A West Sussex country house traditional passive cellar gets a wine storage makeover to more than double the existing wine storage capacity of the space! The original piecemeal collection of wine racks was replaced with a high capacity, professional aluminium wine storage solution, which does not rust or rot over time! Two banks of double depth metal wine racking along the walls and a central island of single depth wine racks were installed to create a total storage capacity of 2,200 bottles from the original 915 bottles. The cellar space was around 3m x 2.5m. What's more, the job was done in record time - just 10 days from site visit to installation!

Happy Sunday everyone! What a difference a week makes... we’ve had time to review, scribble, calculate, visit another kitchen designer AND spend 10 hours in London looking at appliances, flooring, tiles and island lighting... whew! Oliver, thank you. Your sketches helped us lift our expectations above what was being offered by what I thought were the affordable brands (still £2-3k higher than expected, cabinets only). I think we’ll keep the wine cooler on the outside of the island, as that’s where wine glasses will be stored, and where DH will be getting drinks (I really don’t like having anyone on the working side of the island when I’m working - it’s quite odd...) Given our new view on the cost of our preferred appliances, we are now weighing the pros and cons of integrated vs free-standing fridge /freezers, in that the price of the appliances are about the same, but the extra cabinets do add up. I prefer the integrated look, but I think I might prefer the freestanding in action. These options are shown below. (Don’t get excited about the living room - it doesn’t look like that!) Speaking of extra cabinets, the new lady has come up with quite a snazzy upper layout that is just enough to hide the hood (DH has come round to a canopy hood :). Will keep you posted. Thoughts welcome. Have a great week!

Thanks minie, yeah I’m pleased with this one too - the app didn’t have an option for a tall unit with just a single oven, so I had to make do with what they had, but yes, we would just have a single oven in one and the other would have a combo micro/oven and warming drawer so it would all line up. And I just shoved a few things on the shelves without really thinking, but yes the open shelving would look neater than that! I’m also considering whether to have the breakfast bar and the units on the opposite island of the hob to be higher units so it is about 18cm higher than the hob. That way could potentially have the breakfast bar directly opposite the hob, although the higher units would have to be 300 deep which means people sitting even nearer the hob, albeit higher up - I’m not sure if the hob would still pose a risk in this case with fat splashes etc?

Looking at the birds eye view photo (how lovely to have that balcony!!) I would put the TV in one of the alcoves to the left or right of the fireplace, sofa facing the fireplace and TV, and coffee table between sofa and fireplace. Induction heater can then nestle in front of the sofa at the end where you sit. Little side table likewise can go to the side of the sofa at the end where you sit. You have two floor lamps, do you need both? I would keep one and put it near the record cabinet. Perhaps the dartboard could go on the wall above the fireplace? However I guess this layout may block a walkway or door or have some other fatal flaw...