didn't want to impose too many suggestions without your personal contribution but happy to attempt any other ideas you want... size has not been enlarged overall except for the extra verandah in front of the lounge (37 squares is about 345 sq m and my floor plan includes about 4 sq m extra for the verandah) the bedroom sized include the wardrobes and there are many alternatives eg have the island in stone and the other benches in laminate, do you prefer the sink in the island and how do you want to use the pantry? super efficient kitchen depends on how you like to work in the kitchen, a compartmented bathroom is more useful for a group of older children, an extra powder room accessible from outside would be useful, where do you want the clothesline and is there anything that you would like different?

Yes thank you, I should have added more info after everyones comments, its my first post so was just intently reading and thinking. To answer your questions on my kitchen. Yes would prefer sink in island, not in front of servery window. I dont have a butlers pantry now but I look forward to having kitchen appliances hidden in there, school lunchboxes hidden. They currently sit out on my kitchen bench and they drive me insane. I was worried about the placement of fridge, although decided its still fairly accessible?? I would like a 900mm oven and hotplate and also a 60cm oven/microwave combo in kitchen. I had 2 sinks originally, a small one for the island and a bigger one in pantry but to be honest I am not sure if I would use the extra in pantry. I guess my initial thought was I dont want a big one in my island so will need a big one in pantry for large items. I wonder with your drawing whether its a bit too open? I like the idea of hiding my butlers? I guess sliders or fancy cabinetry that from the kitchen looks like cupboards but its actually a doorway? Or maybe the first suggestion from siriuskey could work?

A powder room accessible from outside would be fantastic, although Im not keen on adding more money to the build with 3 toilets? Laundry Ive lost all my cupboards which I definitely need. If I Iost that extra small linen that would be ok but would prefer to keep laundry cupboards. clothesline would be anywhere down side of house.

My main brief when drawing house up, was large kids rooms, I like the idea of built in desks like original drawing. large kitchen/butlers with servery window Im really going for the indoor/outdoor feel. We spend all our time outside. I wanted a decent size WIR as well. In my current house we walk through WIR to get to ensuite with no dramas so I think I am happy with that.

I think thats all. haha

Hi Naomi, Just a couple of extra ideas, The pantry is big coming in off the garage so it really makes it a bit of a Mudroom entrance which is most likely a good idea so I have sectioned off the this from the pantry with a pocket door plus another pocket door into the kitchen?

I have moved the fridge into the kitchen proper for better family access for indoor and outdoor living, I still believe that the main fridges being within the pantry is a problem.

A 900 cook top is so much better than a 600.

The oven, I have suggested 2 x 600 or 700 ovens, I currently have a 900 and would swap back to my old 2 x 600 so much better usage to have two ovens as one can be very restricting plus you have the space.

I have placed the sink and DW next to the servery window and a smaller sink in the island. If I was to chose between the sink and the cook top in the Island the cook top would win easily, this is my second kitchen with the cook top in the Island and we love it, a sink can become very messy . (distance between benches is 1100 cheers

so many options to consider...do you mean a 900mm upright stove (with oven below) plus a wall oven and a separate microwave? the pantry could be open near the servery with the fridge at that end of the pantry or have a sliding door and a window in the pantry (high windows above wall cabinets could give light without using wall space but kitchen details can be worked out once you finalise the overall size and shape of the house eg here's another shape with similar size but more space in the wiw and a neater roof shape

thanks but describe your climate and where is north? and is the side passage intended for backyard drive through to the big shed?

Oh and my alfresco faces north, Im in mildura, vic so its hot and its cold. Will do some googling on compartmented bathrooms as suggested.

Siriuskey I prefer the placement of your fridge in your first suggestion. If I blocked that entrance off with fridge I could definitely use the first part as a mudroom as such, store school bags.

Dreamer thanks for the image very interesting. I would have to have hotplate practically in corner so as to keep my servery window. But maybe the hotplate being further away is better than fridge.

this really shouldnt be that hard haha

yes, shed will have roller doors on that end. We will never use it to put cars in, but added it for resale reasons. Not that that matters to me now as this is our forever home, but I guess one day it will be sold.

