Id do a pergola with clean lines with retractable blinds/shade in the roof part. There are some DIY blinds on Pintrest. For your windows I think external blinds that stop the heat hitting the glass are your best option.

Although we have very deep eaves and lovely large decks, we don't actually have proper shade at our new house so that we can enjoy the outdoor living. Trying to resolve this. Thinking about a big shade sail further away from house where we have a big table and chairs, and perhaps decorative metal panels attached to either the roof or wall cladding on the west deck. The sun is harshest during afternoons to sunset and so far we cannot use this deck for '5 o'clock somewhere' drinks.

With littlies in the house that grand staircase is going to need multiple child gates and how you attach them temporarily so they don't look ugly and then neatly remove them in the future is going to be a question. The second stairs of course will need child gates too, though the location and style might not present the same challenges aesthetically. Two of the upstairs childrens bedrooms have ensuites but one does not have access to a separate bathroom. The choices appear to be to use that second door to one of the ensuites, go through someone else's bedroom to other ensuites, or go downstairs to one of the guest bedrooms. Such a large home should be able to avoid such compromises. I especially don't like the two door ensuite, it reduces wall space for towel rails and creates unnecessary complications with remembering which door to lock/unlock. Personally I think a well designed family bathroom area can give children both the privacy such things deserve and the valuable life lessons of sharing. The halfbaked arrangement of every bedroom 'sort of' getting its own ensuite is 'luxurious' yet not harmonious. The master bedroom suite as is looks potentially like a large amount of carpet to vacuum. Perhaps that's on my mind because just prior to coming to this website I was browsing real estate listings and I saw exactly that, a huge master bedroom with mostly no purpose that I could discern. Perhaps some people want the space to spread out their yoga mats or practice their ballroom dancing and if so that's understandable, but consider that if you don't require acres of floor you are missing out the opportunity for some practical luxuries such as a separate wc in the ensuite or separate his and hers WIR's. And further to the idea of practical luxuries, a mudroom coming in from the garage, a coat closet near the entry for your guests, well designed dedicated storage for whatever hobbies or sports the family partakes in, outdoor access and play space for the children separate to the pool for safety, a laundry chute, I'm sure there are more possible ideas variable according to lifestyle. Perhaps it's a personal preference but I see a relationship between a study and a library so I would prefer them connected or combined. Again, it is about personal preferences, but the space on the plan called a retreat looks like a thoroughfare and is not my vision of a quiet relaxing space to retreat to. With so many rooms perhaps it is helpful to explain the function and purpose of the various spaces in more detail? Some of the sizes seem off, for example the powder room looks huge in comparison with the tiny ensuite attached to the guest bedroom? Heating, cooling, orientation, are valid issues which have been raised. I think for the money you are going to spend you can do much better to achieve something which provides comfort and practicality and architectural merit.

Yes an external blind will interrupt that wonderful second story view, if it has to be down all day. There is not a deck outside that window, so a vergola would not be easy to install, unless it is double storey height. A fixed awning may work. But may have to be large to cover the part of window that is letting sun onto stairs. REtractable awnings, may have times, that they can not be extended because of strong winds. I have had good results with window tinting.