minnie101: Unfortunately I would lose almost half of my storage of my cabinets if I just shortened it (those are my two biggest cabinets on the open end of the peninsula). It currently is a two-tier peninsula so I think their intention was to be able to have seating, but if I were to put stools at the current area, it blocks the walkway. The whole layout is a little strange here. I really appreciate those thoughts though! catherinehale7: We are looking to keep this on the lower end of the budget so we weren't looking into doing a full kitchen reno...maybe if we decide to do something bigger, we would consider that! Thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks for the replies. Yes the utility room has to be accessed externally at the moment. Putting a door into that is something I'd like to do. There is the potential to nick a bit more of the garage for a small utility room and use the current one differently. We'd like a playroom for example. Swapping my the living room and Dining room round is an option but not sure how that'll work with bifold doors that we'd like to put at the back (either replacing the patio doors or going all the way across). Any ideas are welcome as this is our first house so don't really know what is possible.

Hi Johnathan, thanks for the comment. The set up is not the exactly same the other side of the wall, however it is raised on the other side as well so I believe you are right about the garden wall. However perhaps the step can be reduced in size? I attach another picture. It seems to house some draining system and I think it may be just an addition to the house to hide something. Any thoughts what? I don’t think I will be pursuing digging down in the basement to increase height due to cost. So In the plans I used the basement as an occasional bedroom (hopefully with en suite). A very amateurish plan attached. What do you reckon?

By looking at the layout of the current plan you can definitely achieve a lot with it, at the moment the layout is not great as you have an entrance hallway and than another hallway to enter towards sun lounge and workshop entry is from garage or garden. Kitchen itself is not very practical it does not have dining space big enough or even adding a kitchen island just would not work. Suggest you have the rear extension to square of the building towards the left and where the garage is to try and get the permission to bring the garage wall towards the front of the building of course convert the garage to play area or gym or maybe cinema. New Extension should have 6 panel bifold low frame doors for indoors/outdoor look and two large skylights. In the new rear extension towards the left, add L shape kitchen with large 5 to 7 seater island, open up the walls from sun lounge and workshop make all open plan for new kitchen, dinner and lounge, Relocate stairs to the left where kitchen is now and have double glass doors where stairs is now so the view from entry is right through to rear of the house and you can see the garden. You could have pantry, another kitchen for all the dishwasher, washing machine or even cooking so than the main kitchen is kept for socialising perhaps a wine bar or wine spiral cellar(amazing feature with wow factor) ? Just some of the ideas..