Thanks, oklouise. This is our only bath, so it needs to stay. The kitchen does not have lots of storage, so I was hoping to increase the size of the pantry a bit. Or to make it rectangle so that there is more storage. If I need to then I will take some space out of the lounge beside the kitchen. So the ensuite has a reasonable vanity, toilet, shower and bath. The pantry has the fridge in it as I am not keen on how it would look in the kitchen. But I am open to ideas. Deanne.

This is the easiest way to do this! You could maybe fit a separate loo room with double vanities and shower/bath in a room together but this would look far more spacious. The door maybe able to stay right where it is or you might like to centre is with the window. The minute you have ferns, greenery and a feature out in the garden THAT becomes the focal point. Hope this helps and you like it. Cheers Margot

When it comes to designing your dream kitchen, there are so many decisions to be made. From budget, size, style and of course the kitchen layout. So we’ve come up with our Top Tips for your Kitchen Layout to help you along the way and take the stress out of one of these decisions! We’ll help you to get the most out of your existing kitchen, guide you through a design from scratch, and also give you some ideas if you’re in the planning stage of your kitchen renovation. TOP TIPS FOR YOUR KITCHEN LAYOUT When it comes to designing your dream kitchen, there are so many decisions to be made. From budget, size, style and of course the kitchen layout. So we’ve come up with our Top Tips for your Kitchen Layout to help you along the way and take the stress out of one of these decisions! We’ll help you to get the most out of your existing kitchen, guide you through a design from scratch, and also give you some ideas if you’re in the planning stage of your kitchen renovation. Best Laid Plans If you’re the cook in your home, you’ll understand how important the kitchen layout is. Not only do you need to consider this at the very beginning of your build or reno, you also need to be realistic about the things that will affect the layout. Unfortunately, planning the perfect kitchen isn’t just a matter of choosing the perfect coloured cabinetry, or your dream marble benchtop…so much of the functionality hinges on your kitchen layout. Follow our Top Tips for your Kitchen Layout, and we’ll get you on the way to a practical, functional (and gorgeous) kitchen in no time! Small Packages That’s what they say right, good things come in small packages? Well, the same thing can be said about a small or compact kitchen. If you’re renovating your current kitchen and don’t have the budget or space to expand it, then you’ve got to be creative here. Start with the current kitchen layout, are you moving plumbing and the sink? Are you leaving the cooktop and oven in it’s current position? When your current space is functional and you are happy with the existing kitchen layout, it’s purely about cosmetics. This kind of update or reno will save you money in the long run by leaving the key pieces where they are. So just enjoy the process of choosing new cabinetry, tiles, cupboard handles and maybe new appliances, kitchen sink and tapware. Voila! Too easy! In some ways, having a smaller space can lead to greater functionality. Because you have to consider carefully where every single element will be placed within the space, so it can lead to innovative ideas. Take cabinetry for example. Gone are the days where it was just under bench cabinetry – even in the smallest of kitchens, you can create so much storage. Try corner cupboards with hinged doors, pull-out full height pantries, oversized pot drawers, plate drawers…the list goes on!

Did the $50k include demo and the new flooring or appliances as well? If $18k was cabinetry which isn’t unreasonable, was the remaining $32k just to remove the wall? What structural support was needed? You may not be able to open up the space without the structural work. Was there only one quote? Was it from a kitchen place? Did they sub contract out the demo and building? If so, you may get better pricing by project managing and organising the trades yourself. You need to finalise the structural items and layout before your get to the fun stuff of planning the kitchen cabinets.