Does the unmarked box between the study and the shower hold services between floors? There may be room to add a vent, mechanical or not, into that space.

What about some venting to the stairs

I expect you will need some mechanical ventilation to avoid it being stuffy both when u are in there and not. It will also be loud

The idea of a slatted sliding door or cavity sliding door or barn door style, sounds good to me. This would allow fresher air from house to enter the room, and for the hot electrical air to exit. Install a wall fan for air circulation. Ideally if that is a service duct on left of the picture, then install an extractor fan also.

The entire wall as mentioned would be wonderful with timber/laminate slats with the slatted sliding door integrated….fantastic feature.

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@bigreader unfortunately that void doesn't have much functionality and lines up beside the stair railing of sitting/games area upstairs.

@Kate I had thought about that, but not sure what to do there while still keeping the study private and not have the stairs floor level dust falling onto the desk.

@dreamer thanks I think this is the way to go. I think the opening could be max 1.3m while still having somewhere to park the door and not overlap the corner, whether cavity or barn door. I think the headache will be getting the door to look like it is part of the surrounding feature.

You just need to find a good carpenter that likes to be creative.

You can have slated opening above stair tread or keep open above handrail height

Something like this. The wall with door stays as a feature wall, then wraps around as open slats as a staircase/study slat wall, not a solid wall.

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Another example

@dreamer @kate Thanks it's a solid idea, I had considered this, but concerned about catching glimpes of the room and mess when on the staircase....also might seem a strange concern, but a desk collects enough dust as it is, I don't want to worry about whatever is on the treads also blowing down onto the desk.

The slats could probably be raised above tread level somehow though like you have shown.

That void really is a loss of usuable space - appreciate the focus of the post about ventilation....would be good to know what the bathroom layout is - potentially the shower could be housed in this area and if lines up with void on upper level could be a functional way of venting fan through upper level and out pinching a bit more swing room in the bathroom.....re the battening detail you could have it looking the same but with a backing/solid around the stair but then open once it clears the desk if you're concerned about dust / looking down into the space from the stair etc.......for a space that small and internalised I'd be making sure it can be opened up as much as possible when need be as it will feel pretty claustrophobic if it's just a standard door. Consider double sliders or folding options that can maximise the opening between the desk end and the back of the bar wall.......would be good to understand more context / you share more of the layout

Slats can appear solid wall when viewed from an angle. You could also use rotateable slats like with shutters. And start them save 200mm vice trea as per image or above handrail height to stop any dust.

I agree with Paul no one will want to sit in that cramped space, better to make a walk through pantry. But perhaps better ideas will come if you can show more of the floorplan

The space is not cramped, it is 2.1 x 3.2m, a good space for an office/study room. The problem is that it has no windows. Opening the stairwell wall with feature timber slats we make a huge difference to the space.

I don’t know why you are worrying about dust. Every home has dust, it just needs cleaning. Do you expect extra dust than a normal home for some reason?

@dreamer It's not to do with the large quantities of dust I will have. Even a miniscule amount of floor dust is different to desk dust. I don't mind clean desk dust falling to a floor, but I do mind shoe and foot "dust" falling to a desk. Same reason I don't use my kitchen sponge on the floor.

sounds like serious build with a suspended slab …..how far into the process are you? is it still at drawings stage or in construction??

@Paul Di Stefano Design We have planning approval but still shuffling things around a bit internally before finalising.

I hope you don;t mind a comment off the post's topic (and only be saying this with some understanding of how much you're likely going to spend with this type of construction) but there's something the feels oddly resolved for a build of that nature / complexity (suspended slab profile offset from lower...)& likely spend...... I've done a number of these and it seems that there are forced aspects such as the bath crammed in the corner directly next to the vanity with a small window and without fully knowing the site / brief/ master bed layout for a build like this that is pushing for some nicer / luxury elements with the curve/textural features that leftover space like that void should be utilised/have a purpose and arguably could have (& still be) be put to more interesting use and with an adjusted layout could be potentially become part of a light court / garden that the study, scullery and ensuite can look onto so a bath would have a private garden aspect etc....Even if you've got planning approval doesn't mean you're locked down - this can be amended if need be. Most important thing is that the design is well resolved and making the most of the new build opportunity for you and your lifestyle /family etc and of course budget managed (has the proposal been properly costed or just design and achieved planning approval?) and that you're happy with it. Happy to share some examples from another project in this regard if of interest or otherwise tell me to pipe down/mind my own business and we'll keep the post appropriately on topic re the study door :)

@Paul Di Stefano Design Thanks for your input. All is welcome. I agree about the bath and window and that it is not all well resolved. We had considered pushing the ensuite out and building on the boundary, which is allowed, and putting the window facing the other way, but it just made everything unnecessarily larger.