Well just another idea, why not include the laundry on the mudroom/pantry/laundry wall, with WC and somewhere to drop wet togs, an out door shower next to the pool, and the clothes line on the wall behind, great for hanging pool towels as well cheers

here's some samples of compartmented bathrooms...main advantage is multiple users at the same time and, keep in mind that the smallest vanity in these samples is 1800 wide, with twin sinks and matching mirror doored wall cabinets...plenty of storage for lots of toiletries, towels, toilet paper, cleaning products and generous shelf space for medicines, makeup, shaving gear etc and love the laundry on the kitchen side

My kids had laundry baskets on wheels (freedom) in their bedrooms so when needed they wheeled them to the laundry and were wheeled back to their bedrooms when washed linen was put into them.

This is my 3 way family bathroom

too many options to consider...i haven't included hallway near bed 5 as i think it divides the family room too much but here's the fridge inside the pantry and near the servery, a mudroom for coats and school bags and to create an airlock between garage and kitchen... and consider the alternative position for bedroms which allows more space in the family room, less front and more backyard, 4.5 m of linen and storage, bigger wiw and ens and the study open to the family room and extra doors to create better heating and cooling areas to suit your climate and still within the original floor area and with a much simpler roof (btw having explored the option for laundry next to the pantry i found that the distance to the angled boundary was not enough space for the laundry but there would be space for a shower and toilet at the back of the outdoor kitchen although, depending on your plans for the big shed an extra toilet and change room could be included in there

Not sure why the laundry won't fit as I took floor space from the planned Alfresco out door kitchen and moved the out door kitchen across?

Naomi, when I did my rough sketch and placed the fridge next to the garage, I wasn't aware that doorway was from the garage. A much better idea would be to remove that doorway and have side access at the back of the garage and then in through the front door. Or even having the garage door opening into the living room if you wanted internal access.

siriuskey, the original laundry, with appliances and storage along both sides would need about 2100mm internal width (plus thickness of external wall) and, placed on the rear alfresco would cover part of the servery or, placed on the outside of the pantry, it projects too close to the angled side boundary in the original floorplan and creates challenges for the hip roof but, there's always other ways to re-arrange the house if Naomi wants to keep exploring different ideas and i did manage to include a mudroom with direct access from the garage and also a covered front verandah from garage to front door

I made the first part of the original pantry into a mudroom as I thought that would be needed with this family (not sure how many children but 5 bedrooms suggests more than 2. Never liked the idea of having main fridge in the pantry, even in a small household, can you imagine the traffic to and from the fridge. In my first rough idea I moved the fridge from the pantry into the kitchen against the garage (not knowing that the doorway led from there). Your last floor plan showing a door on the side of the garage leading to the front door really works, but may need to work a mudroom in some where more ideas?

Re the laundry and pool facility, I never intended for the laundry to have another wall of linen storage that would be far better off over near the bedrooms, so the laundry wouldn't need to be larger than what I had planned 4m x 1750 approx, I did notice that the Alfresco went from 4m deep to 4.2m on your floor plan?, not sure why as that would have brought it very close to the boundary.

So many ways and ideas to do things, and the hrs spent drawing just as well we love doing it OK

the cooktop wall is about 3m (allowing 90cm for the big cooktop and 60cms for stacked wall oven and microwave leaving 70cms on either side of the cooktop and not enough for a fridge as well) but you can have the mudroom with the fridge in the pantry up near the servery..

Would the fridge and cooktop work instead on that wall?. Then putting oven/microwave combo in pantry? The oven is a 2nd oven anyway and mostly whatever goes in the microwave will be prepared in the pantry? Im even tempted to downgrade to a 60cm cooktop and oven to fit them all on that wall. Ive only ever had a 60cm cooktop and never felt I need a bigger one. And with 2 x 60cm ovens would probably not miss a 90cm oven? Your opinions are appreciated. I agree with others that have mentioned the traffic to the fridge. I have 3 kids.

I like the new position of study, not sure I love the WIR arrangement, although it may just be the case of getting used to it.

I was pretty happy with the rest of the house, so now I have some decisions to make. What worries me is the front facade will it look pedestrian since its square?

6x5m inside the shed will be a rumpus room that will be lined and will include bathroom/toilet.

