My very rough sketch to show wasted space in the passage way leading into the bath. This space could be used to add extra length to the shower or used for creating a separate toilet/powder room.

The kitchen Island made into a free standing bench to save a lot of walking around it and through the kitchen to get to and from the laundry. Fridge moved to other end for easy family access. cheers

Also consider sound barrier for bedroom 4 on wall it shares w/hallway, as kitchen noise may present an issue for any light sleeper or someone studying. Looks like this is already taken into consideration with wall btwn bedroom 2 & rumpus/theatre.

I'm not sure the hallway being broken into two sections is particularly beneficial. For me, I'd want to be able to make a beeline directly from master bedroom to all children's bedrooms in case of emergency. The way it is now doesn't allow for this eventuality.

Hi Bec, jumping out at me here is a significant potential functional/bottleneck issue/planning flaw with the laundry access only from via through the kitchen then from the pantry........I've got nothing against efficiency/economical size but first and foremost you have to ensure that the flow/movement around particular the main working areas of a home are properly set up, balanced and scaled/proportioned appropriately overall.......for that scale of home I'd be advising a rethink/tweak on the laundry/kitchen/pantry set-up so it's more flexible in regards to movement - at the moment it's like you have a tight site/small scale solution for the laundry etc when it's more a self imposed (rather than contextual) limitation.....re the bathrooms/shower agree with above comments in that the no-doors might look great in a photo, but in practice open showers unless they are set-up to a certain way are less than ideal.......I had this exact debate with clients recently and they are now happy that I talked them into putting on the doors ;) Hope this helps! PD

Hi there Bec, wow so many thoughts and ideas for you, building a new home is a complex job.

As annb said she would need to have quick access to children, there's two camps of thinking re this, those like Annb who would prefer the bedrooms together and those that like the separation of the Master suite. If in the bedrooms together camp perhaps swapping the master suite with the media/rumpus, media rooms don't need views and you already have a great kitchen/family alfresco space next to the future pool. Having the master suite with a view to the pool is good for safety reasons as well, the ensuite and family bathrooms could be back to back. The front Media room a great place to escape to for mum and dad.

If you're in the camp of liking the master suite separation that's OK as well.

The passage way already had a linen cupboard across the end of it and blocking any access not that it makes too much difference approx 1m extra to the kids.

As I have all ready suggested that extra wasted passage space would make quite a difference to the small family bathroom.

To screen or not to screen, what is wrong with just having a lovely plain colour full height shower curtain, it can be changed over every couple of weeks or just take a bucket of soapy water and dip the curtain into the water and hand wash, it really only gets dirty on the bottom third. Much easier and cheaper than having to wipe down glass shower screens and doors every time someone showers, you don't have to do that with a curtain..

I'am over cookie cutter bathrooms that must have screens, is using a squeegy too much. A big plus for no screens is for when and if someone needs assistance to shower, it can happen to anyone.

In our 3 way bathroom from the 80's we have a tiled shower room 1800 x 900 which has a timber pocket door on the 1800 wall with a small opening window on the opposite wall. To the left of these a shower, both the shower area and the floor have a drain installed, it's a fantastic shower room with space for 6'4 sons but not for 2 persons to wash in. Not a showers screen or curtain to be seen.

Do include with your plans for a future pool an external toilet and shower. cheers

Hi All,

Firstly thank you ever so much for all your advice!! It's been a busy time at work for me but I kept seeing these fantastic comments come in.

Such an amazing site with amazing people!! I wish I had found it sooner.

We have taken on everything that has been said and have decided a few things.

1. We will go for frame less glass showers WITH doors! (Sorry siriuskey!! But I'm too cookie cutter to use curtains :)

2. We don;t have children (yet) so will stick with the bedroom at the front and hope to use the rumpus as a cinema and future playroom for kids (that we can see from the alfresco)?

3. Regarding the flow, layout and wasted hallway space all pionts are so valid and we are trying to discuss now with our builder a way forward.

Thanks!!!!

bigreader you mention a sketch regarding using the wasted hallway but I can't see one? Did you mean to upload something?

Can you post me a picture? That does sound nice!