Is your only sink really in the pantry? If so, your island and cupboards are miles away from the sink and stove. Don't know about you but I would use the island as the main prep bench so I would definately not to be able to pivot from that location and be within a single step reach of both the sink and stove. That layout looks like far too much labour to do something as simple as chop a salad, put something in a frying pan and place a hot, used pan in the sink.

It's helpful to think about preparing a basic meal in that space. Not on an entertaining night but on a normal, must cook dinner quickly night. If you can't do that basically standing still or only moving a step or two in any direction, your kitchen may not work on a practical level.

And I'm not a fan of that study with no external window or natural light. How much work do you think you can get done sitting in a cupboard? I've seen commercial offices within no natural light, no-one ever wants to spend time in them.

Thanks for your comment Austere Hamlet. Agree with your points around the kitchen, would you have any suggestions to improve functionality? In terms of study we have put a solar tube in there for natural light...do you think a sky light or internal windows would be more suitable?

Could you maybe include a plan of the block and where North is?
I'm concerned that all your family room space is similarly going to be very dark.

I think you've given potentially valuable windowed space to the laundry, pantry and wc and that if your entry was moved over to between living and bedrooms you could make those areas a separate exit from garage and have them less along a boundary. Then you could potentially have a hall which leads to your master bedroom and avoid the funny situation you have now.

Thanks CP. A copy of the plan including north below also with furniture layout. Study layout is wrong below but rest of the plans are final.

I see your point re natural light, we have tried to combat this with the 3x skylights which we are hoping to bring the natural light in. Unfortunately we have a really ugly 2 storey house on the fence near the kitchen which is why we have put in butlers pantry and laundry that side.

Is your pantry designed to be the prep area? if so that would make a lot more sense functionally but probably won't work for chatting to guests when you entertain. the plan is so small it's difficult to see what the intentions were.

with regards to your study. it will probably work better and be more cost effective for the wall between the study and living area to be frosted sliding glass doors. that way you can close off the room when you need to but still retain the natural light from the living room. it will feel more like a purposeful space and less like a cupboard.

That was the initial plan but on second review we feel this will be impractical for cooking during the week, especially while trying to supervise two young kids. We are hoping We might get some feedback of how we can change the location of appliances whilst maintaining the existing structure to make it more functional.

Great idea about the study layout. We will look into this further. Do you have any pics of examples

While the list of rooms and spaces seems to be adequate for a four bedroom home the relationship of these spaces to each other and the outside seems to be poor, and the amount of natural light is also poor.

I would consider swapping master bedroom with WIR and ensuite so it is on the corner of the house. A small hallway between the family and the master bedroom would give you the separation you need without taking a chunk out of the corner of the family room.

I would also swap the laundry with the kitchen, so the kitchen is on the rear corner of the house and has an opportunity for an external window.

The two-way lounge room at the front will be problematic to furnish, and will make it easy for any little kids to wander out the front door without parents knowing about it. If it is an adult space then you don't need an opening to the kids hallway leading to their bedrooms. If it is a kids play space then you don't need an opening into the entry hall. By having both puts the function of the room into question.

I suggest to most of my clients that spaces for computer use by kids are better placed in a more public area, like a family room, rather than shut away, as there are lots of bad things on the internet, and some supervision is needed. If it is a study for an adult for professional use then more separation from the kids' area may be warranted.

The family room seems to be very internal and focussed on the TV without much of an outlook.

It may be worthwhile getting a design professional to do an internal sun and shadow study so that you understand how little sunlight your home will get during the year.

Best of luck with your considerations,

Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls/Dr Retro Virtual Visits

With regard to the study....

Here is the kind of thing I'm talking about. It may work for you. You see how these doors allow the smaller space behind to be completely separated from the larger room while light still filters through both. It might make the home office feel a little less closed in given that it has no view.

With regard to your kitchen. The current layout has limited bench space in the main living area which will be the limiting factor. That's because most of the bench and storage was planned to be in the pantry. If moving appliances is the only thing you want to change, then I would put the sink in the island as close to the stove as possible.. That way you will have the working triangle between the sink, stove and fridge. If you plumb the island you can also install your diswasher into it as well to keep it hidden from the living areas.

I don't know what was planned in the area behind the island, high cabinets? The fridge? Microwave? But whatever was planned there, make sure that is now a wall of benchspace to help with functionality.

Note in this kitchen how moving between the sink and stove only requires you to pivot in the one spot. The fridge is a couple of steps away which is fine. You would remove items from the fridge, put them on the island behind you then do all of your prep there. Nice and close to the stove. This is the kind of activity you need to think about when designing the kitchen layout. If you constantly have to walk from one end of the kitchen to the other while cooking, your layout isn't effective.

Whilst you may not like the view of the property next door, you have a reasonable offset to screen with planting and say shutters if needed. I think it is really important to maximise light. I would look at swapping the study and living with the kitchen and pantry. With the current kitchen layout, when you cook who can you see - not the people at the bench or at the dining table or lounge. The fridge and freezer could be at the side. Really think how you use the space, let that dictate over what you think would look good in a display home.

Thanks Austere Hamlet.

Really like those study ideas. If we went with that option would you still have the door off the hallway aswell.

Re kitchen I think we put the fridge and freezer on the side wall as Kate mentioned and then replace cabinets behind island with bench place which could have the cooktop and sink. That way everything is a few steps away and visible to both living and dining. Thinking we could have a second sink in butlers pantry that we could use to put big dishes like pots and pans

Does the garage need to be on that side of the house? That front north corner would be a lovely spot for a lounge room and study.

Thanks Rachelen. Prefer not to move the garage but it can be moved. If we did move it though the garage would be on east side and bedrooms west which isn’t ideal