You have a good nice project planned here, with your kitchen now a part of large living space. Here, though, are some cautions and suggestions. Your extra-large peninisula counter and full window wall over the sink seem to be features that you like and want - but they also cause some problems with this plan. If two people are ever in the kitchen, one will be trapped there. And even for one, the peninsula forces an irritating hike around it to the table for serving and clean-up. Table and array of counter stools are uncomfortably close together, creating congestion especially when occupied. And while your back wall may well contain a fridge, wall ovens, pantry and cook-top, it would just barely do so - and leave no other space at all for counter. This, together with your nice bank of windows on the outside wall leave no space at all for upper cabinet dish storage. I agree with Laurie that an island here would be much preferable. I would put the sink and dishwasher on an island, with fewer stools, and some mid-height dish storage - letting gatherings of more than two or three enjoy the table in a conversational arrangement instead of facing away from the room in a row. I would also minimize the window array a bit, and extend the kitchen toward the dining table window a foot or so - and put the wall ovens at this end of the "L" - with no side wall at the left. This would distribute your countertop space more happily among your work stations, allow for some upper cabinet storage, and make the kitchen feel more part of the nice big room, instead of separated from it by the peninsula. Perhaps a careful in-person visit with a kitchen designer would be wise before you build this fun new addition. Good luck! Mark

Thanks for your comments everyone. We've taken your advice (Luke and NH) and changed the island to a rectangle (1200 x 3000). We lose one breakfast bar seat but gain storage and dining room space plus it shortens the distances from the island to the cooktops. It also removes the need for a corner carousel. We're much happier with this result. Dairy_maid, we've done what you suggested and walked through some common tasks. Overall it works reasonably well although we may keep some coffee spoons and butter knives in the scullery drawers for morning toast and coffee. We've also invested in a "silent" rangehood which has the motor on the outside of the house behind the fridge and we've upgraded the scullery sink to one that is 600 x 400 (internal size). Fabrication starts tomorrow. Woohoo. Once again, thanks so much for taking the time to respond. The design has been significantly improved with your input.

my fiance & i are building a new home & we'd like some practical inspiration with designing master ensuite. the size of the room is 2.8m x 5.2, it is separate from the walk in wardrobe no need to worry about steam etc entering it. we'd like a minimalistic but functional bathroom, it will has a main window facing north / east side of the room. thought about a cavity door entering the room, would like the toilet hidden from view if the other person is lying on bed. wishlist to consider: dual shower heads, with only one of them that has a rain shower head dual basin on one vanity with mirror above one toilet shower a walk in similar to the photo i've included that was found on houzz glass to prevent water all over the floors heated towel rail, similar to the individual bars in the photo

Lighting is one of the most crucial areas to get right in the kitchen. It's where you're going to create your best meals and entertain family and friends so it needs to be well lit. Even a really well designed kitchen can fall flat if it is not easy to use at night because of lack of lighting. Kitchen lighting comes in a huge array of styles, designs and features. When designing your new kitchen the types of light to consider are task lighting, ambiance lighting, feature lighting and natural light. Task lighting In your cooking area, task lighting is vital. Whilst rangehood lights are really important for lighting up the cooking zone, LED strip lights underneath overhead cabinets can be used to light the whole working bench space. LED strip lighting is bright and can be used with a dimmer for an ambient glow after you've finished cooking. Using a sensor switch omits the need to touch a switch when hands are dirty. If you don't have overhead cabinets, ceiling downlights are a really great way of making sure there's plenty of light for preparation and cooking. In preparation and task areas, use downlights or spotlights and make sure these are placed in front of where you'll be standing to avoid creating a shadow that will be difficult to work in. Ambiance lighting Mood and ambient lighting are really important in the kitchen. Overhead lights at the kitchen island or breakfast bar can be a feature as well as adding ambiance to your space. Make sure they are dimmable, particularly in an open plan space so they can be turned down when the kitchen is not in use. LED strip lighting behind a splashback or underneath an island bench top are another way to achieve ambiance - especially when the room is also a dining and living space. Feature lighting Add your personality statement to your new kitchen with feature lighting. The opportunities are endless - it can be a feature piece, a textural element or your favourite colour. You can even add a tech aspect to your kitchen lighting with smart lights that are able to be controlled from your phone! Natural light Natural light is one of the most crucial types of light to work into your space – but of course it's often one of the most difficult! Here is an example where the homeowners used skylights to let that light shine down into an area that would have otherwise been quite dark. It's also possible to borrow light from adjoining spaces by removing walls and opening up the living areas. Alternatively, if your ceilings are high adding a clerestory window may help. LEDs The biggest change in recent years in lighting has been Technology. With the introduction of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) the options for lighting up your new kitchen are almost endless. The energy efficient nature of LEDs allows them to produce brighter light than other types of bulbs while using less power. LEDs are ideal for use in the kitchen because they have very little heat emission, there are many colour choices including cool and warm whites, and just about any colour of the rainbow if that's your thing! LEDs are small and discreet and are therefore really easy to fit into cabinetry and underneath overhanging bench tops. Using LEDs means there's no swapping bulbs every couple of months and because they use low wattage, you'll save power too! There are many types of LED lighting including strip lighting, hanging, ceiling downlights and in-cabinet downlights.