Nicole I forgot that you were very into the lovely Hampton's look as your photos appeared to be more contemporary Modern. I think this latest floor plan is more Hampton,s with the lovely tall built ins next to the fire. Those cabinets could be come a study/IT desk behind doors?, as I haven't noticed one any where else. But those cabinets do look the real deal Hampton's cheers

My little house is a typical triple-fronted red brick from the 50s, so it won't ever be the real deal in terms of Hamptons, so going for a more contemporary take on that style. Boutique Homes do a fabulous updated Hamptons style in their display homes, eg that fireplace I love the look of:

Your triple front red brick is perfect for a contemporary Hampton's style, love the fireplace, you can do that.

Here is option 2 taped out, with a square fireplace in the first pic and the landscape shape in the second.

Even though the square shape gives more room, and may even look better in the pic (?), it just doesn't look as balanced in real life. I can see why display homes always pair a landscape shape if there is a TV next to it.

It is hard to imagine, with that bulky TV unit throwing things off. We're going to try make the fireplace surround out of cardboard boxes! :)

Hi Nicole, some 3d for you. the first is with the fire place stepped back very narrow, the other 3 are inline with the pantry

Thanks sirius. Those images certainly look much more glamorous than my attempts at doing 3D in real life! Here is my effort at building a life-sized model of what the fireplace surround and cabinetry under might look like (ignoring the actual TV cabinet):

Reno going well, thanks, siriuskey. We are nearly finished installing curtain rods and curtains, and still have four blinds to cut down and install. I'm loving the large windows and abundance of natural light streaming into house. It has such a beautiful outlook and I'm glad we bought it. Exterior of house needs some maintenance and repainting, but that's not a big rush. One day the old double hung windows will need replacing, and will have to replace wood burning unit for a much more efficient one. Loads of work still in gardens, but I'm in no hurry. We can only do what we can do and we have our own gardens to tend. It's fun having another project. Take care. Note: Sorry to hijack your post, Nicole! Carry on. :)

Hijack away! Always something to learn. eg I too will need to replace wooden double hung windows. The builder is keen on aluminium awning as is lower cost and maintenance-free, but I worry that that is not sympathetic to the front facade of my 50s red-brick. Keep us updated on what you decide!

Will do! We are probably quite a ways off from that expense...ugh. We would go with aluminium double-hung, for ease of maintenance and to keep to original design. Good grief, that just reminded me of when my dad replaced all the pulleys and ropes in the double hung windows in the 90+ year old house where us kids grew up. I can't even recall how many windows there were but the house was an enormous 'black hole money pit' (his words, not mine).

Nicole will you be rendering or painting the red brick and what windows has the builder suggested you replace?

Not rendering or painting sirius.

All windows in the house except the living room corner window and the three bedrooms at the front will be new or replaced in the renovation. So our builder has suggested to think about replacing those ones too as they are old, single glazed and poorly sealed (we live in Melbourne so definitely important to have good windows).

Depends if we have enough money left after all the unexpected things that arise throughout a renovation! Probably would cost another $9K. A lot more if I go with aluminium double-hung to at least keep the look.

I can see why annb's dad called his house a black hole money pit when it comes to the windows!

Here is my house, so the 3 corner windows at the front are the only ones that will be left standing after the reno, unless we choose to replace them too (FYI that one at the back right is the one that will end up in the pantry):

Love your house Nicole the garden looks beautiful. Seeing this photo gives a better idea of the proportion of the floor plan and windows.

Don't know about you but I would be doing all new windows and sliding doors in black aluminium as these would fit beautifully with the all white front timber windows and red bricks. cheers

Here's your latest thought in 3D ( the sand coloured fireplace has changed to grey and the picture shrunk so that the TV looks square?)

I like the latest render. It delineates the room well and seems more intimate.

And I cannot help but say I love the original fireplace (those curves) and mirror above it.

i would also prefer to retain the original chimney and the tv on the other wall

Nicole said that there's no chimney on that wall just a mocked up fireplace unfortunately that's why she's re doing it cheers

Black and white windows and doors

Thanks for the latest 3D and photo sirius, those windows look gorgeous.

We sat with my life-sized model of option 2 last night and today (until I needed the ironing board that was propping it up!), and the arrangement felt right. I figure that we will aim for that, but if we find that once the space is opened up it seems too crowded, we'll put the fireplace in the middle of the back wall and the TV on the right.

The original art-deco style fireplace surround is certainly something (looks like pressed metal, but is made from plaster), but is very bulky, so I think the proportions would be all wrong - belongs in a much larger house. But strangely enough, it only has space for a tiny fireplace insert (not sure if they make them that small). All in all, a bit weird - such a grand surround for a tiny, ugly heater that is there atm, and no chimney or sign that there ever was one.

Sorry you lost your Mock up. Remember I asked you to sleep on possibly moving the TV and Fireplace to the other wall now that the passage is walled off and the doors to the living gone so that the entrance now becomes part of the whole space.

The TV and fireplace look a bit strange in the 2D it's just this very old CAD program. You could have a desk and storage even a window seat on the old wall.

