Well I think my husband mainly wants to hide the chocolate stash away from me as where I would use it to store vases and everything else that you usually keep in the top of the pantry(you only get out once or twice a year). He does have a point but I am worried about boxing ourselves in - no room for growth. He is definitely not itching for his next project (we have been working weekend, after weekend on this house - decking, paving, etc) I worry about the lack of storage. Mainly because I really just like to finish a room and move on. Because I use this space every day its annoying me with how uncompleted it feels to me. I do think it needs something to finish it off and look complete. But I'm glad you like it though Madeline :) I have been researching with what people have suggested and the main trouble I foresee having is actually getting the right product delivered and available. Most don't ship to where I am (I live in a small coastal city) and its about 5hrs drive from the only Ikea in the state or I will have to wait 8 weeks for delivery from over east. So I really have to plan it right. I am reading the reviews on open shelving... well lets just say that is interesting. Thanks again!

Running with your second floor plan (and ignore the glass sliding doors in this image) but would you consider changing your 3m narrow splash to a full sized fixed window on half the side and the remaining side create as the cooking area with cupboards, oven etc.? You mentioned you have stacker doors in the direction of the lounge, but in terms of space, from these doors, it's living area no windows at a room length of around 7m, followed by 4m kitchen room length including a 3m narrow glass splash to provide natural light for the kitchen area (cupboards noted above)? From your drawings there seems to be no windows on the opposite wall, is that right? I feel you will need to bring additional natural light into the kitchen area possibly bigger than the 3m glass panels if only 0.6m tall (or similar) especially with cupboards on top. If you're not keen on swapping out the narrow splash here's another example with your second floor plan (and also ignore glass sliding doors in this image) but possibly a tall window or fixed glass panel before your kitchen bench starts - even if <1m wide. Or greater than 1m if you're OK to encroach on your 3m glass splash and make it shorter. If the island bench is not a "must" you could create similar to this image and have a L-shape bench so it encloses the kitchen a bit more. This will help create the next room of your house ie. Kitchen - and you'll gain a few more cupboards if you're really wanting additional. Then have the big fixed window adjoining the L-shape next to the seating bench. You could still have your narrow glass splash with cupboards above, possibly just shorter (only referencing the L-shape and large door in this image - imagine fixed glass full-size wall panel in lieu of door next to the seats. Ignore the remainder of the kitchen). Is this an existing dwelling or new home build? For either of your options, are you impacting your roof-line as your first floor plan suggests you're widening the kitchen by 1m? The first plan I'm guessing will cost more; light wells and extra bricks vs straight wall. As mentioned by the other posts, there's plenty of storage options. You still have a decent amount of room for cupboards including a full-sized pantry next to your fridge space. I also agree with jbantick's of balancing space indoors and out (not knowing surroundings).

just realised that my suggestion has overlapped with Dr Retro and i agree that you should be able to have (from left to right) a 900 wall cabinet with three equal doors, a 900 wall cabinet with the 900 wide rangehood and three equal doors and a 600 wide wall cabinet with three equal doors ie 8 x 300 wide doors with the left hand side of the range hood wall cabinets lined up with the 900 corner cabinet BUT is there any special reason why the wall cabinet for the rangehood was suggested as 1000 wide?? if so, the same concept applies ie left hand wall cabinet would be 850 wide with three equal doors, 1000 wide range hood cabinet with three equal doors, right hand cabinet 550 wide with two equal doors..ie 5 doors about 270 wide and 3 doors about 330 wide above the rangehood but aim for the 8 x 300 doors.. the cabinet maker should allow for all the necessary clearances and fillers to create a uniform appearance

Here you go, siriuskey. This plan is not quite accurate. It seems changes were made in the initial build - mainly removing the raked ceiling (disappointing! I would have liked it!) and changing the 09.18 window in the garage to a sliding door located closer to the store room and laundry (thankfully, as there's no direct exit from the laundry). Some sliding doors have also been changed to hinged doors (the one from laundry to garage, from master bedroom to ensuite, and into Bed 2. What is marked 'patio' is actually a gorgeous covered veranda with feature timber ceiling and lovely planter boxes all along the edge instead of a railing. The carport has been transformed to a beautiful outdoor living area with a spa just behind it and a feature timber ceiling, though the floor is still exposed aggregate which will have to be sealed over so it's smooth for mopping. Overall, we love the house, except for the kitchen and the laundry and bathroom décor. I'm also disappointed there is no bath tub and hoping we can install one in the main bathroom and I'd like a small wash basin in the main WC, but drainage is an issue in houses built on concrete slabs when you want to rearrange things. I wanted to put a sink in the store room also, when converting to a butler's pantry, but again drainage is a question. Have no idea yet how to improve the bathroom décor. Currently there are very plain mocha coloured tiles floor to ceiling. The vanities will have doors two-pac coated, be topped with stone and have new basins and taps fitted. The walls have me perplexed. I'd like to add some features, and I hate tiles in showers. We plan to put a wall-mounted clothes line outside the store room and enclose with slatted aluminium screening (as that is the front entrance - but I don't like the thought of having to walk the full length of the house and further to get to the clothes line!) As we have only one car, we plan to divide the garage, partition in front of half the door and convert half the garage to a music room for my hubby. I hoped to put sliding shoji screens or similar across in front of the laundry cabinets so it looks more like a passageway into his music room. The biggest issue is the kitchen, and it will be costly, but I'm prepared for that. The rest of the work will be done in stages as budget permits. I see such great ideas in comments on Houzz, so I'm eager to see what suggestions others have for creating my dream home!