Hi Mike and Emma Hope you are slowly but surely getting there... may I make some comments/suggestions that you may or not take on board, but hopefully it may at least give you some ideas/options... Going through a new build ourselves at the moment, and for what it's worth, here's what I personally think: A. Work with what you've got: - additional plumbing work, gas work etc may not be necessary and (particularly gas) can be costly when you're trying to work around existing walls, floors, etc, and as much as possible utilise the existing connections... after whatever you can save here and there, you can spend on nicer cabinetery, gadgets, finishes, etc :) B. Avoid unnecessry structural work: - removing the kitchen/living wall is a must (more space, light, etc) but removing the laundry wall is an unncessary added cost (may even require costly additional strutural support) - putting up a plastered wall on the other hand is inexpensive, allows you to redefine different zones and relocate doors/openings where required (*note: avoid hinged doors in small spaces as you have to allow for wasted space to open door - suggest cavity sliding doors, easy to incorporate in a new wall) C. Don't sacrifice functionality and natural light for design - love full height floor to ceiling cabinets, very much on trend... but they also tend to bring the walls in, which you want to avoid in an already small space... they will also block out more natural ligtht from the only window to the living and breakfast bench (meals area)... not to mention seated guests would be staring at a cabinet tower and fridge - on the other hand a walk in pantry (not that much of a walk in a small space) is also very much on trend, provides more storage and... as entertaining guests in open plan livings tends to happen more in the kitchen... it provides a good hiding place for unsightly items, including frigges... (an underbench bar fridge in the kitchen can easily keep those beers cold... though do consider that means sacrificing some cabinet space) - constantly wiping off the floors from dripping wet dishes across the kictchen from the sink to the dishwaser on the other side bench would personally drive me mad after a while... the dishwasher can easily be connected to the existing sink water and waste points through the cabinerty... any half decent plumber should be able to do that... ON THAT NOTE... or should I say those notes... I know I got a bit carried away :) ... if it were me, here's an idea of what I would try to achieve ...

Hi I am really interested in this discussion for similar reasons. Currently our plans squeeze in a pantry under the stairs so 1.5 m X 1 m. Builder suggests we shrink ensuite from 3350 x 1650 to 2350 x1650 long so it becomes a proper walk in pantry 2m x1.5 m. I was concerned I will end up with two nonfunctional spaces. But it sounds like the pantry will work. What are everyone's opinion on a master ensuite size. It means I'll have a single basin vanity only 500 m wide

my suggestion would be to move the pantry out of the laundry, move the laundry door and change to a cavity slider so that the kitchen has two distinct Lshaped work areas and more floor space so several people can use the kitchen at the same time, entry door to the family room is also moved and changed to a cavity slider to make space for tall pantry and other storage cabinets that still allows space for a lounge ...subject to kitchen window the wall cabinets are rearranged, MW is stacked with a WO next to the fridge and there's space between the wall oven and cooktop for an appliance area away from the island and sink..the island is big enough for serving and eating and the support pole is reduced to a minimum or removed altogether..the kids should now be able to load the dishwasher, raid the pantry and/or the fridge without encroaching on the cook

Thanks @dreamer. I took your advice because it makes sense (I'll post a photo of our new plan) I think it's lovely that you and your husband still do dishes together, I quite enjoy doing the dishes actually, but not when my toddler is stuck on my leg. Dishwasher will probably used when we have guests over. It's actually my husband who was sold on the idea of butler's pantry but I couldn't justify it and see the point that's why I posted on here to hopefully see from other's perspective so thank you. We are a young family so always taking the kids into consideration when planning the house. We also entertain a lot, Filipino buffet style, so an island will be perfect! I sew a lot and need a big space for cutting fabric as well that's also why we wanted to keep the island without the sink. We plan to put a barn door as pantry door but we might do that later on after we have moved in and see how it goes or we might even leave it without a door but we will make sure they put in extra support in those walls for possible barn door. We abandoned the idea of window inside the pantry because I figured it will let a lot of sunlight especially it's facing north east and not good for food storage obviously. The only dilemma I have now is whereto place our microwave and deep shelving solutions for the pantry but we're pretty happy with this now. Thank you all