There is insufficient under floor space for a deck to be done well. Timber really needs room to breath otherwise you face the possibility of cupping (when the boards bow upwards on the edges). If you want to deck (and it would look OK) you may have to remove the concrete and lower the floor area (ideally above 300mm) - The porch area could then be extended. Your other option is a timber look tile (yes they do exist) or just tile the floor)

I’ve just had a huge Silver Top Ash deck laid and it loooks good, greying off nicely. I’ve previously had a spotted gum deck and it began to cup after only 4 years. Blackbutt is more expensive but very durable, I have it as my internal flooring. My best advice it to stay clear of spotted gum and use narrow boards as they are less likely to give you problems. Good luck!

the opening into the kitchen could be narrower and the breakfast bar deeper (for knee spaces) and wider say 1800 x 900 and swop the oven and pantry so that cookware taken out of the oven can be rested on the cooktop and the coffee station could be in the corner between cooktop and sink (keeping all the hot appliances at the end of the kitchen) and forget tall pantry doors and consider having pantry divided into top and bottom sections with drawers in the bottom and wall cabinets with bifold doors only to counter height not full height and think about what to store in the cupboards...below counter 45cm wide door cnr cabinets are ideal for big appliances and less often used serving ware and giant saucepans and there would be more counter space in the corners for coffee making with wall cabinets for cups and glasses and the other corner for meal prep with wall cabinets for serving plates and the pantry between oven and fridge and try the bar fridge under the breakfast bar with a deeper overhang for stools on both sides with a stool for mum...with such a short time to delivery you need to make some fast decisions but best of luck with the kitchen and your precious new baby...this rough suggestions has only approximate dimensions and needs to be confirmed by your designer

Hi Kylie Decking is beautiful and there are pros and cons for composite v hardwood. We install both timber and composite for our clients and we like both. However, whichever you choose, its a lifestyle choice. One requires maintenance consistantly and the other is very low maintenance. We're based in WA so we don't recommend clients install BlackButt or Spotted Gum if exposed to any weather (a pergola is not rain proof) as those boards don't suilt the hot dry climate. In our experience of installing Spotted Gum and Blackbutt decks exposed to the weather in Perth and installed by other companies, is that these Eastern States timbers can split and warp if not very regularly re-oiled. However, if you're in the Eastern States, your climate may be better suited. We mainly install Merbau decking and sometimes WA Jarrah (for undercover areas). Merbau is a quality hardwood that doesn't tend to cup or split, although it still requires oiling regularly. There are many composite brands on the market and the main thing to remember is - you get what you pay for. There are very good brands, good brands and economical brands. We've installed most brands however we do tend to lean towards Trex, NewTechWood, Millboard, EvaLast and NexGen. These are all good brands with good warranties. We're not given commission by these brands if we recommend one over the other however, we install what we know is going to provide our clients with quality, longevity and create solutions over problems. Timber v a good quality composite: * Timber requires ongoing maintenance costing time and money. Composite might need a wash down once a year * Timber does not come with a product warranty depending on the supplier. A good composite brand will come with a 20+ year warranty * Most timbers are screwed or coil nailed (not advised) to the joists. Composite boards are secret nailed so you wont see nails or screws through the board * Timber is a 100% natural product and suits all styles of home. Composite has an element of plastic (a good brand may be 70% recycled timber + 30% recycled plastics) * Both timber and composite can scratch. Scratched timber may be sanded back (which takes a lot of work) to remove the scratch. A composite board, once stratched deeply, cannot be fixed. * Timber boards can cup, shrink, swell and crack. Composite boards to expand and contract length ways however a good brand should not shrink, cup or crack. * Composite can get hot on a 40 degree day. But, so can timber. Any surface will be hot on a hot day * Composite boards are smooth to walk on and come with slip ratings. Timber is lovely to walk on too however can become splintery if not maintained * Composite decking is more of a cost investment initially however if a 10L good tin of oil costs $250.00 perhaps twice a year as an ongoing cost plus your time to move your furniture, oil the deck and avoid deck use for 24 hours while the deck drys up to 4 times a year, the investments are almost the same. I hope this helps you make a decision. Best wishes! Regards, Castlegate Home Improvements