The kids area could be anywhere within that large open "L" shaped area you now have....whatever works best for you!

OK, this is the new idea.... I have made changes to that whole living space, and also the master bedroom/ensuite/WIR and linen.
I'm quite happy with these changes! What do you think?

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Sorry - not sure if this image is working? I can't tell from this computer.

arrghggh, cant see it!!!

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OK so I have amended the whole living space, and also played with the master bedroom - removed the front small deck, swapped the en-suite and WIR and created a walk in linen press.

I'm figuring we can cope without one window where the walk in pantry is - if need be I will get a skylight above. How are we feeling about this one? (collaborative effort with loads of help from my work friends! haha)

great!!!

do you think you need a powder room near the living rooms? saves guests using the kids toilet?

I think a house this big might benefit from a powder room (3 loos at least)
swap the living and play room over and have access to the garage via the play room, and use that storage room for something more??
(loo, wardrobe for guest bedroom, coat cupboard?)

That is a GREAT idea! If I swap the playroom and lounge, then the kids can access the garage and backyard directly; I can also have the lounge with double sliding doors so the area is open when not being used and could be lovely to look at, plus bring extra light in through the windows. I was hoping for dual sided fire place - I could still do this and it would be better positioned if it's on the lounge/living room wall somehow rather than at the back end of the living room?

I was thinking about the garage/storage stuff earlier and I think you are right - a powder room and some extra storage would be more beneficial. It might even be a dual entry powder/shower room with the guest bedroom?

you could swap the family room with the dining?
I have cut that kitchen bench up..that long it would have driven you nuts

dont think there is enough room for a 2 way ensuite to guest, but it is next door and it would only be their bathroom as kids have their own

have done a cupboard for toys/ coats/ shoes otherside of guest wardrobe

you could have cavity slider doors on play room, or nothing?
just a nice open room, so the kids can run in and out.
if you have little ones they will play where you are anyway!

and once older want a play station room

the fire in lounge can be 2 way..either lounge and dining, or swap dining and have it lounge and family room

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you nearly have your blue mountains castle!!!

soooo close!!

Love it! Can you bend colourbond enough for the turrets? Although it may possibly exceed the maximum roof height of 8m. Maybe if I plant enough trees around it, they'll never know....

shhh, dont tell council we will be building this eventually, and not a t shaped home!!

sorry, family room is where you put that corner lounge suite. that to me is family room,
but if you want it looking west leave it there.
I wanted a 2 way fire..going to cost about $5-6k, but boy, it would look good.
look into it. I think it would look nice, esp on a freezin winter night. the dining room has a nice fire and so does the lounge...yum.

swap the guest loo with the shower, so you dont see the loo as you walk down the hall from your bedroom. Or move the door over etc

sight lines....make em nice ones!

doors wont always be shut, as is our wish as mothers.

if you can squeeze a shower in for $1500 more, I would. 3 showers is a good selling point.
one doesnt have to be used, but it is there if one kid is taking too long etc (teenagers...)


I like the parents retreat in the master. very nice.
we had our doors swing in the other way, so it gave some privacy to the rooms..ie the door could be a jar for air etc and no one saw any beds, and anyone ly ing in said bed, just a thought.

I am so glad we did cos as I walk down the hall I dont see messy rooms and the doors block a lot of it by swinging the opposite way to what you have on the plan

so excited for you..this is getting a good flowing plan, dont you think? not so dull!

I'll definitely leave family room as is due to entertaining area outside etc. Hubby isn't thrilled at the idea of extra shower and toilet to clean (although I did raise my eyebrows at that - I don't think he was overly concerned for ME as such, but I don't recall the last time he cleaned them...) but I like it as long as we can keep it hidden and not practically in the middle of the entry way.

I'll have a think about the doors - I've never thought about it like that. It's a good idea!

I'm definitely getting excited about it - my architect dad, not so much, as he is drawing it for me and I keep texting him saying "wait, stop drawing! more changes coming!" haha. I guess I can plan all I want but at the end of the day it all comes down to cost. I just want something to take to the builders and start getting quotes. Until then it's all just dreams!

shaezy, based on one or any of the diagrams above, I'd do my standard heckler for storage thing... You have a huge area for your ensuite and/or retreat, so I'd reduce one of those to make enough space for a linen cupboard in the laundry. This also give the ability to add a nicer hand basin outside the toilet and make a three way bathroom that is still usable by others when someone is utilising the main wet area.

