Thanks for your reply. Not sure which wall you are referring to? We can't block the bedroom that is next to the front door and we don't want people walking directly into the lounge. We also want the deck to be private. Do you mean to have the gate and doorbell outside in the open?

Not yet - I am thinking I will get a length of aluminium angle and put that on, or else a piece of timer and then paint it with waterproof paint.

I could see doing something like French doors with opaque glass so the lite could come thru to the rest of the house. Also double French doors would allow you to open the area up completely whilst doing laundry. You could even leave everything where it is (dryer) and build some storage on the left side. I would image the sink would be very useful - I'd be lost without mine in the laundry room.

does anyone else struggle to visualize what there future home will look like from just a set of plans? it is hard to imagine how the space will feel before it is built. Any suggestions?