Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

We are in Perth. The front of the house faces south western, so I guess the bedrooms are more North West?

Thanks. On the initial draft, there is a corridor where is WIR is connecting to the other corridor. We felt it was a big waste of space having such long corridors.

Having a second door into the bedroom wing sounds like a good idea. Maybe we can turn it into a secret doorway

the biggest challenge with this design is the unusual roof shape, complex ceiling heights, long hallways and all the doors making furniture placement and traffic patterns very difficult ...there's lots of options for extra storage and choice of bathroom fixtures but i strongly suggest that you first reconsider the basic floorplan which doesn't make the best use of the space or the orientation and will be very expensive to build ....eg the solar patio should be bigger for comfortable outdoor furniture and entertaining and will make the dining area very dark, the spaced on the laundry side could be increased to a better driveway width without sacrificing any other spaces etc the berooms on the western side could be very hot....what is your climate and do you have any good or bad views? and, what is the purpose of the activity room and parent's retreat?....a plan clearly showing all room sizes would help invite specific suggestions but what do you love about the plan??

Thanks for your comments. When we approached the designer, the main thing was open plan living. Overall we are happy with the flow, but not sure if we are missing anything?

As we got young kids, we wanted an semi open room as a toy room and maybe convert into activity/ study room when they are in school. (so hopefully no one will hide in their rooms)

We haven't got impressive views to any direction.

We are considering a bigger patio so it connects to bedroom 4.

I think the warmest room might be the master bedroom as it's facing South West. I hope good insulation and small windows will help with that.

On the draft plan, the WIW was where the retreat is, but we didn't like it being so close to the bedroom door. As a result, the space left is made into a retreat. So we haven't really thought about its use much but feel we could always do with more space... Any suggestions will be good with the configuration.

A few rough suggestions for you, it's going to be a beautiful big house but it does have quite a few design problems from what I can see.

The family bathroom needs to be swapped with Bed 3. The drop off moved to the front off the house also that the Linen cupboard can be kept.

Another access to the master suite so that you have better access to a young family.

The kids play room having Large pocket doors, this could have a computer desk included.

The kitchen/Laundry all needs to be looked at, over the next couple off days cheers

Hi Yang, A house with spaces ticking the boxes is one thing, a house that functions to a particular level, works to the site/context, maximises zoning, flow, light and integration of external spaces is another. Firstly Budget? - always the first question I ask, it ultimately controls everything. Whether or not details such as the toilet is in or out or a cupboard is here or there are arguably minor issues and also relatively personal/yours to make, and I would note other potentially larger/broad problematic aspects. What I recommend to aim for is maximum value for input over various levels/areas of importance. At a glance, my comment is that this plan is not as elegantly resolved as it could be in regards to flow, and spatial scaling/balance. Sure the rooms/spaces are there but aspects/detail/setup such as the entry/passage condensing/narrowing to a bottleneck in a drop down zone could be done better/cleaned up if this is ( and I understand it would be) an important function for your home. It also feels somewhat crammed here and there for a residence of this size and spaces included.......what this plan represents to me in this form (as a professional) is more like a sorting out of your list of your requirements and on the way to achieving the general idea of how you'd like/need your home to function and operate. From a design/planning point of view, it I'd advise further work to be done in elegant resolution/balancing of the main living space (furniture layout??), the 4th bedroom is strangely positioned and closing in the potential light for the dining, and the fact that the activity space is in the centre with no natural light is arguably missing opportunity. I could pick on other detail but with due respect for and without understanding who/what you're working with, the full context/site, or your budget/brief relationship I'm hesitant to comment too specifically on what potentially could/should be changed and what direction it should be taken. My broad comment is that the major/general aspects of zoning, function and light need to be sitting correctly/reasonably resolved before the fine detail can be locked in. Some strategic tweaks/shuffling/pulling into line should get it working for you. If you're new to the process understand this: The specific decisions/detail of your family's requirements and how you want your house to function are 100% yours to make. The designer's role is to understand/interpret your brief and resolve the challenge of spatially making it work and also working to budget, which by the way is a number you determine. Perhaps ask to have the furniture in all areas put on the plan to help you visualise how it's actually going to function and if it's going to work as you need.