Even without the hand basin, I'd add the extra laundry room and put in the linen cupboard. But kiwi coulda told you that

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If you want quiet in the "study" area, you could then flip the laundry around and have a wall of linen cupboard acting as sound insulation between your washing machine and your work/reading area. This especially makes sense if you ever plan to use that space as a bedroom

the things they come out with ay! funny guy

While the plan is on paper, you can have whatever you like, change what ever you like. This is actually the fun time. Once you have a budget, no more playing around. Then it is trying to get as much house for that budget and what you have to drop (ie the 2 way fire....)

so enjoy it now, and tell dad to pop his pencil down, have a wee holiday, cos in a few days/ weeks you will have the final draft to draw up to then get quotes from.

then it will be tweaked again when those quotes are too high, and he will be getting his pencil out again.....

Any new custom designs guys?

Hi all,

I have been lurking around the site for a little while now and have been most impressed with how helpful and supportive everyone is

I'd love to hear any ideas/suggestions for our house plans!

We are building on 3 acres north of Sydney, the block is largely bush and very rocky! the spot where the house will be going is at the top of the hill with the house positioned to make the most of the views, the block and being as solar passive as possible. The long wall of the living/dining faces approx NNW- we're hoping this is close enough to true north?

We will be able to close of each of the 3 pavillions which will make winter heating more efficient, with polished concrete floors in the living areas for thermal mass. we will have a slow combustion wood burning fire in the main living area. For cooling we will be relying on shading from summer sun, ceiling fans and the house should catch all the cooling breezes from the east/south.

The main living pavillion is approx 5m wide by around 13m long to give an idea of dimensions.

There will be bi fold doors off the dining and the lounge leading out to outdoor entertaining (eventually!) and also a slider off the other side of the kitchen.

This plan has some alterations already. The garage was originally completely separate joined by an undercover walkway, and the main entry was behind the kitchen next to the pantry. By moving the entry we have extended the pantry and made way for a small powder room or more storage and given us direct entry from the garage into the house.

we are currenty waiting for revised plans from the draftsman which will include changes to the maaster bedroom WIR/ensuite layout as we want more natural northerly light coming into the master.

The plan with some of our changes drawn on it:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Qx2y ... 520001.jpg

Thanks is advance for any suggestions you have!

Hi i have one too! we have just had these plans drawn up.

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I am happy with all of it except the layout of the lower ground floor, mainly the family/dining room just seems like a big waste of space. unfortunately we cant go any bigger due to restrictions on the land. oh and maybe the master bedroom opening into the WIR. i would very much appreciate hearing what anyone else thinks about it.

thanks!

Struth!!! That is rather large!!! Calgabound

Are you happy being that Far away from the kids? I couldn't sleep that far away (crying, vomitting, fire, burglar, nightmares, new baby and the distance you would travel 5 times a night etc) or them having to come find you at 2am But if you have in laws, that would be a perfect set up ...them being there and you being 4kms away, I would LOVVVVE that!

Em.russ, have you done a furniture arrangement for lower ground floor? That might help to work out how the rooms will work. You could put the kitchen where the laundry wall and outside wall is and the old kitchen could be a family room?
in the dining/ living area, make that the kitchen.

If you had a door on your wir, then it wouldn't matter that you have the wir there when you walk in, floor to ceiling door maybe...so it feels grand!

Hi Em.Russ great plan, but I agree withyou about the family living area, that is a huge space, are you wnating a TV in that room, there is not a lot of wall space to put a tv on, I think it would be difficult to put your furniture in there. Could you put the theatre room in the kitchen and meals area, then put the laundry next to garage, ktichen in the theartre/ laundry area, that would then open into a large open fmaily/meals area. I think the WIP is to small could you use that linen cupboard as well.
I also agree about your concerns walking into master bed into the WIR, we saw that in a few display homes and was an immediate turn off to me, even with a door, my DH would be incapable of closing it
Although not sure what you could do except have the entrance at the back near the window, and then have a nice niche as you walk in on that wall, although I cant see the measurements (I dont have my glasses on) but the WIR looks very narrow and could be a squash with two of you in there, we had a very similar setup in our last house and it was 2.1m wide and was just enough to have hanging both sides (you really need 600mm each side and 900mm in the middle)
Great plan though