Firstly - how many people will be living in this home?

My thoughts -

1. Large dining/living room - divide it for guest room with ensuite and the other section as a study. Alternately - make the 4th bedroom the study and divide dining/living room for a 'sitting room' and guest room and ensuite.

2. Make the games room the theatre room too.

3. The hallway is wasted - fill it with storage/cupboards, taking up some of the dining/living room.

4. If it is possible, add a toilet to the bathroom.

Hi bigreader and kooky_Karen we are four: parents with 2 kids, 10 and 15.

We planned to live in it before the reno but the thought of "moving out" made us think twice. I agree, hallway is wasted.

We have annual guest visiting 4-8 weeks at a time and would like the guest suite separate from the family bedrooms.

mateknight I love your idea of a new parents retreat with the walkway!

What about make the garage into the media room & study, move the entry to the left of kitchen in dining, build a guest suite behind laundry & turn laundry into guest ensuite & powder room, build new laundry in meals area, build new garage on west opening to laundry, remove walls of lounge & dining & build storage cupboards on wall left of old entry..

Rebuild kitchen with it's back to new laundry (have direct access from new garage) & facing open lounge dining. If you move the bar into the games room it could be the meals area.

Before you do anything.

live in it to determine sun orientation taking into account ever green /deciduous trees,living areas facing north to ge as much natural light..

Meals area is on west making front of house north glenmaggie which is nice for Ninda's living/dining/kitchen etc.

Is it built on a slab or can you gain access underneath? If it is a slab this could restrict where you add another ensuite. Where are the best views? Is the rumpus an add on? (Just unsure why there what appears to be external sliding doors from the family. If you created a wall where the lounge is now that could be the Media. New master suite in the Garage area. Current 4th bedroom becomes new Laundrey/powder room (making the hall wall finish where the existing Laundry is). From the plan my biggest issue would be the kitchen as it's orientation is away from the family room but it is a bit hard to come up with suggestions without more info like the height of the windows from the floor (I.e. Should a kitchen bench run under?)

Hi Guys thank you so much for your input. Yes LouieT, meals is west and dining is north. We are in Perth with scorching late afternoon sun. Julienewans, we were thinking along similar lines: changing bed 3 into laundry, use part laundry for a butlers pantry. This opens up lounge, dining and part laundry for the kitchen and living area with meals. it also gives access to both north and south side of the house. The house is on a slab and games was added later. We also consider changing meals and kitchen to a guest with bathroom / powder room. This will have an outside entrance to be accessed from the to-be pool on the northern side. New entrance between current meals and family - this allows for a wider entrance. Keeping family as a study/library / reading area (taking out the bar). Our biggest concern is how to fit a kitchen into the space that flows easily from the walk-in pantry to the lounge / dining area.