Thanks Big reader, thats what I thought, Ive been seeing a lot of islands facing adjacent to the back sliding doors - adding more light to the room.

The placement of the island doesn’t add nor subtract light. Think about how you’ll use the island and the adjacent living and dining areas.

You def want the island to run parallel to the bench behind.

Make sure the fridge space is big and deep enough.
In garage the doors on cupboards can be diff to open with cars. If you can go roller doors or alternative.
The front media room fine if study or sitting room but not for media as couch should be facing tv.

In the powder room is there 800 mm width for toilet ? It looks squashed with a shower?

Hi there! To put into practice everything you need to visualize even before renovating, you would need a 3d image of the space.

I invite you to look at some of the 3d spaces built by me.

I am willing to convert your space, still to be built, to a 3d image.

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Thanks Kate for your feedback. I didnt even consider the storage doors in the garage! Initially though sliding doors but that would limit access to one side of the space.

I've sent an email to the builder RE: size of toilet also as it is unclear for me in masterplan - perhaps someone can shed some light into these numbers?

Hi Proyectoszeza, thanks for your advice ! absolutely agree a 3D will help visualise the spatial dimensions of the house, The builder had suggested we sit through the plans once we made our amendments and run through each room

I guess you are constrained by the block size but your garage at 5.5m x 5.5m is very tight. Do you have small cars? Do you have a current garage you can measure for comparison?

we have a little voltswagon golf hatch and a mid size SUV (CRV). No plans to get a bigger car as much of the savings is going towards this build. I also thought of making the rooms bigger, Is this an investment worth making? I'd be shuffling around, but would lose the upper lounge.

What do the kitchen gods think ? :)

Agree with everyone re the bench orientation.... also (1) you might want to flip the frig/ pantry door... and (2) adjust the stairs to avoid the winders... you will still get storage in the garage.. simpler construction, landing will be higher, first step can be flush with the entry wall and stairs will be more comfortable and safe... Oops realised it cuts into your bedroom.. but (3) you can still remove the winders and extend the top flight... (4) what is this space on the first floor for?

if i've understood the dimensions correctly there is enough space for a bigger kitchen and dining area by using the under stair space for the pantry and stealing a small space off the garage you can also have an generous island without the sink and using the rumpus for the media room the original media room could be a guest room and keep the old family room to watch over the pool...but the entry foyer and void takes too much space off the study and ensuite and there is enough space upstairs for bigger bedrooms

Powder room - width for toilet is fine but it’s a squash to get to it. I’d reduce vanity to 600 and. maybe rotate it so it faces toilet.
Garage should be 6 m long internally. This is a requirement in vic, not sure elsewhere.

Thank you everyone for your valuable feedback!

Gary - great ideas, I agree with the stairs, its got that bottom landing that looks good but is it practical? The space in (4) is the master shower. And I love your easy switch with the fridge and pantry as the fridge has extra room to open out to - shouldn't cost much for this change. Will chat to the builder about swapping the pantry around and the costings for the change of stairs.

Oklouise - the new upstairs arrangement you have created works so much better! Does the first floor change require a change to the stairs like Gary has suggested? Your upstairs main bathroom placement works better as it sits above the guest bathroom downstairs. I also like your idea about the guest bathroom. RE: Kitchen, I'm concerned with having both cook/sink stations facing away from the pool area. If I keep the sink in the island, would our existing 2.8 sink bench space surrounding be sufficient space to hang around?

Kate - You have made invaluable points around the garage and the simple change in the guest vanity without the added cost. Min garage dimensions in NSW is 5.4x5.4. With our 17.4m frontage, this garage dimension is the max we can go to. I'm torn between the house with a more open foyer space, or reducing it to a smaller one to allow for bigger garage... we haven't lived in a house with a double garage, so for us this seems huge. We will also have an outdoor shed to store our lawnmower etc.

Thank you again, really appreciate the responses so far!

there should be plenty of space to have the sink and dw in the island but keep the extra space stolen off the garage to keep the corner counter space for food prep and to avoid the cramped feeling of the garage projecting into the kitchen...space between the island and fridge should be as wide as possible but an island of 2700 x 900 (could be more depending on finished dimensions of the rooms) but should be plenty of space for stools to tuck under the counter and there's about 1200 between the back of the stools and dining suite... (NB this is the best place for a dining table as that space is not suitable for anything else with all the doorways) and note the location of the door opening to make sure there's an easy walkways across the rooms and only one doorway to outside and i've not made any changes to the stairs although the entry and matching upstairs void have been narrowed to allow more comfortable space in the study and upstairs ensuite...and i'm very glad that you like the changes and although there appears to be some loss of downstairs storage the more spacious kitchen and dining room, extra privacy for the guest bathroom, bigger bedrooms and upstairs storage should make it worthwhile but your builder may not be thrilled with changes to his plans