@ gladaboutown I am a city kid originally then spent my mid teenage years in Europe..(did not like that). Before that I lived on Nauru Island with my parents just after the end of WWII ( that's telling isn'r it!).. Your friend's 1800 farm house sounds lovely. My paternal Grandparents had a lovely old home at Beechworth in Victoria and before that at Woodend and I loved being at them both...guess I'm a country kid at heart but wqually happy in the Pacific. Yes we are luck to have such choices given what we see on the news. Hope we continue to have our country freedom.....bit of a scary thought that we may not always be safe in the cities....but there's always places like Charleville and White Cliffs and underground dwellings in Queensland...pretty remote. The fresh produce is the BEST! Good that the farmers travel to the city aras to sell their wares...we'll be needing them more and more. I live in a fruit and veg growing area with wineries, piggeries, Emu farms, sheep etc etc and all sorts of othe wonderful "down to earth" industries. Close to home I have the Strawberry Fields where one can pick their own...YUM, and a Bertry Farm that makes their own jams and sauces...and a Jam Factory. I wondered why I came her ages ago when it was not as interesting and there were lots of yobbos...but it is rathetr villagey now and we have visitors galore. I am lucky. Missing the beach, but hey, can't have it all! One lady wrote that she has barracudas in the canal at the end of their canal developement...and sharks...No thanks.

Today is my first day back at work from a 2000km road trip around the south-west of WA. Firstly to Margaret River - say no more. Then to Albany for a visit to the new National Anzac Centre, magnificent building in an awe inspiring location. My wife and I bawling our eyes out from such an emotional presentation. Next onto Esperance - the most picturesque beaches in the world. I am a bit biased, having designed some nice houses in Esperance but still worth the visit. next holiday - Queenstown NZ.

Oh wow you have been busy! It's funny, I was at my Mum's today and we were discussing your plans. We decided the bunk room was a bit small and she suggested moving it back like you have done. Agree the fireplace will be be better on the western wall, with flow from the kitchen to the backyard with large doors. I'm torn about whether the changes to make the mudroom bigger are changing too much what I loved about the previous iteration, i.e. the void and the toilet placement. Although my hubbie wasn't sure about the toilet where it was previously as he was worried sound would carry into the lounge I never thought of that to be honest and really liked how it entered from under the stairs ‍♀️ No views to the south so no need for the window seat, would prefer the void I think and no need for bath downstairs. Which version do you think works better? Perhaps the mudroom was big enough? I did like the extra room off it for storage etc Thanks so much for the renders, I'm a bit concerned that it now doesn't look like my original picture. I'm really trying to keep the look as American as possible with the pitch of the veranda and the pitch of the roof. This style has been my dream and is really so much a part of my vision. I don't want something that looks similar to other houses. Sorry if this seems silly. My builder did mention about the gas bottles and how they need to see their truck. Good idea between the carports. I wonder if it's cost prohibitive to have them buried at the front? Can I ask what the total sqm is for both upstairs and down?

Hi Louise, don't know where to start? Recommend you firstly define your particular requirements in conjunction with a nominated budget. All projects of any scale or nature come back to the balance of these two fundamentals. What are your specific project goals? Are you combining/changing everything or just creating an additional occupancy on the upper level? Only you can define your project here so this is where you start the conversation. In regards to the specific design solution/layout, no, it's not your job to "work it out" (unless of course you've had previous experience and are confident tackling that task)... however if you're stuck here I'd say this is way too large and complex to DIY and you shouldn't be thinking or expecting yourself to be able to design what you are seeking (spacious/family friendly etc) . This is a renovation and potentially involves multiple occupancies on single allotment, so it's by no means straight forward. However such a great & exciting opportunity but don't underestimate what's involved and recommend you work with a professional, and as early as possible....too many people go about their projects the wrong way in that they think they need to try and sort out a floor plan/layout first thinking that's what's required before they go to a professional. Why is this wrong? Because design (in the real world ;) ) is way more than just an isolated floor plan and involves understanding of cost and practical implications over many different levels. It's about achieving a spacial experience that is aligned to cost and negotiates various contextual and regulatory constraints....potentially on smaller projects people can get away with DIY (bathrooms etc) or possibly take over say fit out scope on larger jobs, but when your dealing with full scope complex renovations/transformations arguably the best investment is in the front end design to get the project direction and balance resolved professionally, ultimately for the best value outcome for your investment..... So you've already got a certain visual that appeals to you (ie Hamptons/beachside etc) and that's great, so you're already off the mark, next step, put together a project brief, (whether detailed or point form) that when you read it defines your specific ideal project dream/vision and of course nominate a budget (the most important variable). When you've done that, bundle it all up and seek consultation from an appropriate professional (designer/architect etc) and understand/trust they will have the capacity to resolve the spatial solution for your project. Hope this helps and good luck :) PD