Samantha B I just completed my kitchen Reno in Perth. My pantry was also bricked up like yours. Literally doubled the space by getting rid of it but we found out after that the pantry was structural & we had to put an extra support beam in the roof instead ($800) so be careful of that! We completely moved the plumbing, gas & electrics & it only cost a few hundred! So don't be afraid to do that as long as u know decent priced tradies! We ended up doing nearly everything ourselves & went with a masters flat packed kitchen & sourced our own stone benchtops dirt cheap ($2500 installed for a 2m bench & a 1.5m island each with one waterfall edge.). Heres before & after pics.

Hey there, did you find some stools, knobs and handles?

Making it longer and removing the overheads definitely opened it up (and I love the sleek look!) but I'm just wondering...where'd the microwave end up? Also, I know it's a crass question, but I want to do something very similar (veeeerry similar; I love your taste in cabinetry, and the light fixtures are awesome). Can you give a ballpark indicator of the ACTUAL project costs? I've done basic sums but I'm worried how things will blow out. Can you also mention if there's any parts of the renovation that you didn't think would work out expensive but which blew out to bigger problems?

it would be useful to know the direction of north and the main entry door but, if the view is out through the alfresco, having the kitchen near the laundry and rearranging the master suite would allow better access to the views from all the rooms without needing an extra hallway.. some ideas to consider with space for a bigger island with sink facing the view if preferred