Not sure if I've given you answers you seek but hopefully a few comments that will get you thinking in the right way and assist you with the journey and process - All the best of luck with it :)

I'd echo a lot of the earlier comments about entry to the main bedroom from the hallway, moving the main bathroom so that it is more conveniently located for all three non-main bedrooms and the practical purpose of the "activity" room and "retreat" space.

I'm also concerned that the entry hallway, main hallway, "activity" room and dining area will be quite dark.

In terms of the toilet, you have the powder room available as well so it's probably not a major issue. But, a lot of people like to keep the powder room "pristine" for guests. If you're happy with your children using it and inevitably making a mess, then there's probably no need to separate the toilet in the main bathroom. But, if you want to try and keep the powder room for guests, then I'd try to separate the toilet in the main bathroom. I'd even try to separate the shower and bath as well. Teenagers can spend a LOT of time showering and in front of the mirror, so you may avoid a lot of future fighting if the toilet, sink and shower / bath are all separate.

As for a double vanity in the ensuite - what is more valuable to you and what will you actually use? A second sink or lots of counter space? I don't think there is a problem with a single sink. However, it appears that there is a window above the sink, so I'm not sure where you're going to put the mirror (unless it is a high, ribbon window).

I'd consider an island for the kitchen. At the moment, you only have one entry point into the kitchen and it will be partially blocked whenever the fridge door is open. With four people trying to move around the kitchen an island would create ease of movement. And you appear to have plenty of space for a generous island.

I would also review the plan from a practical perspective. For example, why is the clothesline so far away from the laundry door? It could be right outside the laundry door, which would allow you to have a bigger window into the living area. And do you want the laundry to be so far away from the bedrooms?

I'm not sure the "activity" room is going to be overly practical in the future. Children rarely keep their toys in one space. As they get older, you'll probably just end up arguing about the volume of the TV in the "activity" room vs. the volume of the TV in the living / family area (especially with the opening). It may work as a study, although noise from the kitchen and living / family area could be disruptive. And the lack of sunlight may not be ... inspiring. I don't think it will work as a cinema / TV room (although the lack of light does work for that purpose). I would try to consider the function you want the space to serve and design it to work for that purpose.

Good luck!

my suggestions include a much simpler roof shape allowing for raked ceilings in the living areas and the solar patio that creates the look of higher ceilings without the extra structure and costs and, despite making most rooms more spacious, the overall floor plan is smaller and, with the compartmented bathroom with separate toilet more centrally located, the third toilet may not be necessary and could be substituted with a walk in storage area

and, mirror reversal of the same plan, makes much better use of the orientation with less hot afternoon sun for the bedrooms and patio

Much better Oklouise the other plan had so much wasted space

Thanks for all the advice, much appreciated.

We will have a 3d version soon with furniture in place, we will be able to understand the scale of spaces better.

We did consider move the 4th bedroom and letting more light into the dining area and hence into the activity area. We will put more thought into it.

The other area will change is probably the foyer area to make better use of space there.

We will have to have some brain storm for the activities room as many have pointed out the issue with light..

Thanks for the point about the cloth line. It must be an over sight from the first draft. The laundry was where the pantry was in the first draft, but I didn't like the idea of lugging laundry through kitchen. We will definitely ask it to be moved.

We quite liked the angled sliding door at the back and it also allows sunlight to come in. I do understand its more difficult to use that space. I guess it will take a few more revisions to make it more functional.

We will have another meeting with the builder in the new year and add more changes.

Just had a thought, if we placed the minor bedrooms on the right side of the block and the activity room facing the back yard, there will be a lot more light into the main living and dining. What do you think? Pardon my drawing, and not to scale despite my best effort

I think Oklouise is on the right track. A much more liveable house and most likely a lot less expensive to build.

I'm with Paul De Stefano Design here on almost all points.

