Don't plant the giant bird of paradise in this small bed. Fantastic plants and have used them at our house. They will grow so big and destroy your paving. I have also used clumping bamboo and my wife hates it due to the mess it makes. Constantly dropping leave etc. Would not plant near a pool for this reason. Another negative comment. Bougainvillea should never be planted in the ground. Lovely flowers but get our of control, dangerous spines and almost impossible to kill. Keep in a pot and keep trimmed. We put Xanadus next to our pool at our holiday house. Perfect size and clean. Consider other ways to hid the fence. Perhaps some type of bamboo screening??

as a fellow downsizer my suggestions are aimed at comfort and easy access.. rotation of the ensuite allows for more walking space and room for a small side table and chair near the bath. the toilet room closer to the bedroom door keeps wet floors away from the vanity and consider adding grab rails for comfort in the shower and they also make great towel rails and easier to add during construction ...I've stolen a little space off the living areas to add extra walking space in the guest room and study, these rooms are now interchangeable (if you prefer the study with a view) and the guest bathroom has external access for the pool...strongly recommend you identify purposes for all the storage areas so spaces can be designed to suit eg the space on the right as you walk in from the garage could be ideal for sit down bench with wall racks for coats etc or a counter for sorting bags of groceries ...you created an excellent plan and I would be happy to change or explain any of my suggestions

Yeah oklouise that opens it up ...I'd Keep pool/poolhouse as is, but flip the kitchen back over so the island doesn't interrupt the vista down the passage to the pool, powder room could be worked in somewhere b/w MPR & Laundry. The adjusted stair however of course will change the upper level layout. Just a thought/question considering such a tight site, arguably a lot of unused side area that I understand is there to maintain rear access via garage, but as I see ripe for the design picking/opportunity should you concede rear access happens through the house. Considering your coming through the garage anyway you could possibly set the laundry up so that it runs lengthways down with the block and you essentially take over the external area with the flow of the laundry and when need be you access the external through the garage, into the laundry and then out - better use of the land IMO but as siriuskey said previously ultimately your home and your decisions/priorities :)

Hi AndrewJason, I love cavity sliders. they are there when you want them but not visible when you need the space open. Having said that they cost more, take a bit of wreckage to set up and in you WA case you will be wrecking brick walls to put them in which might be a stretch of mess too far. BUT you will need to weigh up if they are worth it in the end. I do not think the build will be too bulky in the kitchen/dining because it will be superbly practical on both sides and it maybe just a matter of what you are used to. Not sure about "Average Joe...…" we are all good at somethings, mine is plans, function, practicality, solar. Yours might be brain surgery, empathy for unwell folks, kinda or you make the best seafood lasagne in the world... we are all needed to make for a great world: and it really is that!!! Good luck with your splendid home: I think it is beautiful. And PS if you do make the best seafood anything I better have your address....!!!!!!! MK