Hello Megan, i have read the comments, and I agree practicality is paramount, also it's a large investment and would be not be ideal to have purchased this with an awkward setting. Particularly entertaining. i think the 1200mm diameter table is a great spot. It loses a dinner plate in depth, meaning it's a seated table not a serving one. So it will work to have a shared centrepiece maybe a glass vase of flowers and the pendant over. It will suit your family, it would be an intimate setting, and ideal to have the luxury of an upholstered chair. Certainly far from a compromise. Being that your dining table is only a hop away from the kitchen, the table itself doesn't need to have a large top for serving setting anyway. Yes, centre it, even though you may be tempted to allow more room in the walkway, don't, by having a visual space equal to walk around will make it feel less intrusive in the space, and you will quickly settle into walking around it to suit. Just position your chairs on the diagonal axis meaning so they back out to the corners of the room, so you can get around them easier, they won't block in the space. Having a glass top, it won't look over scaled, and it will make practical use of every square inch of your homeow. Good luck, I'm keeping myself posted on it.

I love my Asko dishwasher, great brand, it has many options, like water temp, top draw only if it's not full, fast wash, heavy wash, etc it actually uses less water for the normal wash than the full bowl on my sink. Our house is on all rain water so no need for the finish product to get rid of the calcium in the town supply that leaves the streaks. As someone with a spine problem, standing in one position doing the dishes is a real pain! We are building what should be our last house at present and I have designed our kitchen to have the dishwasher up off the floor with a draw under it, that way when packing and unpacking there is less of that half bend for my back. Just in passing I have a 'black belt' in dishwasher packing everything goes in and the kitchen is clean in jiffy! When I was working full time it was my sanity, I think a clean kitchen makes every home look like a clean home.

Are you asking just about making your unit look more inviting, or all of them? I took it to mean just the one unit pictured . . . So, for the garden bed, something big with plenty of leaves and, ideally, spectacular flowers. I'd recommend maybe a strelitzia (bird of paradise) or canna lily. Currently you have have low maintenance mother-in-law's tongue and a yukka - just too small and spindly for the space. A bird of paradise thrives on neglect . . . for way more impact/distraction value . . . In front of the other window, a whacking great pot with a 'pleached' tree in it. These trees have a trellis with them and grow sideways. Pleaching is mostly done with fruit trees, so you get the added bonus of fruit! . Or consider a couple of 'Teddy Bear' magnolias in two pots - this Houzz story shows both pleaching and magnolias in narrow spots https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/block-out-thy-neighbour-privacy-plants-for-the-modern-home-stsetivw-vs~41847280 Now, when you've coming from the garage to the front door (with shopping), you are going to have step around in front of this (or have it placed forward so you can step behind). It will be a bit more awkward, but will mask most of that side of the front door. Or are you able to turn that dead lawn bed into a garden bed and plant directly into it? If so, I'd still go with either of these options. Now, smaller plants are much cheaper to buy, but I'd buy the biggest plants you can afford, for the most effect right away . . .

Might be helpful if I talk through the parts we like and dislike with the existing rooms: - Lounge: gorgeous old fireplace and morning sun through the windows, great natural light. We spend a lot of time here - Dining: no windows and existing walls block off indirect light from the other rooms, thus why we thought it would be great to knock down some of those internal walls. If that becomes too difficult we'll need to at least do a skylight - Family: my least favourite room, mostly due to the coldness. As mentioned before, its really just being used as storage atm and long term plan is to replace it with something warmer/better constructed - Kitchen: pretty pokey, would love for it to be open with the living, dining and outdoor areas. Great view right onto the backyard from the current kitchen sink windows - Bed 1: gorgeous morning light, pretty happy - Bed 2: gorgeous afternoon light, not really used atm - Bed 3: pretty small, ok natural light. We're using it as a study currently - Bathroom: pretty old and feels abit cramped (that may just be the layout), but doesn't bug us as much for some reason, so happy to leave for later - Backyard: Flat. Very leafy and overgrown. 2 or 3 massive trees, but otherwise mostly shrubs and weeds. We're aiming to tame the weeds, plant some veggies and fruit trees and keep a few chickens for a permaculture/food forest kind of feel :) @oklouise - the block is about 16 m wide and 45 m long. From the front bedroom wall to the front fence is about 10m. From the "Family" room wall to the side fence is about 2.7m. We're in Sydney in quite a leafy suburb so I guess moderate/warm climate? And yes, we are looking into what we can do with the trees with council @Kate - thanks, we had actually thought about rotating the house initially but it turns out with the current orientation, the windows in the Lounge Room and Bedroom 1 get gorgeous morning sun, so definitely keen to keep that. We're doing laundry at the moment in the outdoor shed, which is fully plumbed and yes, existing bathroom is quite old but not bothering us too much at the moment. We're checking with an electrician and a plumber on the general state of things there Thanks for all your suggestions and questions so far - let me know if you have any great ideas!