Thank you both very much. You've both put a lot of thought and effort into this, its much appreciated! Its definitely opened up my thoughts and ideas on the space! Its definitely not as daunting as I was thinking and it is do-able! When you look at it everyday you get a bit stuck. I guess I need to weigh up making that study space smaller. It then makes the house technically 3B 2B. But I'm going to have to compromise somewhere for this to work! Its nice to have something tangible and clear to show the builders, so thank you! I might start drawing up something that's a little of both, as I love aspects of both designs. :)

correct measurements are the only answer...for your new floorplan you need a room (without any restrictions that would measure at least 2400mm x 2000...it's always possible to squeeze in some minor variations but only if it's worth the cost in convenience, improved value of the property and actual cash outlay.... the front door entry foyer would be lost, the new bathroom doorway wastes more space, the linen cupboards would be too narrow for anything except a few towels and sheets (that can easily be stored in a suitable vanity or bedroom cupboard) the bathtub is gone and you would have spent about $20,000 for a bathroom that is not better than what's already there?? ...the computer programs that we use are called 3D Home Architect and my version 4 is no longer available to buy but i believe siriuskey may have purchased her version recently? these programs do make the plans much easier to see but you must start with accurate measurements and an understanding of spaces needed ...start with a space about 800 x 800 mm for a toilet, 900 x 900mm for a basic shower, 500 x 900 for a single handbasin 1500 x 500 for a double handbasin then add in at least 900 x 900 for a doorway (including space for the frame and space to walk through...same for cavity sliders!) and then you'll need space to walk around in front of the toilet and shower and handbasins ......unfortunately with the plumbing and space restrictions i don't believe it's possible to do more than widen the existing shower space by rearranging the entry wall.(NB you'll still need to spend $5000 to $10,000 for demolition, carpentry, new waterproofing, tiles, shower, vanities wall cabinet, taps, plumbing etc..forget the linen cabinet and store linen in a new vanity and toiletries in a wall hung mirror doored cabinet and keep some width in the entry foyer (minimu 1200 wide) ...removing some of the non structural wall in the kitchen should be the cheapest improvement for the kitchen and add space for a small breakfast bar but removing the end counter would lose valuable counter space that could also be used for a pantry ...before making any decision you need to think about the reason for the changes...are the bathroom, laundry and kitchen in need of immediate repair, is the unit for your own use of needing improvements for rental or resale...?? always happy to draw up your plans but have to nag again about the accurate measurements...try measuring each separate room (ie shower, toilet and vanity, laundry and storage from wall to opposite wall in several places in both directions, ignoring all the fittings but include separate measurement of the diameter of the hot water heater.

your new plan looks like it might work with support beams to replace the removed wall and if you were living in the house i'd suggest that you rearrange the furniture to suit your new layout so that you could see that the front lounge area would not be big enough for the two couches with suitable walking space but moving the door from the entry hall would allow more space for more comfortable furniture arrangements and i've used a 2100 x 900 three seater couch and 900 x 900 for a single armchair and blocking the extra door from hallway to old kitchen would also allow for more counter and wall cabinets

Hi All, thanks very much for the suggestions. Every comment is appreciated. I like the idea of building the cabinets out to cover the stair case. We could also put the pantry where the current store is and then move fridge next to the store. Also compass appreciate the innovative idea for the butlers, however I don't think we quite have the depth to achieve this really cool concept. Thanks