Wuff, that's how it should be...unfortuntely things are hardly ever as they should be and mny people these days haven't a clue about ettiquette....that applies to some adults in particular. I agree that fine dining restaurants are not suitable for children...unless of course, as you describe, the children hav been schooled in proper behaviour. One restaurants I've been taken to on specil occasions actually has a policy of "no children"..but in order not to breach discrimination ettiquette they have a special chidren's dining room with waiters dressed in colorful uniforms. There's also a fine dining children's menu. The children are called 'maam' and 'sir' and have their chairs pulled out for them....they have their non alcoholic drinks served in lovly glases as if it were champagne or wine....it really delightful. They also have themed evenings. There's a dining etiquette that the children are expected to observe..and how to hold and use the cutlery. Parents are given a little booklet about it.. I thought it a good way to instruct the adults under the guise of instructing the children. It works well and the restaurant owners are to be commended for such a novel approach to...well, it "manners" isn't it? And not many know the mening ot the word these days. The children come away from such an experience feeling important..and I think some parents learn a few things too. There's nothing worse that not being able to go out for a dignified meal because other people don't realise that some places are just not for children..especilly their chidren. Its one thing being well-to-do and completely another having manners. My dear old Mum was the eldest of 12 children...their Dad was an Engine Driver, but he insisted that each and every one of the children learn manners.. As disadvantaged as they were, they "dressed" for dinner in their best always clean, pressed, starched clothes,,, darns, mends and all, and he'd inspect them all before they were allowed to be seated. Mum's Aunt Laura taught her to..."be a lady" and educated her about the arts, taught her how to dance, how to set a table for a three course meal, how to dress, how to be polite, and..how to cook and manage a home...so she would be able to "mix it with the best" and not be thought out of place. How things have changed...its all more relaxed. Manners and respect for others seem to have..."Gone With The Wind"..regarded as outmoded and old fashioned. Pity! Wonder how we can get a gracious, respecful society back?

@Wuff good to hear. We've settled on the stacker doors for those same reasons, for the project. Have bifolds at current house & I like them but at time of installation approx. 8 yrs ago we wanted them to fold inwards so we could screen them, oh no never heard of that, can't do that (they said). Of course now that's all possible, consequently rarely are they opened fully. At least we have a fixed/opening door on one side of the bifold set & also another single security screened door at the back of the house as a main entry point that we leave open all day.

In my last house, after adding a living room (the area you see this side of the arch) and also updating bathroom etc I couldn't afford to reline the ancient walls in my little lounge (when I removed the purple wallpaper I found a mixmax of boards, gib, pinex, plywood and holes!) so I plastered walls all over with layers and layers of newspaper and wallpaper paste (papier mache), then after applying primer/undercoat I painted with 2 similar colours (rich reds in this case), and stippled the surface with a plastic bag. This made it look just very slightly textured like leather and successfully disguised the uneven surfaces. Gallons of gap filler filled the gaps between the old T&G ceiling boards and evened out the mismatched skirting and scotia. Again white paint on all the trims. Amazing what can be done when you have to make do! This was a great cosy little room! (Before photo is the 3rd one)

Thanks for all your comments. I agree Retro and Genki and have done just that. He will come to me first with his design however I think like some of the other Houzzers this is a passion of mine that I wish I had have pursued as a career but unfortunately did not and am unsure whether I will go back to study now with young kids. I have worked with my building designer on 2 other projects and we nailed the layout of both. I enjoy reading everyone’s opinions and think that considering all options rather than the first presented is not a bad idea. We have had the master of our previous houses downstairs and my preference is to keep it that way although maybe being back up with the kids for the next 12months may change our mind but I doubt it. I definitely want knock down the current garage and laundry and ideally want an open plan kitchen/living dining with butlers pantry/laundry although it’s a little awkward as we don’t have the hallway to allow a transition point from traditional to modern. That’s why I think the transition will be as you walk through into the current dining room and I would love to be able to see through to the backyard from that front entry. Oklouise, I initially drew up nearly exactly your upstairs option but as dreamer mentioned we are mostly solid brick walls upstairs and my favourite spot upstairs is that front enclosed balcony. Unfortunately the front room upstairs doesn’t get any direct sunlight. I would consider losing the upstairs living as suggested as that downstairs living room could definitely be used for that purpose. The block is approx 14m wide by 39m long. The front yard is 9.2m to the porch and the current backyard is approx 15.5m long. Thanks again for your suggestions!