Hi, Emma. The best place to start is by adding photos, from the top of this page, to an ideabook on your homepage. You can put tropical Australian gardens into the search bar at top of page. Save the pics you like. Also, you need to add photos of your property exterior to this comments section here. Can also put them in a separate ideabook, so Houzzers don't get confused. A plan showing north, with dimensions, will also help you get really good advice.

Carolyn, yes your cantilevered deck can work if you throw enough money at it, and get an engineer to design it. There are no guidleines to cantilevered deck size as there are so many variables, so it really needs to be properly engineered for your live loads and house design. One of the hallmarks of Harrry Seidler, one of Australia's most famous architects, is his love of cantilevered decks. However they were often built with steel and concrete, and the design used the rest of the house to anchor it. If you are currently designing your home then now is the time to incorporate the required structure into the engineering design, as it can't be added in later. There are various tricks to make a large cantilvered deck work, such as the one in this photo using two angled suspension rods in one of Harry Seidler's designs. The main issue will be cost, and the value in going column-less. The second issue will be maintenance in that the beams under the deck have to be completely weather resistant. If they start to rot or rust when expsoed to the weather they cannot be replaced without removing your first floor! Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

I actually quite like the landscaper's option, and I imagine that the house is higher up than the lawn, so the three decks terrace down to the lawn level providing a good connection between the house and lawn. A good landscape design is much about the third dimension of height as a well designed home, and these plans don't show this dimension. In addition the terracing allows planting around each deck level which softens the transitions even more. Each change in level also provides an opportunity for seating. A single level deck that is at the house level may need a balustrade which divides your outdoor space in half. I would ask your landscape designer to explain the thinking behind the smaller decks in terms of change of height, which you can't read on this plan. If you wanted a bog-standard deck that any carpenter can throw together why did you engage a landscape designer to come up with a creative and interesting solution? Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

Exxy to move the stairs (but brilliant idea!) - so how about take out dining/hall wall and put just one long line of low kitchen cupboards down where that wall was or closer to the opposite side - so you open up all space and see all from walking in the front door. Make either a horse shoe kitchen config with cooker at top end. Then paint all cupboards in same colour - say a gum tree green - and give them new handles. In area between cupboards newly tile or lay a lino floor as easy and inexpensive to do and there are some really pretty decent patterns these days. If you've any money left over or later, boost the lighting with a strip of spots that point to the island worktop, the window worktop AND the cooker. But where is the fridge to go??