can put in skylight if you need more light ? more lights ? or build your fake wall a bit in and only high enough to hide the windows but not all the way up to the ceiling so you let in light from your 3 windows?

Hi There Brian, I have been pondering your UK project, and like all big cities around the world, affordability is out of reach of most. Harking back to the Aussie House built which was once garage and is now a 5 story home. Is you your plan part of a complex? or is there opportunity for access to a roof top?. My concern is to make the most of internal space, the first floor would be Ok, but for top end dollar I would like to see two good sized bedrooms with ensuite, to accommodate 2 professionals or 2 adults and child/guest. Is there anyway that the 1.5 down stairs out door space could be included as internal space and part of the bedrooms, with glass panels/skylights opening, with blinds for privacy. This would then do 3 things allow more fresh air and light along with space for decent ensuites and WIR. I think that the 1,5 if allowed is more important for internal space. If you do have access to roof top the laundry could be moved back up to the entry level. Also have you considered a single stair case, is it a modern contemporary house. Just thinking cheers

Last piece of advice simonsays - never "assume" anything - more often than not people sorting through this stuff on their own misjudge, either in under or over estimating what's involved, incorrectly thinking that it will be either easier or harder than it actually will be to achieve whatever it is......you need to define your various project requirements/details etc as a starting point, and have clarity on what aspects are more or less important for you. This also must include your budget BEFORE you put pen to paper working through the design solution...so if you want a 2-way fireplace, consider it now, and factor it in within the process of working through the costs (which should be occurring simultaneously.........also, remember that "design" is a process, working towards an outcome, which as always is about resolving project requirements to budget within a particular context/conditions.......the project outcome, whatever that is, will be very much determined by the design process and the extent it is invested in and executed....hope this all helps and best of luck with it all :) PD

Hi oklouise, Thanks for your efforts, it's a tricky house as it has been added to over the years by the previous owner. Hopefully these two plans are easier to work with. The current kitchen + dining/lounge are a converted deck which overhang a paved area. The supporting walls upstairs run E-W and are the northern wall on bed 3 and 4, and the northern wall on the family room running across to the bathroom. The area including bed 1 & 2 and the ensuite is an extension that was used as a granny flat, so bed 1 was actually used as an kitchette/lounge by the previous owner. We'll probably end up using bedroom 2 as a study, while bedrooms 3 & 4 are for children. Downstairs: the floor of the workshop/garage/laundry area are about 60cm higher than the rest of the downstairs area so the ceilings are low in that area. The garage isn't usable as a garage as the driveway is too steep. The thick walls downstairs are besser block walls. There is a window spanning the exterior wall of bed 5. The hot water heater is in the current laundry so we've been trying to avoid moving the kitchen too far from there.