What is on the second floor?. Is this a slab on ground? Is the kitchen dining on a lower level, is this a built in verandah? Depending on if this is a slab on ground or raised off ground so that plumbing can easily be done, i would take out the laundry, just leave fireplace, maybe make that two way fireplace, wood or gas, and have dining here, which would open up that funny sitting room to this dining space and provide kids play area with build in window seats and the like. Does anyone really use formal dining now? build in the gap from sitting to front room, maybe even stealing a bit of space for storage. I would enclose that room next to entry to the study as most studies nowadays do not have to be massive spaces, unless clients are involved, that would make it quite place. With the storage space taken out for the dining play area, this would still be big enough for most. I would remove the existing study wall or at least open it up if structural to have the butlers pantry one side laundry the other with a gallery kitchen in front. Making the remainder the living space. Depending on budget i would raise the floor so that all this space is on one level. Depending on what the floor is or how many finishes you have i would make sure they are all the same. New timber floor, or new tiled floor, or carpet, what ever you like. If the terrace is then too low it might be able to be lifted simply to meet this new level. I would remove the hall cupboards to give more space to the living area and provide a wall with door if you like into the lounge room and guest suite from entry and then make the bedroom bathroom hall more private so that anyone staying will have a master suite, entry off entry, while family could still use the facilities. I think most people could cope with 3 entries off the entry, and the living door could be left open so that visually it can be seen as you enter the house, or if privacy is required, now that the hall cupboards are removed the entry to the living could be shifted down. If the laundry and garage were a bit bigger i would suggest a double garage, but they are too small. To keep the kitchen and dining in their current space would be one mistake after the other, unless you are overlooking some amazing views. Ros

You've got some great suggestions there, so I won't really add anything different, but I'm wondering how you use the living area, do you need both a lounge and a living room or would you benefit from another room like a guest room or office, or a reading/library room? A studio? Do you like having a lounge area and separate tv area, or would that all be the same area? My family all likes being together but doing their own thing so for us a large family room that includes reading, tv, arts/crafts, toys, boardgames and spaces to do all those things is what we need. But I know other families like having separate rooms for different activities, just sort of depends how you live. As for the reluctant renovation partner, sometimes its just a case of not being able to see what you are thinking... or even seeing why a change would help. One thing I like to do is just just rearrange the rooms and set up the areas as they'll be used. For the time being ignore the wall positions. Go right ahead and swap the tv and dining furniture and see how it feels, you'll soon see if some areas are cramped and the walls need to be pushed out or where the door should be. sometimes its easier for people to solve problems than imagine design changes that avoid problems.

Get your new design fully resolved, professionally drawn up and costed before you lift a finger towards renovating. There are at least 10000 decisions to make, and there is nothing worse than making decisions on the run, based on what is available. I would be looking to simplify the spaces - the current plan looks like there is too much crowded into too small an area resulting in some awkward, pokey rooms and rooms being thorougfares which make them hard to furnish. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls and Dr Retro Virtual Visits.

Tricky without measurements but I’d consider fully enclosing the cupboard as it appears too deep to just turn into a hallway shelving. Give it a sliding door entrance, insulate or sound proof the new wall and create an L shaped storage area which would also act as a sound barrier. If possible change your current pivoting door to a sliding door. Yes that’s two entrances, but you could leave the outside one open when you don’t have guests or it’s not dinner time etc