We are decorating our loft room, which is a good size and want to use the low area under the eaves to store books. It is too low for book shelves and is sloping so some units would leave a big void behind them. There is a velux window in the centre and we are mindful about air flow as we have had a bit of mould in the bottom corners of the walls when we had plastic boxes stacked up.

Lots of the UK has a radon risk so it is not practical to avoid properties that fall into these possible areas. As I understand it the risk is low as we all routinely breath this gas daily. I understand that the normal course of action is to buy the house and an indemnity insurance policy. Once moved in an inexpensive test can tell you if you have slightly higher levels than normal and then if necessary the insurance policy pays for any remedial work to vent the gas safely which means a pipe that looks like your soil pipe is installed from your foundations to the roof. You do the test after you move in as the results are more accurate over a 90 day period. I have never actually had this issue so you may want to collaborate this information with your solicitor.

I'm trying to figure out if that sofa is sitting back flush against the breakfast bar? A quick sketch of the floorplan would help. I think you're trying to squeeze a lot of different pieces of furniture into one room - bookcase, linen cupboard and console table. It could end up looking very cluttered and cramped. My instinct would be to get a good carpenter to build one bespoke piece that can accomodate everything - bookshelves above, cupboards below, and made to measure spaces for tv and hifi. A custom built unit can be pricey but you get exactly what you need, plus builtin furniture transforms a room into something cosy and homely. I'd use most of the wall where the Olympic Games poster is. The tv should be towards the corner where the tub chair is presently, and i'd use the smallest tv possible! Consider having the unit spraypainted in a colour rather than plain oak- this would really add personality.

We did look at doing that originally with the aechitext but the upstairs has an open staircase so it cuts up a lot of room and would cost hundreds to stud it all out and put in and plaster the walls and put windows in :0( Plus I have a dressing area at the top of the landing where a window is ( the only window light that could come from upstairs is a north facing side window) so I might lose some of this. Overall it wouldn’t give us anything except showing the stairs in the hallway ie no cloakroom and a smaller upstairs with a lot of cost. We understand the hall is small and that’s just as the house was built so it’s one of those things. It’s just trying to use what is there as my OH wont spend any extra on things he deems aren’t fundamental now, lol.