maybe save up for THE kitchen you want. If you want some tips on how to keep costs in check and still get a great result for a new kitchen, just contact me. Good luck.

A suggestion. Since you have windows in the study with views, I would utilise those views. I would block up the small arch that is from lounge to study. Open up the large arch, and make a walkway. Put fridge in blocked up arch. Continue kitchen benchtop and cupboards around the entire study area on solid walls. On the window parts continue an open counter. You could have stools here to look at your views, and this could be used for working on a laptop with a wifi connection to a printer camouflaged in cupboards. Or just use it as a wonderful place to sit and directly take in your views. I would also reconfigure your lounge so you are facing the study area when seated. Photos attached for visual explanation.

Hi Kel, without looking at your budget or plans properly, I'd say that your budget is impossibly tight, with an estimated cost at $1200 per sq m and the kind of home that you are going to get for that, you won't be able to save money as the builder will almost definitely be able to do it cheaper than you can and if not, they'll probably not be interested in the hassle of dealing with other third party contractors. You have mentioned the size of the property that you want and the price of the property that you want but you haven't mentioned the quality of the project that you want. Have you considered talking to an architect or building designer? Their initial consultation will be either free or very inexpensive? They might be able to steer you in a direction that allows you to have a smaller home of higher quality, or look at ways of phasing the build so that you don't need to construct everything and therefore pay for it upfront. Especially if you are open minded to creative solutions. Let me know if you would like to chat.