Progress, our laundry is becoming a laundry bathroom and sink is in and washing machine working a big relief when you have 3 children under 6. First photo can see washing machine sink next to external door, I was planning to mount dryer above bench but have found out my dryer is not able to be mounted on wall..... oh well I don't use it very often it can live in the garage maybe more overhead cupboards Second photo new external door where window was ,,, am loving the extra light and the direct access to the clothes line. You can see the existing toilet area. The old broom cupboard now has a window for light and ventilation and plumbing for shower Third photo the opening for the new cavity door into spare bedroom yet to be completed. The plumbing showing hole in wall as we have put an outdoor shower both hot and cold, taps for washing machine and sink. We also had to put water and drain in for shower. In answer to the costing $5500 for the demolition, doors windows and all plumbing. cabinets $1500 $500 for the fittings taps 2 showers etc Still have to tile and paint We are happy with the way it is looking

If you are after plans of architecturally designed homes, magazines may be your best bet (try libraries as you are unlikely to get most at the newsagent), however there are also a number of open homes and architecturally designed homes that are open to the public, including the Rose Seidler House. Also, if you are trying to get away from the kit-home look, take note of how the architects and designers use everyday material creatively in unexpected ways to achieve a highly polished look. As for your floor plans, further work is needed to the downstairs plan. I would seriously question whether you need two bathrooms downstairs. The bathroom for the guest room could be used by everyone (maybe consider setting it up as a three-way bathroom). You can remove the doors between the pantry and the butler's pantry, it is already hidden and just uses up space. As MB Design & Drafting has said, there is a lot of empty space on the downstairs plan and there is going to be an empty void around the meals area. Also of note, try to have continuity in your windows - that is, try to minimise the number of different sized windows and ensure they are standard sizes where possible (its cheaper and more cost effective to make 10 of one thing rather than 10 custom sizes); and try to ensure that the header and sills have a relationship. You have engaged an architect as you feel they are able to successfully design you ideal home. I would suggest giving the architect the ability to experiment and push your brief, otherwise you are doing yourself and them a disservice and you should have gone to a draftsperson how would have simply just drawn up your ideas as you stated them. You are on the right track, so don't give up! Often a design needs lots of discussion between the client and the architect before a great design can be achieved. Whilst it is wonderful that public forums such as this exist, ultimately the discussion needs to occur between yourselves and the architect as you are the ones who will be living there. Take time to listen to their ideas, and don't be afraid to question something you don't understand.

Hi Siriuskey, They are timber looking tiles - we absolutely love them. We are considering the same for the new place but potentially herringbone/parquetry arrangement. Much more expensive vs. laminate but easier to clean and no concern in relation to water...

Hi Dr Retro, Thank you. I really appreciate the input and the time you've taken to explanation your point of view. I really do want to get an understanding of where the issues lie in this design. So I hope you'll forgive me digging a little deeper. I don't quite follow why you think the design would require a 6m lintel. Yes, it does require a 6m track, but the track can simply be attached to the wall. The weight of the door need not be supported by the top track. It could be supported from below. The whole point of putting the configuration on the outside of the wall is to minimize the need to make structural changes to the building. There currently is no capacity to install a 6m wide external sliding door/window unit. Likewise I don't follow why the door should be any draftier than any other external sliding doors. The cavity is on the outside of the wall, so draft is not going to get in via the cavity. Other sliding doors of the unit type have the same draft problems this configuration would and solve it by using an overlapping flange at the front end of the fixed door and the back end of the slider. The same could be applied here, where we treat the wall as the fixed door.The point at which the doors engage each other has also be solved for other door configurations. It is just a matter of having a loose tongue and groove configuration. Again this is exactly the same as a unit providing center opening sliding doors. Finally the same sliding mechanisms are used in other sliding door configurations, so I don't see why that should be any draftier here either.