I also find it a bit clunky and a bit wasteful of space, too many hallways/corridors that could be simply reduced by relocating a doorway for example, effectively making some rooms bigger.

The powderoom door faces front door. Relocate the door around to where drop zone is then you can shuffle Laundry door instantly creating a bigger Laundry and giving privacy to powderoom.

Passageway past drop zone is too narrow in comparison to dwelling size and could end being a bit of a scrappy area viewed from front door. Re-jig to have a drop zone but maybe a cupboard for shoes, jackets, umbrella's, etc as well.

Bedroom 2 should have bed rotated 90 degrees with the robe relocated to the other allowing privacy to the bedroom. Yes its out of the way a bit, but people will be going past to bathroom now and then. I'd also relocate bedroom 3's robe across to the passageway wall.

I sort of get why the rear is angled but why not make the area square and not extend towards rear boundary so far, use a corner stacker door and have an L shape pergola. That would be easier to construct (therefore cheaper), easier to furnish, allow a bigger pergola and when the corner stackers are opened it would be stunning. The only reason to have an angle room like this is if there was an easement or something restricting the design.

By the way, move manhole to garage and find a space for the rubbish & recycling bins such a little alcove for them Maybe up on the clothes line side that way they can go straight through garage to kerb for collection. Its only a minor consideration but well worth the effort.

Love oklouise family bathroom. Definitely need separate toilet with access to sinks clear of shower room. Consider to well rail placement in shower room. Maybe under window and above bath. I have 2double towel rails long my bath. In the original plan the ensuite was bigger than the main bath which is working much harder with all the growing kids and bath. In terms of 2 sinks in ensuuite one is generally sufficient and allows more bench space for makeup etc when getting ready, unless you both are heavy sink users at the same time. The original family bath plan has the entry to the shower in the doorway. This is awkward with the shower mat etc. again a product of too little space.

My only observation is the family / house bathroom is so small when you compare it to the ensuite. I am also concerned because it looks like the shower door opens up to the right in the family bathroom and the entry bathroom door also opens the same way. If by chance both doors were opened at the same time they would hit each other and possibly smash, what I would assume is a glass shower door. I would consider borrowing room from the ensuite to make the family bathroom larger and maybe reposition the bath and shower in the family bathroom.

Hellow Yang

i dont know what to say, i understand you have gone a long way to get here

but sorry need to be critical and without prejudice,

always employ a registered architect to prepare your house plan

Architects are qualified designers/house planners and they understand passive and active solar principles which means paying attention to solar access, cross ventilation etc.

the house as presented seems too big, the roof too complicated, the floor plan needs to be slender, slimmer allowing and encouraging solar access and natural air to most of the rooms.

once you have considered the important issues like siting, program, form, scale etc. the others are simply details and will fall into place.

your parcel of land has generous front and faces the right direction in terms of the sun

i would love to help, let me know what you think?

Oklouise's plan is more practical. The consensus is to gain faster access to the children which is important. Better use of some space. I was also going to add a second vanity to the ensuite which Oklouise did. Consider A/C for Perth, ducted zoning etc. I have a large rumpus room for the kids which they spend all day in if they could, eventually will become a formal dining room or retreat when they are older. Keep that. Leave the outer door off the bathroom, you don't need three doors there. I like the separation of the toilet and bath, but the sinks can be visible and show guests where the facilities are. Could have nice décor to invite people. I don't think you need the door from the master to the WIW either. It will always be open. Keep the door from the WIW to the hallway though for privacy from the kids. Good luck, looks good.

sorry about the drawing, but I quickly just sketched over your plans. I tried to keep the basic design you had just to save on re drawing over, but I would suggest the following as there was a lot of wasted space before. Also keep in mind that you are able to flip the house over (mirror image) if it will be too hot for the bedrooms to be on that side.