The problem is that there were some very specific requests from me in regards to the rectangular kitchen/dining/living area, the scullery being inline with the kitchen, and the location of the laundry and powder off the garage, that really cemented how all the left over areas fit into the middle of it and around the staircase.

I wasn't thrilled with the resulting internal study, but without adding courtyard space, which would mean adding extra meters on both sides of the hallway, there weren't really options.

We have a guide on cost but nothing final. Here in WA the suspended slab is pretty much the standard for 2 storey builds.

Oobidoobidoobidoo, you have been very creative with the visual design of study so far, so I’m sure you will find a solution that meets your requirements. I’m in WA and built our double brick, double story, suspended concrete slab home, 9 years ago. With correct orientation for solar passive build. Came home from work today to a cool home. Outside was 40C degrees today. However I have noticed that there are more home builders that are offering the 2nd storey to be timber and cladding with an Engineer designed 84mm concrete metal truss flooring system (429mm overall thickness) instead of full concrete slabs. Anyway, all the best with your build. Stay cool.

Thanks. We were keen on building light weight like this at one point, it just didn't work out to be the best option in the end based on builder choice. It's definately not been the norm here though but I think in the eastern states it's the opposite.

There's always a way to elegantly balance everything so nothing seems compromised. There will always be compromises but the trick is to minimise them. Nothing wrong with your specific Kitchen layout requests - these are not the problem. There are always options to achieving certain requirements - sometimes it takes more wrestling and more lateral solutions by working creatively within certain constaints, sometimes established by the client wishes, which is as a designer our actual job to properly work out / solve the puzzle. Suspended slabs certainly have their benefits & makes sense from your location. Is the boundary 1m off the ensuite? I'm guessing you access ensuite from a WIR?

@Paul Di Stefano Design Yes the boundary is 1m off. The master bedroom entry is what you see to the left of the staircase. As you walk in, the entry to the ensuite is directly ahead.

I’d be less worried about people seeing into study and more worried about what it feels like to be in such an enclosed cave. Stuffy, isolated. Gloomy. Lack of natural light.

Thanks for clarifying....FWIW I would still not write off options that reconfigure master suite to push hard to the boundary with the robe & ensuite and create a couryard that brings light to the study & stair. It's not increasing floor area, but yes adding to building perimeter but with these types of builds unless upstairs footprint exactly matches ground there's arguably no cost benefits to try and squeeze it all up when it all washes out....The study could then be completely closed in and simpler internal finishing solution that deals with your privacy and dust issues & you get far better access natural light to internal areas on lower level. Architectural experience is like photography - its ALL about the light

@Paul Di Stefano Design I have played around with this a lot and by moving the Dresser and Ensuite 1m to the boundary, you in turn could free up a long 1m meter corridor between the Ensuite and Scullery/WIP to create a window for the Study, however I don't think it's a plus. Also the resulting shape and layout of the Ensuite would be awkward.

To make the gap any wider to create an actual courtyard, the whole Master/Dresser/Ensuite would need to move towards the front boundary a considerable amount, which would create extra space between the Master and Staircase, but probably not large enough to do anything with.

Note the bed and side tables shown have been under represented in size and the room dimensions are good.

If you can see any other possibilities please let me know.

Something like this.......pushes the brickwall hard to the boundary and puts the otherwise dead space on into a garden/light court and improves wir & ensuite amenity. It's a shame the bedroom isn't anoth 1/2 metre wider as you could then potentially access wir from the other side of the bed and not have to go through ensuite to get there but with a king bed and decent side tables you need more like a 4.5-5m wide width., which if you had space at the front of your house you may be able to squeeze / achieve

The negative I see…..blocks having perimeter access around your home. Otherwise a good compromise.