A couple mentioned the toilet in my original plan is too far away from beds 3,4,5? I thought that was a good position as guests dont have to walk up hallway to use it.

I did ask for a powder room setup as I have 2 girls that fight over the bathroom mirror haha, although in original plan the size of the vanity/mirror is huge so I could have managed without the 2nd one. And I think thats one thing adding a huge cost to the house.

You guys are amazing to help people like you do, believe it or not I actually think the floorplan is my easy part. When its time to pick colours/tiles and paint I am going to be in HUGE trouble. Haha

extra information is very useful and will redraw your latest ideas (and thinking about your house allows us to ignore less interesting activities and, i agree that colours etc will be an issue that i'll leave to others but, my compartmented bathroom grew out of kids having to share a bathroom (as they were all trying to clean teeth with one basin, especially as they get older) and (with the rumpus in the shed) what is the purpose of bed 5? BUT, having a similar climate to yours i've been thinking about your climate and worrying that the extra big alfresco roof may make the livings areas too cold and dark (one of the reasons that i suggested pushing the square shape) so, what t is the exact direction of north on your plan? and i agree that the square look can be pedestrian if not done well but first check yourhome.gov.au for info about solar passive design to add to the research you're already doing!

Naomi your plan shows an outdoor kitchen with an under bench fridge/BBQ and "Fire Place", is this an open fire or a Pizza oven. Stick to the 900 cook top and 2 x 600 ovens. Microwave can be positioned along with your small appliances as per my floor plan showing on the back wall with either Bi fold doors or just open shelves. If you don't have a door between it and the kitchen you would need to consider the bi folds cheers

I can imagine that you would get quite a few visitors to your beautiful area, thank goodness for that amazing shed.

Siriuskey - Yep I understand now, putting the 2 ovens on top of each other! Got it haha

Naomi what size fridge/freezer will you have, I miss my 600 double ovens the 1 x 900 just isn't enough, Having them stacked works really well and the microwave with the small appliances in the Pantrry

Ok so after looking, thinking, looking, thinking I think I agree with swapping bed 5 with study and laundry/toilet. As shown in one of your first drawings oklouise. I dont need the shower tho and will use the rest of old study/linen area for linen as I will lose linen from laundry. keep bathroom exactly how it is but add toilet next to vanity. Solves some concern about access to toilets from outside, walking through house wet and wet towels. What do u think?

overlapping posts (will look at the laundry again)...but we all use our kitchens differently and i'm wondering how you use yours...do you expect to do a lot of stove top cooking and stir frying or more baking...if you want the fridge near the cooktop there's enough space for a fridge and a free standing 90cm wide stove (with oven underneath) and have an extra stacked wall oven under the microwave in the pantry

yes more of a baker, thats perfect, I would need 100cm fridge cavity but that will still fit, I would have a cavity door as shown so I think that will work well?

Something new to consider with the bathroom laundry linen. Study/bedroom 5 or study computer where I had the other laundry and WC.

The small appliance cupboard as mentioned has bi-fold doors in lieu of a pocket door between kitchen and pantry.

Mudroom then WIP into kitchen allows for 1000cm space for fridge 60cm pot drawers, 90cm cooktop, 60cm pot drawers and 600 stacked ovens for baking within the kitchen. this will give you a good cooking zone.

Microwave is with the small appliances. and you can swap the large sink with the small if preferred, I would suggest that you have two good sized square sinks, one single bowl and the other 1 1/2 bowls, You will need one for clean up of small appliances.

Naomi I forgot to mention that the 900 cook top has 900 pot drawers below, that gives a work space of 2100cm

I am adding another plan for you to consider.

Having a glass
doorway from the kitchen, pantry, mudroom to the Alfresco, moving the
fridge onto that long wall, two door fridges, french style are great as
they don't take up so much space when open. The out door kitchen will
still need an under bench fridge for drinks.

I have moved the large sink in front of the servery as this is where the clean and dirty cutlery & crockery will pass.It
has been mentioned that the kitchen could be dark with the under cover
Alfresco area, so I thought that it would be a good idea to open up the
wall between the living family with double full height pocket doors
(ceiling height). This could be a media room and added to the indoor
living space when needed, this would also keep noise away from the
Master. (dm stan had a similar idea). The Alfresco photo that I have
posted shows what could happen re light.