Following the above drawing I would get rid of all the small hallways and extra doors you have, I would put the activity room directly on the Bed 1 wall and have built in bookshelves around the two walls, this will turn it into a study which will be a better choice for resell value. I would also put a skylight in that room as there are no windows. Entry to Bed 1 will be via the corridor which links all bedrooms, it still gives you dbl doors into the master, WIR and your ensuite. Your ensuite I would move the shower to the end and put floor to ceiling glass and turn it into a dbl shower one side can have dbl vanity and the other the WC and you would also have enough room to install a cupboard which could be a nice decorative on with glass on the top half where you could keep your towels and door on bottom to hide things. I would move Bed 4 in line with the other bedrooms, I did not move the main bathroom but you could move int and have it in the middle between two bedrooms. The main bathroom I would do a wet room which incorporates a bath and the shower behind again floor to ceiling glass. You would still have room for dbl vanity and toilet. By moving the activity room in line with the entry way, it will give you room in the bedroom hallway to incorporate a linen cupboard. By moving the drop zone and putting the PDR room door at that end it allows you to have a bigger laundry. therefore, behind the laundry door you could have overhead cupboards as well as undercounter cupboards for extra storage. Drop zones end up becoming messy and with yours right in the entry way, whenever you had guest your mess will be out in the open. By moving all this around it opens up the main hub of the house; it gives you enough room to extend the kitchen bench a little further down, I would put a large square island in the middle it allows for better flow around the kitchen and it also gives you extra seating, especially for quick breaky with the kids in the morning before running out the door to do school drop offs and work. It also gives you extra cupboard space as you are able to have doors put right around underneath for extra cupboards. Your dining area now has grown and leaves you with extra space along the the new study wall that you can have as a kids zone. Firstly, being little you will want to keep an eye on them secondly as they grow they want their own bedrooms. Your family living area is still the same; I would also wrap the pergola around to the end of the house which enables you to build an outdoor kitchen/bbq area with a table for entertaining and on the other end you could have comfy couches to lounge in when outdoors, have your morning coffee and watch the kids play in the backyard.

Hope this helps

Good Luck

We've just built a custom designed home and have been living in it for 12 months, so I thought I'd share with you the things I'm really glad we did, which you may or may not have thought about. Firstly, we built a 'passive solar' design so we have no need for expensive heating and cooling, have a bright airy cool home in summer and a warm home in winter (used Solar Dwellings, Perth designers). We also focussed on 'Universal design' principles as it is likely that before much longer these will be mandatory in new homes and those that do not have them will have less value. These principles ensure good function, whatever your stage of life - children, elderly, ill-health, disabled - serving not only the occupiers but anyone visiting, and allow for aging in place rather than the need to move. The things I love are wide doorways and halls (900 and in same cases double doors); no stairs or sunken anything; no trip hazard doorways; a garage with the floor set at the same height as the home with access door into the house; garage with automatic doors at both ends; bathroom sinks that allow for wheelchair access up and under, mirrored cupboards above sinks set low enough for access by children or a wheelchair user; a 'breakfast bar' that is at table height so everyone is at the same level in chairs rather than up on stools; kitchen work benches at an upper and lower height; lever door handles set low, with light switches also at same height. Other things I'm loving are a fully retractable clothes line in the garage as well as a small one in full shade and large one in full sun; a small fully petmesh enclosed patio area for insect free eating / catio for out indoor cats; and an induction hot plate is wonderful. We made sure our roof design would give the best placement for PV panels, and chose a roof colour (palest cream) that deflected the most heat (the metal roof companies have a code showing the best ones), and the same for exterior brick wall colour, to maximise the passive solar aspects of the house. We also live in the Perth hills and have designed to bushfire attack level standards but I wont go into that as it is probably not relevant. Currently I am designing the garden to make sure it also enhances the passive solar design, ensuring the right shade placement throughout the seasons.

congratulations, it's so gratifying when your choices prove so comfortable for now and the future, hope your garden is equally rewarding

It's a very tight corner to get into the master suite. Could be difficult getting large furniture in there.

I also agree with the comment about the long walk from the master to the kids in the middle of the night. Do you really want to have negotiate all that space at 3am if someone starts vomitting?

I would try and put the master down the end of the same corridor of the kids rooms,