The Black and white windows are lovely just trying to show you how if you were going to do your new windows and sliders in AL black they would look terrific. cheers

That wall is much longer so that things don't look squished together, you could have a lovely sandstone Pillar for a long fire and in this position you will be able to see the TV from every part of the open Plan, even the deck. cheers

Sorry I did mean to mention that something else you could consider if you really prefer the fireplace and TV on your mock up wall, is to remove the side of pantry and juts out into the living and add that wall to the living room. You could possibly work out to keep a wall of 200 deep shelves on the pantry side for open food storage. I know you Kitchen!! but consider it anyway cheers

You really come up with the coolest, out-of-the-box ways of looking at things sirius! So smart running that cabinetry all the way across to the entry!

I do like the idea of being able to see the TV from throughout the kitchen/dining/living. But I had really wanted that whole side to be clear so that as you enter, your sight line is from the entry all the way through to the backyard, to give a sense of space (and a little wow factor). Particularly as it will function as the major thoroughfare with the bedroom hallway closed off. In terms of space, with the fireplace surround on the back wall at 1530 it is only 170-200mm narrower than all the ones I've seen in the display homes, so I think it will be OK. So I'm still thinking that if option 2 doesn't look like it will work once the space is opened out and the pantry wall is built, my second choice would be to go with the fireplace centred on the back wall and the TV on the right wall.

And I don't think I can let that little bit of pantry go! The pantry is only 960 wide as is, with a 600 deep bench on the back wall, but only a 450 deep bench on the front wall. Wouldn't be worth keeping this arrangement if I wanted to push the front wall back - in that case it would better to just go back to the open layout in the kitchen, with a cupboard pantry.

Don't forget that lovely window in the pantry space, I think you could consider both sides as open shelves for food storage? as you have a lovely large kitchen. cheer

I'm thinking open shelves above and below the bench on the front side, as that won't be visible from the kitchen/dining area (benchtops on both sides for appliances). And drawers under bench on the back wall (that's why I made it 960 wide, so could fit a 900 wide bank of drawers for pantry items).

the line of sight from the entry is not straight along the wall but more towards the space between the sliding doors and the bare wall looks a little "bare" and although i doubt there's enough depth for a fire a sideboard in the dining area and TV over a low bookshelf may be worth considering

Wow, all these 3D images are just so incredibly helpful in trying to wrap my brain around the best way to lay out these rooms. Thank you both so much ok and sirius, and everyone who has contributed advice and ideas across my three posts (annb, Nik Star, Dr Retro etc etc)! I am learning so much, not to mention you have saved me from making a few not so great decisions. The final product will be much improved thanks to all your help.

https://www.sneddons.com.au/collections/heat-glo-gas-fireplaces/products/heat-glo-sl-350trsi

I have just posted this fire place to show an example of how little depth these modern fires need, I'am not sure how your research has gone into looking for a fire but these would certainly work on that very long wall. The view coming into the living room in any floor plan pans through to the rear garden, the fire place and TV not intruding, in fact adding to the wall cheers

That's the exact model I was planning to get if going for the squarer design (needs a 420 build out so perfect with drawers of around 400), and this one if go for the landscape (needs a 450 build out): https://www.sneddons.com.au/collections/jetmaster-gas-fireplaces/products/jetmaster-heat-glo-slr-x-plus-package

They look great, not cheap are they, what size are they both, 450 isn't too deep especially if it's just the width of the fire or just a bit wider. Do they have any instructions on installing a TV above them? cheers

The squarer one is about 714w x 767h, the landscape one is 1092w x 440h.

Just called Jetmaster and spoke to a very knowledgeable woman, and she said they don't recommend the TV above, but if so to mount it 500mm above (she also mentioned recessing the TV if on an external wall so can use a rear flue kit for fire, but not to recess if on an internal wall, as would be too close to the vertical flue).

So if the landscape style fireplace sits about 500 above floor, and is 440 high, that would put the TV at about 1450 above floor.

So it sounds like they need to be separate, It would be good if the heat was projected down away from the TV.

Would you be able to bring the height of the TV down if there was a long shelf running across just above the long fireplace, that might work it could be done in stone to match the stone wall of the fireplace, recessing the TV helps but does make it a bit more complicated. cheers

Amity for "The Block" did this in her house

That looks amazing! Would definitely have the room for something like this if on that long wall (I think the distance to the new location of the door into bedroom hallway would be about 5.3m)

Hey Nic... saw this & thought of you :)

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That is gorgeous Nik - if only I had the ocean view that goes with that house!

Nik Star and Nicole, I'am going to have to find a room with a view of the Eiffel Tower to beat that view Haha, cheers

haha!!!! Siri - you can have your Eiffel tower angel... give me the beach any day :) Nic - perhaps some driftwood, shells and a jar of sand might help bring the beach to you - just don't knock your sand flying or you'll literally be able to crank up your fireplace and lie down on your sand to sunbake lol.

Well, funny you should mention Eiffel Tower...I was looking for storage solutions yesterday and saw this:

Way off topic I know!

You guys are making me laugh! I'm with you Nik - would LOVE an ocean view. But perhaps in the meantime I'll settle for a jar of sand and the Eiffel Tower cabinet annb suggested.

Well I do remember a film "Forget about Paris", "Forget Paris"

annb that wardrobe is so funny x

I know! But wait, there's more! :)

You could roll the sand and the tower into one in a "Snow Ball"

Haha

Hello, was wondering if you have any updates to show us? Thanks !