Hi Amanda, Storage is a huge issue in every house and my personal take is that for the amount of time spent in a laundry we dedicate to much real estate to it - I'd rather have a bigger kitchen space. I also think that school bags go to the bedroom the second kids get home - a hall table for keys is brilliant but you dont want to end up with a heap of clutter as you walk in the door. I'd do the 1.5m extension, I'd leave the laundry where it is but put it behind cupboard doors in the kitchen area (removing the wall between the laundry and kitchen and part of the wall between your current pantry and laundry on the plan) - this way you gain floor space (how frequently do you do laundry while you've got visitors?), this then allows you to keep your panty size but put it behind bifold doors. I'd also and have the ensure that I had a stacked washer/dryer set up so that I had more space for a broom closet. Regarding the covered deck - it'll depend upon which way it's facing - if the western sun will hit the back - then you'll be very glad of the covering and possibly want more. If you're concerned then look for coverings that will suit the area - ie louvered outdoor roof area might be a way to go. Good luck!

If you already have a long house you could try the following by firstly adding the large Pavillion from the middle using windows and doors for walls and adding smaller outdoor Pavillions with decks either side of this cheers

This is eerie, because this almost could have been my post! - except my children are 4 and 1! ; D Our house is a 1940s, very similar layout to yours and I'm trying to work out how we would add all those spaces also. Central kitchens are so hard to work with! I'm sure you'll have better suggestions from others, but my only other tip is to consider the aspect in where you place the rooms. We're in Melbourne and imagine this also holds true in Tassie, but you'll have a much brighter, warmer home if you align your layout to take advantage of the northern aspect. Our previous home had floor to ceiling glass doors across the living area, but as it faced north, we only needed heating at night, and it was a lovely space to live in through the year. I do think if you're able to go up, it would make for a layout with better flow and will avoid the challenges of the sloping block. As for adding heritage to the facade, I think the house is lovely in looking authentic as it is, please don't add on any 'heritage' features (fretwork etc!) that aren't in line with the era of the home. Your colour scheme is perfect - traditional but also fresh, I honestly don't think you could improve it! I would recommend adding in a lot more plantings (and ideally removing the yucca) that could add a lot of character - either rambling cottage or more traditional structured. Something softer like some Crabapple, Snow Pears, a cluster of birches, or even smokebush would look lovely and work with the height. And if you were really motivated, you could add a capping and/or rail to the fence it does look quite contemporary, or even paint the timber. I'll be keen to stalk, I mean follow this thread! Good luck!

Seems like advice has been well covered here, but to add my 2 cents.........it ultimately depends on what you are seeking and expecting from a professional. Off the bat engaging a professional is not something you should "accept" to have to do, rather it should be something that you are actively seeking........I work with people in a range of contexts but to be clear there is a difference between people who are expecting to "buy" a particular end result with some knowledge of what that will be, and others who engage in a professional design process and embark on/trust in the "journey" so to speak that works towards an customised/crafted end result. It's horses for courses and one way or the other is not necessarily suited for everyone. For example, my particular way of operating is probably similar to Dr Retro in that I approach projects with flexibility and respect for the client's needs and specific context. The creativity comes in to play in negotiating these unique aspects and therefore results vary widely from project to project. Alternatively you can find designers/architects who essentially are a "brand" delivering similar end "products" in that you'll be able to get a clear idea beforehand as to likely what end result you will get with them at the helm. Similarly to Dr Retro, I provide a particular stage of frontend/contained service that I call a "Feasibility" exercise in that various options and scenarios are considered specific to client's particular needs/goals within the properly analysed context and some proper/hard costings are applied. This provides the client with legitimate and viable options in broad format and critical information to ascertain what the best balance/option will be for them. For example, we can consider scenarios of alterations/additions in various configurations as well as comparison to new rebuild scenarios - there is never a single right or wrong "way" as to how to achieve certain requirements, however I do find ultimately that the Cost is the ultimate controller and without proper and professional understanding on what particular design moves/options one way or the other will cost you really are literally walking around in the dark in regards to making critical decisions moving forward for your project. You are (not surprisingly) stuck here, I deal with this situation all the time I know exactly where you are at.....all I can say is that there are professionals available who can help you achieve the best outcome, and you need to consider/understand and be comfortable that this is part of the process and is a necessary and critical investment front end to ensure the eventual physical build has been properly considered........ultimately my advice is to research and seek a suitable professional you can trust and work with :) PD