I think using your niches to display sculptures or art would be brilliant, you might need to change the light above to be a directional spot. Alternatively change the spot to a run of LED's (you can get colour changer ones) get a carpenter to create a 'new' back, 75mm smaller all around in the niches that 'floats' (split battens) and you could paint the new backs a mid murky blue (similar to what you would see in the sea on a calm cloudy day) commission some art (multy media, glass & or metal) to float equidistant in the space. Good luck

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

Can you have a slab floor for an easement carport these days? I know years ago you could not. It just occurred to me, do you mean easement or setback? Just to confirm, is north to the top of the map? That's very challenging as the northern property has reasonably good orientation, dependent on overshadowing by the neighbours though, but the southern property will be dark and cold, unless you do some fancy architectural solutions with clerestory windows, and I have no idea if you are allowed to have clerestory windows on the inside of a duplex, plus you do not want to create potential roof drainage issues. Is there any reason for not considering one property behind the other, and two storey? Another question, how flat is the block? It is surprising how much slope can become apparent on what looks like a reasonably flat block when the levelling is done.

it's quite easy to remove tall windows and replace them with short windows for the new kitchen and fill in the gap below the window with a stud wall covered with insulated cladding...it's surprising that the garage was built this way when it could have been extended from the boundary to the side of the house to make a generous double drive through garage with more garden towards the rear but, if it was my house i would enclose the gap with a flat roofed room (with bathroom windows replaced with in wall storage and add ceiling skylights) and, although there is enough room to add an ensuite and wiw in the gap (and/or at the front of the house) for the price it will be much more cost effective to add an extension in the rear garden....in the meantime a reorganised kitchen, family dining and living room would provide much more comfortable space for a young family and a generous alfresco (with umbrella or basic shadecloth covered pergola) at right angles to the house would be better use of that space and could be a simple gravel paved area or a deck that could be recycled if/when you need to add the rear extension