Naomi this roofing system for your alfresco would be perfect

https://www.louvretec.com.au/pages/opening-roofs-australia

Just cut an access from the Family room through beside the laundry and you have good access to both groups of bedrooms rather than walk all the way along a long passage to bed 5. Your T.V. wall becomes a central focal point of the room which will help focus your furniture layout. Yes you loose some cupboard space but that's a small price to pay for the gain you will receive. This design exercise is all about being efficient and involves compromise. Also consider widening your powder room to have a vanity basin and your just about done.

If it were me I'd also consider flipping the powder/cupboard for the laundry so the powder room is beside and readily accessible from the family room as well. Currently guests need to walk virtually to bed 2, then along a passage and through the laundry to access the powder room. You will need to juggle the linen cupboard to provide ready access to the powder room but it will now be working far more efficiently. By flipping that entire area and cutting the access through the powder room can now be used from both the pool/alfresco area and the family room - "perfect".

well done Naomi, but i still have concerns about bed 5 projecting into the rear garden and would much prefer the bedrooms to project into the front yard and worry that the very deep alfresco roof will make the family room and kitchen cold and dark during long cold winters and again suggest that you check out yourhome.gov to better understand solar passive design (your building designer should also be able to do a shadow plan to help explain the effect) and i've been testing other ideas to see if i can identify better options ...so much to think about and you only asked about the island!!

You have spent a lot of time on your new home and as Ok said you only asked for help with the kitchen Island.

I was wondering if you wouldn't reconsider moving the entrance to the bedroom wing to the left, this not only breaks up that long passage and gives you a great place for a TV and computer.study desk on either of two long corner walls. but it will also offer more light into that long passage.

Did you look at the attached link, they are brilliant for controlling light & weather and look great at the same time. cheers

https://www.louvretec.com.au/pages/opening-roofs-australia

Keep the pantry open to garage, even if the first cabinets are mudroom type cabinets for shoes, school bags and coats. Its practical so you can walk your groceries straight from car into pantry, rather then all the way round. I like the pantry reconfigured so it opens both sides. I have a butlers pantry with sliding door. It is open 99% of time. I think your seperate lounge would be nicer opening to dining space. All the best.

Ok so after all the feedback I made some changes.

After looking at it, I would like to make entry point from garage on the garage wall, so you still enter into pantry, but you dont have to walk through pantry to gain access to the house.

I would also like to flip bathroom and bed 3 so bathroom is centred between rooms.

Also not convinced I should have entry to lounge from kitchen, should I have kept it entering from the entry.

My only issues now is, do you notice how the bathroom steps in? This is because the ensuite is a bit bigger. Will it look ok once built or do I take that 30cm from my ensuite/main room to level it up? If so do I take 15cm from ensuite and 15cm from main bedroom?

Also I really wanted the compartment bathroom that oklouise suggested. But its not big enough. Any ideas? My current bathroom is 3100 x 2600.

Look back at 27 March 6.32pm post from Oklouise. I much prefer that design for garage entry but rather then have a closed off mudroom leave it open into the pantry straight ahead. Run the mudroom cabinets next to the pantry ones on the iytside wall. And keep the side entry on the right straight into the house. In terms of doors into lounge. Why do they have to be in middle of wall on either kitchen or entry side. What about 2 doors that meet at right angles on the corner? Or angle the corner somehow? In terms of bathroom set back a bit I think it looks fine.

i can't read the measurements on your plan...if bed 2 is 4200 then beds 3 and 4 should only be about 3200 wide but the family room has been enlarged by moving the central study area??...please post the original plan with clear dimensions and i'll try and redraw your latest ideas

another variation for you but, with all the different ideas, it's now probably time to go back to your building designer and confirm what will fit the site and the budget, best of luck with your new home

Just another question mainly directed at Oklouise if you have time. The bathroom layout that you suggested is what I have my heart set on. Only problem is the architect has said she cant fit it in a 3.3 x 3.3 space. Can you check for me and tell me actual dimensions of the bath and toilet?

perhaps the architect has information not available to me and you should ask her what the problem is but, based on the 3300 x 3300, attached internal dimensions as requested