The floor tile is basically a flat colour there's no vein or pattern at all. It's the bench that has the pattern. We already have a skylight and the only other area we can put a window has an a/c unit unfortunately. The other walls have rooms on either side. It's tough. I found another tile yesterday I love. But from about 11 until 3pm, the entire island bench has this yellow hue to it. I think because no direct sunlight is hitting it?? But mornings and evenings it looks lovely! I might just have to bite the bullet and go with how nice it looks for the majority of the time (mornings and evenings). That's when we are most there anyway.

Hi rebeccaiz By oak flooring do you mean solid oak, and if so what species, Tasmanian, European, etc? Will it be laid on a subfloor or glued? Here's a scale of hardness for you to consider. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janka_hardness_test Oak albeit durable comes in different widths. The wider it is the more prone to cupping. Oak engineered boards with say 4 or 6mm top layer will leak or swell with water on them in the kitchen. Dishwasher if it leaks, spills from cups/glasses as they enter the dishwasher, spills around the sink etc. We are about 2 weeks from completion and have oak engineered boards on our upper level - where the main kitchen is. So you really have to be careful. Not for a rental. Oak will mark / dent under a lady's high heels. May dent slightly from the inevitable dropped cup or can opener, you get the idea. Certainly if using solid oak you must varnish to prevent water ingestion. Varnishing gloss is no longer trendy. There is no problem with timber flooring in bedrooms. Carpet may seem luxurious but I'm in a rental property with a distinct urine smell from the carpet. Timber just requires a simple sweep or vacuum. Carpet as others have said will lose you more potential renters due to so many people with allergies. Kitchen flooring. Tiles chip hence the need for an expensive porcelain with the pattern all the way through. Digital print porcelain, rectified, surprisingly can also still be expensive but once they chip the substrate colour comes through and you notice the chip. There are some nice Vinyl, and Lino(leum) is an excellent choice. It is soft underfoot, provides insulation, very durable, easy to replace yet looks really attractive (and not very 50's at all.) An upmarket rental will command a higher price but it doesn't mean the property will necessarily be looked after any better. If you want timber flooring by all means but I would ensure that it has a protective layer that makes it waterproof.

Do you have to use the smaller front boundary for the garage? Is the noisy living space going to work with all bedrooms coming off this space? If the garage went to the south and can it be on the boundary in Sydney, that would leave the middle for bedrooms and the northern aspect for living, as most Australian houses benefit from northern light. The front setbacks would make an ideal outdoor space which high fences or high shrubs if not allowed high fences, if on a busy road most councils allow you to have sound barriers, leaving the entry to the house to come in off the long boundary, which you can make more of a feature. You have a corner block which is always a bonus. The beds will then have a quite zone, the living can have that northern end and cars can be pushed to boundary. Always look at the site before you look at plans. Always make sure the living aspect overrides the plans. Always make sure that living in a space overrides the plans, always.

Thank you every one for your input! We are very grateful for such great ideas :) VanessaL - the space next to the garage is the 4th bedroom/study, yes we have considered the dog leg in the hallway but we actually preferred it over a long straight hallway, to allow a little more privacy at the back of the house when the front door gets opened, people wouldn't be able to see all the way through the house to the back fence.. also the toilet your referring to is accessed via the ensuite so wont actually be walking past it on entry into the master Andy Pat & Liz Henderson - we have considered the northern alfresco blocking off the winter light and we are intending on having liz's idea of a angled roof over the alfresco or windows above the alfresco roof on the raised ceiling of the living included in the building design.. Liz we would love to see your photos Girl Guides - yes our cool breezes would come from the S, the garage is locked into being on the west as that is where the driveway access already is and changing it is a cost we would like to avoid Oklouise - this is a great plan thank you for your input we have considered having the ensuite on the external wall but then realised it is either going to be the toilet on the exterior (forcing still to have a sunlight) or the shower, where being so close to the fence (1m) the window would most likely only be a long high window - possibly being less effective than a sunlight window anyway? We really like your layout of bedroom 2 & 3 altho we are planning on having a window on the external wall above a sink in the butlers pantry.. and we really do think we would like to keep the dog leg in the hall Please note as well - the estate we are in requires re-assess that is why we have the rear roller door from the garage up the side of the house