Bump.

Hey Nik Star, I've had a PowerPoint play with oklouise's edits. This is what I meant about garage entry to the pantry and a laundry in the garage. The red arrows are to stipulate to the builder that level access is required. I added extra garage depth to allow for the garage, that would definitely impact your facade elevation. If you remove the wall between the butler's pantry and mudroom you would have a SUPER PANTRY! But a true butler's pantry in that it was supposed to be where you would land with the veg from the garden so you would kick your shoes off inside the door, so I've noted a little bench seat there, then head in and wash it before heading over to the actual cooking area. Then if you get rid of the sliders and reduce the storage to shallow shelving on the middle wall you would have plenty of space to manoeuvre with mobility devices. For the washing labour machines - washer, dryer, dishy - try getting those mounted on plinths so the load on your poor back is reduced. I have dodgy joints so I am researching all the ergonomic ways to design work spaces to help me when I get to the awesome stage you guys are at with getting to build!

Dr Retro, you are a designer after my own heart! My triple fronted brick veneer house was built in 1965, extended in 1970 and I try and stick to furnishings and influences from the 1950s to the end of the 1970s! I am its third owner, but have discovered its history via my elderly neighbours. I also have lots of antique vases, crystal and fine bone china, as was popular in the 1960s and 70s in my lounge room. Cannisters in the kitchen are all straight from the 1960s purchased by my mother, then handed on to me. Meanwhile my sun room is an explosion of plants , cane, colour and knotted pine feature wall. Whilst I have double glazed and slightly tinted the lounge room windows for privacy, I try and maintain the period integrity and hope to heritage list my property. So many glorious homes of this era are being knocked down for building town houses and macmansions, especially those on huge blocks, like mine. It is an easy house to live in and I am grateful for my separate kitchen, with easy access to the open plan dining room and lounge, as it keeps my dog out of food preparation areas. I love the cosiness of my kitchen in a home of otherwise vast spaces too! The separate living areas and kitchen have at times, made it easy for 3 generations of the family to happily coexist here, which in a totally open plan home would have been difficult!

Thanks oklouise! We'll try and get most of it together, then pass it to you for comment. I'd just like to mention that we will not be altering the footprint of the extension itself, except to remove two non load-bearing walls that currently comprise the passage. The intention is to open it up into one large space, with two separate zones - kitchen + relaxed diner-type dining area. The biggest change so far has been the removal of the old woodstove alcove and exterior chimney in the kitchen. It was in a bad state, leaking and leaning to starboard! Sadly it had to go. However, if we decide to keep the kitchen where it is, the wall it stood on will give us a blank canvas and some wriggle room to work with. The alternative plan is to move the kitchen across the hallway and into the old dining zone, the objective being that we will later re-fashion the current bathroom off the dining area into two zones - a walk-in pantry + a separate laundry. Since we are not going to make any dramatic changes to the existing extension, except install new windows and doors, Council and a draughtsperson are not really needed. Our aim is to gather as much inspo from the kind people here, as to what will be the best layout in both zones to suit our needs. This is the biggest issue we have faced so far! We can't seem to agree which side of the extension the kitchen should go, and the best footprint/layout in this area. Until we get that sorted in our heads, we cannot position the windows or doors! I will take some pictures of the extension to give you a better idea, together with the dimensions and positions of windows and door. We plan to install a double French door off one of these areas, and have a full glass door which we'd like to use as a back door - so this would need to be incorporated into the plan. I had thought about positioning it where the old wood stove had been, but since that's on the west side of the house, it gets extremely hot in the afternoons. Give me a couple of days to gather it all together for you. We'd be so thankful for any input from yourself, and others. Design and layout are toughies! For the most part we are aiming for a "de-constructed" type modern farmhouse kitchen where less is more.