Hi Emma, As you say, whilst it's lines on a page, you have a precious window of opportunity to get it right - before you make all these choices and decisions permanent ones you are forced to live with. So I hope you'll appreciate my honesty, and not be offended by it. I am incredibly passionate about helping people create homes that make their lives better, and I want you to achieve the best outcome possible for your home, your budget and your life, and that's why I don't mince words. I have such concerns about this floor plan generally Emma. I can understand the desire to maximise the view however I believe that the everyday use of your home, traversing all those stairs, and being disconnected from your garden (especially with small children) is consequently being compromised, and will be challenging and frustrating. I think the multi-purpose rooms appear to be space for space's sake ... they lack thought and intention for their use, and the way you need to circulate through or across them will compromise their functionality, furnishability and sense of space. It's interesting that there's no furniture shown in them on these floor plans, whereas the other areas are all furnished. With family homes, I would consider the following: supervision of gardens from indoor living areas has such a dramatic impact on the usability of the home overall, and your ability to get stuff done whilst kids play etc a study nook or somewhere near living areas where kids' use of computers can be supervised, and you have a home 'command station' of sorts is also good the ability to acoustically close off a lounge area - which is the kids' TV / play area is very helpful for long term use I wouldn't split the bathrooms - I understand what you're seeking to achieve, but replanning to group them in one area will consolidate plumbing and your wet area finishes and be more efficient overall consider creating a floor plan that works with access / circulation etc between living areas and garden, and then having an upper floor living area or retreat where you can enjoy the view One of the biggest challenges with homes in Brisbane is that they are completely divorced from their gardens because they have prioritised the view. As a mum to 3 young kids, and having helped truckloads of clients with family homes (and families of all ages), I know this for sure ... the connection to garden ... the ability to move in and out with ease, safety and enjoyment ... is one of the things that pays dividends long term. The view is the immediate and early 'wow' but the inconvenience of having to take a packed lunch each time your kids want to use the yard or pool is infuriating. With clever design you can have both convenience and enjoyment of the view. Your home design dictates the lifestyle you lead in it. Focus on functionality and durability and it will create a home that works now and always. There is no northpoint on these drawings, so I can't comment as to the success of the planning in terms of the orientation - which is something to be aware of also. I'd also be doing a budget check. There are A LOT of wet areas in this home because of how they're being distributed throughout the floor plan. Best wishes with the creation of your new home, Regards Amelia Lee, UA www.undercoverarchitect.com amelia@undercoverarchitect.com

4 poster beds were initially to kep out the cold in big rooms with high ceilings in big stone manor houses...usually surrouned by thick velvet or jacquard curtains with a canopy overhead and usually with intricately turned posts. The curtains were drawn back in the morning and fastened by amazingly designed 'holds' Not a fan of modern 'post' beds with plain 'frames and especially black painted skinny pine posts...however,,,if you really like the bed and the idea and, its not already a light colour, why not paint it a light colour and add, rather than the traditional heavy curtains, a light transparent curtain draped around the posts? Just a thought...I'd love a 4 poster in my natual VJ walled room with 10ft 6in high ceilings built in 1924 but it would need to be the feature of the room. When we lived in the tropics with lots of mozzies my Dad built me a 4 poster and Mum covered it with a mozzie net canopy and gathered curtains of mozzie net. The curtains were tucked in under the matress to keep the mozzies out...I was a tot and I loved it...but there can be many decorative versions of 4 poster curtains.....just a thought...might make you love the style again and find a way to make it fit your room.

HI All - for some reason my lengthy reply a few minutes ago was deleted :-(. I put so much thought into it! So here it goes again. Basically a big thank you to you Houzzers. MB your subfloor ventilation sounds great and Im glad it's fixing the problem so simply. The reason why Im trying for a whirligig solution is that I favour a passive system, however if it doesn't work I'll look into what you suggest Siriuskey - yes to some kind of kit. I've already contacted a guy on Gumtree selling grannykit frames - he says for something to my specifications would be about $4000 for the steel frame alone. Would need to check engineering details - and the liveable sheds you've linked me to seem to have that all checked. Although getting a local Chippie to frame it all up on site - as Twos Co suggests - is probably the most economical option Two's Co - thanks for the feedback and the excellent checklist of processes. I've covered most of the concerns though - I've got the DA based on my own flimsy plans. Because it's relatively small, I was going to work with the builder directly and over-engineer it. I've since engaged an architect to do some handsketches and draft specs, which will be signed off by a structural engineer. It's basically a portal frame independent structure, with a 3 degree pitch skillion roof. The house was rewired and the wires you can see are non-live looms waiting for the extension! The sewer is not connected and that part was never plumbed in. There's good rear lane access, but for the purposes of getting concrete in, I'll most likely get a concrete pump from the front of the house - for $180 per hour they will save time and make the concreting much easier. The existing trench I got dug in because I had an excavator on site installing those lovely large concrete blocks you can see, for the retaining wall (500kg each). But that was 7 weeks ago, and the excavation has got too large, and I worked out for a very similar cost I can make the extension 1m wider, so why not. The existing trench I can fill in with the demolition rubble, compact, and filled with any fill waste. Two's Company, I'm on the fence about removing the existing Bedroom 3. If I thought it wouldn't add to the costs too much, I'd do it. One advantage is that I could then make the whole 9m long extension (Option 2) around 150 - 300mm higher, (ie a step up from the existing house) and thus avoid too much excavation and a potential pond. To answer your question about damp and moisture, the whole house is facing a hill with 7 degree slope, and fixing this has been the main aim of the retaining wall, however the runoff is only likely to increase in coming years. anyway here are a few photos. The site is still so messy because the demolition only happened 2 days ago - Im still tidying up....

Hi Natasha, I think you are heading in the right direction with your arrangement of spaces. I think bedroom 3 where the laundry is makes better use of the outside window wall and just down the hallway from the bathroom. Also as you suggest, having bedroom 4 on the other side of the house is good for shift work sleep arrangements even if there is no extra powder room. Have you thought about making a small entry lobby from the courtyard where the master bedroom door is and moving the master bedroom door nearer to the ensuite, similar to Oklouise's plan. You could put a good coat cupboard from the entry backing onto the master bedroom wall. Open up the wall from the new entry to the kitchen/living space, where you have shown a cupboard. I also think having the TV area, dining and a small study room in that one area will make it feel too small. I'd make an office/study a deep cupboard that can be shut off when not in use. Perhaps create a full joinery wall between the living area and the media and bedroom 4 that works both ways and includes the study, B4 robe, TV units and entry to the media room and B4. In terms of the kitchen and laundry, I would make a nice deep laundry cupbd facing bedroom 2 in the hallway. Make sure it is big enough for all the stuff you need - ironing bd storage etc. The kitchen would be similar to what you have shown but move the island down to the outside wall to make it a peninsular. This would stop the kitchen being a walkthrough and as the laundry would ocupy the wall end near the entry, it would make the kitchen focus down the other end of the space. You can use the corner cupboard at the outer wall where the peninsular joins the bench for dining stuff storage facing the dining side, not the kitchen. Dining and living could be interchangeable and it depends on the relationship you want for both with the kitchen, back yard, front entry and media room. Cheers, Christine.