Thanks for responding. We're in Auckland, New Zealand and close to the sea. Outdoor living is quite important but it does get chilly in winter so it's a balance. There are three adults and two young children in the household (one of the adults is an Au Pair who likes to spend time in her own room in the evenings). The kids will watch their cartoons generally in the morning and a bit before dinner. Then in the evening my husband and I will relax and watch TV. Right now the kids' toys are in the family room downstairs. We are foodies and like cooking. Generally when guests come over we all hang out in our small kitchen at the moment. The dining table we use for every meal time. We also like the idea of being able to get to the deck from the kitchen, rather than having to carry food in summer through the lounge/dining. The entry way is that big in order to reduce on the structural work but also in order to ensure that the door to the staircase is not in the lounge.

Thanks charleee, sorry no better photos as house is in another city, I haven't even set foot inside it yet. I am trusting my husband on this one! Our youngest is 5. Thanks Sheilaskb for the strip suggestion and the advice on the carpet. The kids are really good when we go out, holding onto rails etc but it is another story once we are home. I guess I will need to be a little more vigilant once we move in.

A very simple layout keeping the floor space within the kitchen, the WIP takes up a lot of space with not much gain, The broom cupboard could be moved to the Laundry/entrance, narrow. If the wall has been bumped out to the eaves on the deck side giving an extra 300 depth to the kitchen you could make the island 2700 x 1200 and all drawers. The wall of narrow pantry will hold all pantry needs and more, no deep cupboards to dig into. cheers

These spaces can look awkward but yours is quite inviting with those windows. It could become a retreat space, that allows someone to be near the action without being in it. Seating or lounging would work with the very low head height. I could imagine it would be a great spot for a couple of cool beanbag seats, a small funky bookshelf and a sleek retro lamp, or if you have children to cater for a games setup with storage in a retro ottoman.