just had a look at your existing plans for the second storey.. 1/ I'd make it all open plan .. First I'd move your bed 4 downstairs into the theatre room..reason ? bathroom is existing down there..you can turn it into a master suite..bathroom..study as retreat. which then leave you all that room ..bed 4 ..kitchen ..meals..lounge..foyer to just be one huge living area.. from that living area you can pop in a stacker door/bi folds to lead to your screen verandah. Personally I'd get rid of the screens and open it right up with banisters so you can have fresh air flowing in. You can do the same with the front as well to make it one huge area without much changes.

given the luxury of generous available space i like outdoor rooms to be bigger than inside.. especially if they'll be used for entertaining more people than would normally fit into the same space inside and some outdoor furniture looks so cramped without lots of space to walk around

Wow what a great space to work with - the options are endless and it really depends on your budget. Some ideas:- - paint all the fences to give the area a lift - could also consider putting horizontal timber boards (a bit like decking not sure what you call them) along the fence under the pergola as a feature with a couple of pot plants in front of it or a vertical garden - remove the Hills Hoist and put a large fold down clothesline along one of the fences to open up the area - consider replacing concrete with some pavers if you have the budget and then remove some of the concrete so that you can open up the space with more lawn - plant screening trees along the fence lines to add some more green and keep the space nice and open - in the covered area, the above suggestion is ideal - if you need more light you could consider some transparent sheeting in the roof of the pergola Just some ideas but of course it all comes down to your budget and taste.

I think it depends on the household and the time of day that the rooms are used. What your instinct says about what most people look for in a house is a good view from the master is irrelevant, as this is your house so it has to be right for your household. Unless you are planning to build it and flip it in the short term then what other people think doesn't matter. A master bedroom, which is mostly used at night, doesn't need views or sunlight, unless you are overlooking a nighttime view, such as Sydney Harbour (which I don't think you are). A house with more views and northern light to shared, common areas often feels better than if these assets are exclusive and restricted to two family members. If a study is to be used by a professional adult during the day then make the most of the views and northern light with good separation from kitchen/dining. If the study is going to be used by kids to do homework and cruise the internet then having it adjacent to the kitchen for supervision is probably a better solution. best of luck with your considerations, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls/Dr Retro Virtual Visits