The NewYork apartment in the movie 'Down With Love' is my personal favourite. Sunken, circular longe, lofty spiralling staircase and that view! I'd change up the colour scheme, a bit too pink for my tastes. Or even it out by spending time at the equally stunning, James Bond-esque bachelor pad, with its wood tones and blue velvet goodness. Oh yes!

Strange building form...

In the first instance write to the architect to ask for a refund. State your reasons which would be primarily that their product was not fit for purpose because it did not meet your budget, it did not meet building regs and because there were inconsistencies between what was discussed at concept stage and what was delivered it has failed to meet expectations. The delays and their failure to understand the local planning environment were also disappointing. Should you get nowhere with them then you can go to their Governing body (you can tell from their website who they are affiliated with). You can only do this route after you have demonstrated efforts to resolve it with the practice directly. You may not be successful though as it may well be that their design was fit for purpose and your perception of it not being as per your brief could be subjective.

Hi Amanda, There is certainly acres of space to do all you want to do, and more! As with so many others, I am not a fan of conservatories - baking in summer, freezing in winter and a permanent window cleaning nightmare. While garden rooms are great, I’d personally concentrate first on getting your kitchen/diner/entertaining/home office space absolutely spot on for your needs. If there is one room in any home which, well planned & executed, adds value, it is the kitchen(diner). Certainly well worth getting designs for the space made up to help you see the “art of the possible”. Last year, we undertook such a project (in a more compact space) to deliver a stunning handleless kitchen, island with Bob, with an extendible dining table coming off and a long dresser, stepped down to a large desk area. It has transformed the way the family use their home! If you are just looking for indicative concepts, OnePlan has a good reputation on Houzz. If you are looking to get closer to detailed plans & costs, then a kitchen specialist is the way to go. Naturally, I recommend seeking out good, local independent studios who are always more “design led” and “client centred”. Depending on where you are, I’d be more than happy to talk through options with you - if you are within striking distance, we offer a full design/supply/install service; further afield, we can DP design & supply (even to the Falkland Islands in the past!) or if it is just a detailed design you require, that too can be offered for a fee. Feel free to get in touch if we can assist at all even if just for a general chat. And I will look out some images from past designs that sought to use space in similar ways! Caldicot Kitchens.