I never like walking in a front door and looking at everyone at the dining table. You could consider having the support post for the beam, up at the dining end of the room and enclose it with some pretty glass. That would, in effect, give you an un-obtrusive sort of foyer, that still allowed light to penetrate, while closing off the dining room from view and leading you into the open lounge/kitchen. Google Sarah Richardson split house photos. You will have to use your imagination, but I think you'll get the idea. Pretend that the double doors in the photo are your front main entrance. Good luck.

with a lot of helpers crowding around to help i suggest that the new kitchen needs to be zoned for tasks and be open plan without a separate pantry...this rough idea has a central island about 2m x 3m surrounding the column and walkways approx 1.5 m between counters, subject to available space with the column the island has mostly underbench drawers for pantry food storage, crockery and cutlery and the counter is for food preparation, serving, sorting and distributing clean and dirty cookware and bags of groceries etc and has a small extra sink but no more than a couple of stools to keep the workers moving!!..Subject to suitable access the central space under the big island (would be about 60cms wide, 90cm tall and almost 3m long!) would be ideal to store folding tables and chairs and "christmas" supplie in wheeled storage crates or pull out kitchen island trolley..There's a full size fridge and freezer as well as an underbench drawer fridge next to the tea, coffee & toast area,with cup glasses and breakfast supplies in the overhead cabinets..twin dishwashers with double sinks, hot cold water dispensers, pull out garbage bins and a modern insinkerator or compost disposal in the sink area..the cooktop and food prep area is on both sides of the corner with big appliances underneath, and serving plates and casserole dishes etc overhead..The base cabinets should be deeper than normal for more generous counters and giant cooking equipment and appliances stored underneath and to have shallow splashback shelves for herbs,oils, sauces etc and there's a stacked wall oven and microwave and a stacked wall oven with warming drawer and vertical shelves above the ovens to stand up trays, racks, cake and pizza trays and drawers below the ovens for saucepans and baking dishes...decorative finishes and fine details need to be determined by the resident cook for personal taste and everyday comfort

What a transformation!!

Yeah , if you look at that pic , and go right to the top ( the very first pic you posted a few days ago ) you can see the difference , for not much extra $$$ . Even compared to the rendered pic , I know which I prefer , but everyone is different . The 3rd column may be a hassle ( opening car doors onto it etc ) -- I'd try and do just 2 , have the second one at the 'front' ( same distance forward as the front of the pergoda ) and maybe a bit to the left , but then that may obscure the front door , although I reckon that is going to be 2 1/2 to 3 metres back . Personally , I don't think its a problem , and would still look balanced , but some people probably wouldn't want that . And just 1 other thing -- the very first pic you posted , the upstairs colour looks warmer and yellower -- has it been painted , or was that a sunset ? Personally , I like that colour better , and would carry it down to the render ( I don't think it would look 'Spanish' ) and it would make the stonework look warmer too . Plus everyone does grey these days -- apart from me hahaha . . . . . .