Hi oklouise, thank you again so much for your suggestions to help me reflect on my choices! The great thing about this whole process is that it has really helped me clarify my must haves/dealbreakers and nice to haves. Key elements that I don't want to forego are: 1) a "master suite" with large WIR + private ensuite+ direct private garden access/views. The current northern bedrooms are elevated and do not allow these elements and better suited to small kids as no external doors and can be eyeballed from the kitchen. 2)The kitchen must be the heart of the home and connected to all living spaces so the host never feels disconnected from guests & can watch kids from almost any living space.I attended a party last weekend which had the kitchen blocking the living room from the outdoor space and the host commented they regretted it after renovating. 3)The dining room must be an end destination vs a corridor so it does not become a dumping grounds for bags, mail & everything else as the nearest flat surface to the entry point. 4) All new bedrooms must also be min 3 -3.2M wide on the narrowest side for me to justify them. 5) I reviewed all my lookbooks and tear sheets pulled to date and its a clear pattern that I want my 'adult' living and dining/entertaining spaces connected to the rear garden preferably wrapping l-shape round a deck or courtyard garden. In a sense 'broken' vs open plan but still visible through glass etc. 6) I would not be prepared sacrifice the prime N/NE aspect with utility rooms. 7) I don't wish to place a verandah at the front as it will never be used except extra maintenance and can create shading in summer via other methods. 8) capacity to rent out room with private living quarters. There are many splitter blocks in my area and I don't need it to operate as legal dual occupancy. 9) single level living -no second story bedrooms etc. 10) separation of main bedrooms when renting out section of house Phew....I think thats most of the checklist criteria I have been working to. Still think tanking the street appeal/front facade style but its probably leaning toward lux byron bay beach cottage meets modern coastal with some retro elements to hint at the history of this 1950s house!

And to answer your question siriuskey. Yes the front room has been opened out into a verendah. This room got really hot in summer so wasn’t working as another living space. We’re restricted to what we can change at the front of the house as we are in a heritage area. We can make changes without a DA if we don’t change the front of the house. Agree we can change a lot with a wooden house, but I think we’ll be restricted on reusing windows. All our casement windows are original glass from the 1930s so won’t be to modern building code. If we move them, they’re gone. However replacing with modern glass would bring more light into the home. We’ve put fans in all rooms and always have the French doors open in bed 2 so light and ventilation haven’t been an issue. Might become so if we put a moody teenager in there though!

I feel the bedroom would be claustrophobic however. By my calculations, there would be only around 900mm between the foot of the bed and the wall - which is fine if it's a secondary space - but this is to be the parents retreat and it needs to feel luxurious and open. Di Njsd also indicated originally that the window was to become a door to allow egress to the patio outside. A bed up against that wall nullifies that objective.

Haha -- I had a mobile home that I use to tow my race car to meetings , but after 18 months of pointing out to the NZ authorities that they are idiots , I've officially de-registered it and re-registered it as a mobile office ! A 6 berth mobile home needs 6 certified seat belts , for example . A 6 berth caravan can be towed by a 2 seater ute though , and in fact it is 'illegal' to add more seats to a ute . A 10 seater van can be used to tow a 2 berth , or 6 berth , caravan . But a 6 berth mobile home has to have 6 certified seats and belts . You cannot even legally take 1 or 4 seats out , and put in say bunk beds and fold up seats , and only have a driver and 1 passenger ! Here's where it gets weird though -- a mobile office only needs 1 certified seatbelt for each person onboard when it is moving . So you can have 1 seat , or 1 certified seat and a 56 seater theatre , or office wheelie chairs ( as long as you don't have people in them when on the road ) . Hell , an office can have a kitchen , a shower , a toilet , a bedroom or two , basically whatever you want ! There's even things like a Mobile Home cannot be legally parked overnight ( 'freedom camping' ) in some streets or parking areas , but a mobile office can ! So to me , working remotely will now take on a whole new meaning haha -- great views , beers and food in the fridge , fuel tanks topped up , take my shower and TV and a few changes of clothes , maybe even the laptop and tablet !