Hi Julieellen, realizing we're only getting your side of the story, but why would you change what the designer recommended in the first place? Secondly, you need to work with your designer to find a solution. Especially if they've been paid, they need to help you find a solution to what you changed. With that said, when clients change my designs, I expect that they advise me BEFORE making the commitment so we can thoughtfully discuss how that change will create a domino affect to other decisions made, and more importantly, how it will change the end result. For all clients out there that have hired a professional - keep your designer in the loop - we are basing all our recommendations on decisions we thought were made. When you change those decisions - it puts a huge wrench in the wheel of progress and can end up costing you more money to fix it. When you make changes and don't tell us - you affect the end result, and run the risk of watering down the design intent. You've hired a professional - so why would you change it? At the very, very least - keep us designers in the loop and tell us what needs to be changed due to budget restraints, materials not being available, or simply that your not happy with the colour choice. Bottom line - communication is key to the success of any project, and especially when working with an interior designer/decorator. Good luck with your project, I hope you find your solution that I feel only your professional designer can answer because he/she knows the entire project and the end result desired by both you and them.

As an architect, I have a list of words saved on my desktop that I am conscious can sound confusing to the client! One day I hope to write a little archi-dictionary to help clients work out what we mean when we use so many of the words that seem natural to us! 'Form', 'honest materials', 'warmth', 'documentation', 'draft', 'sketch plan', 'detail', 'mass', 'spine', 'circulation', 'water harvesting', 'floating', 'dynamic', 'heavy', 'celebrate'... etc.

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.

Ground floor we are thinking of going with this one. I am not worried about northern sun now, as with our landscape it is bit hard to try another shape and we feel like this layout of kitchen/dining/living gives us the most usable space. We might put a tall window above the kitchen bench instead of an overhead to get more light in. I have added a hall way table at the entrance, A bigger study/office, Linen/broom/storage space, laundry has external access. For the First floor we are leaning towards this one, which gives more space and big robes in bed2 and bed 3, also a WIR for his&her. 1800mm vanity, walkin shower and bathtub, a small balcony enough to put chairs and a small coffee table, we may make the balcony a little bigger as the master bedroom is now 4x4.7m. What we think is with this configuration 3/4 people can use the family bathroom area at the same time. I am not much worried about the bed orientation, this configuration work for us, anyone buying, its big bedrooms, they can put it anyway they like. Thanks to all specially to @oklouise and @differentways who went above and beyond to draw the designs for me, we wouldve put the toilet at the bath with window as differentways. suggested, but. then its too messy with robes and bedrooms get small., We dont want any robes sticking out, a wall to wall robe will give that luxury feel. We also like @dreamer ensuite design but again i think this one gives a different feel, something out of the box, what we usually see like in hotels. Also thanks to @macyjean & @Kate some of your advices were very valid and got us rethinking a lot of stuff. And thanks to all the others who spend there time looking at the design and reading the long messages and giving there much valuable opinions, every little suggestions are important. I know its not finished yet but we are almost there, if there is anything to improve or if i miss anything please let me know. We really value your thoughts and suggestions. We are very happy this turned out this way.