@dreamer - yes, always a balance between pro's & cons - there's always a compromise - ultimately only the client/owner can make the call one way or the other - we have no idea if there is access on the other side or not - if it boxed it in arguably not an option......as a default I'll always be looking to maximise natural light potential..but as a southern Victorian that's possibly higher priority than WA comparatively (??)

We definitely love our light homes over here in WA. I couldn’t live in a dark, no natural light, home. It is the hot sun that can be overwhelming at times. But trees and built external structures can keep that under control. If oobidoo…’s builder can create your light court, that is a good solution.

Oobidoo…. Out of interest, which way is this side of the home facing! North, south, east or west?

@dreamer it faces west

@Paul Di Stefano Design Thanks Paul. I’m not at the pc right now to measure but from memory that window would sit at the end of a 4m deep narrow outdoor space and with the second storey overlapping the window by about 2m, I’m not sure it would create much of a light court or pleasant outlook….ventilation though yes.

@oobidoobidoobidoo no worries, just throwing around ideas....appreciate the thread has digressed somewhat from original question but thought there could be an alternative solution that simultaneously addresses some other issues such as the ensuite layout and additional benefits.......re the outlook I'd argue that a garden aspect/outlook and any access to natural light is always pleasant and a plus, but this of course is personal preference/opinion and of course how the landscaping is executed.......the help better visualise attached an in progress photo of a project with a similar setup, detail & slotted garden light court separating powder room facilities and the kitchen, similar dimensions/proportions and 2m overhang from upper level.....it's light & bright and gives a sense of blending/bringing the outdoors into what would otherwise be internally configured spaces. You uplight the garden at night and you have a lovely 3D private feature outlook from the ensuite when relaxing in the bath :) Privacy issue can be managed in various different ways.

Hope some of the ideas in this thread helps you resolve the original issue

All the best with it

PD

@Paul Di Stefano Design Wow Paul, that looks amazing and a remarkably similar scenario. Great work. I'm not at all bothered to deviate from the original question and very much appreciate your input. It's not often people take genuine interest in helping, but it seems on Houzz they do!

I will have a good think about this. From a practical standpoint, the WIP (full height shelving all around) would be unlikely to have windows, and the Scullery could have a window facing South instead of West, but given the nature of the Scullery/WIP I'd want to keep it low maintence.

Do you think this would still be beneficial from the Ensuite and Study, even with a 3.5m deep, mostly solid wall opposite?

Mainenance of the 1x3.5m garden would be another concern. It's probably a bit over 1m deeper than the one pictured? We have definately gone low maintenance throughout the house and have the large openings facing North across the Kitchen/Dining/Living.

@oobidoobidoobidoo yes contributors here do genuinely care and willing to share ideas and experience for others benefit - it's all good!.... obviously yours a bit different with lesser extent of glazing from our example but the scenario similar - totally up to you but I'd expect you could develop a practical low lying maintenance landscape solution with steppers through it -a solid wall may be better so it's kept more as a private aspect from ensuite. Really comes down to landscaping. Overall on balance I'd suggest that at least you get a far better ensuite setup, and natural light & ventilation to the study, no wasted void, and a more luxury/resort garden aspect/vibe to ensuite, if that's appealing but yes there's garden to tend to and totally appreciate need to keep this managable - fwiw I did my parents' house about a decade ago and in the design have a few little courts on the south like this and with steppers, ground covers and appropriately selected plants it's worked a treat and no issue maintenance-wise, but gave opportunity for unique little green outlooks from spaces that would otherwise have been more internal.....allowing the plan to breathe and access the air/nature is always a good thing IMHO. Re access you could consider having direct access out from the ensuite...could arguably continue the bathing theme with an outdoor shower there...

@Paul Di Stefano Design Thanks for being so forthcoming with advice and examples. You've given me a lot to think about. Not sure which way I'm going yet but at least I have options. Much appreciated.

@oobidoobidoobidoo ....no problem / easy done....good to hear has been considered helpful - best of luck continuing to work through your options :) PD