Lower Floor: TV Lounge, Dining Room, Kitchen
& Utilities
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As
you walk down the sweeping wooden staircase, you are greeted by
a massive open space which is the dining room and TV lounge. The
dining room has a solid chestnut with ironwork and glass top table
for 10 people with space, including two end carver chairs. Alongside
the specially made table (with spot lights positioned above exactly
to illuminate the eating area of each person) runs the four recessed
illuminated display cases which are ideal for displaying a range
of items besides swords; for hanging fabrics, for ornaments or even
mannequins. To one end is a bar area with chestnut drinks cabinet
and concealed under-bar refrigerator.

The
lower level is partly below ground level (as the house is built
on an incline, one end is fully below ground while the other is
at ground level); there is not a damp patch to be found. Because
of this, the dining room and TV lounge are extremely cool during
the summer. The existing owners have an air conditioning unit above
the bar but seldom use it. This large living space can make a perfect
retreat if the summer ever does get too hot for anyone. The quality
terracotta Spanish floor tiles used in the dining room and TV lounge
also help to keep the room cool. The whole floor would serve very
well as a guest area if you really wanted to get serious with tourism
incomes.
The
TV Lounge has an L-shaped sofa under a large window looking out
to a circular flower garden. All of the windows here and in the
adjoining kitchen are fitted with ornate French style exterior railings
for security purposes. In addition, a heavy metal chalice (stored
in the utility room or "Lavandaria") can be padlocked
into place on the stairs preventing anyone getting up or going down;
this is mainly for insurance purposes for if and when the house
in unoccupied. The adjacent large fully fitted kitchen is granite
tiled (same granite and non-slip floor tiles used upstairs in the
breakfast and bathrooms) with a wall mounted TV extension from the
lounge.
A second gate / video entry console is located at the entrance
to the utility room where the oil fired boiler is located and which
is currently used as an indoor clothes drying and ironing area with
some exercise equipment as well. The utility room would also be
a perfect place for any wine fermentation vat as a) the temperature
here is perfect year round and b) the carbon dioxide that comes
out of the vat while fermentation is taking place is easily directed
through a tube and out a small hatch to the outdoors. Another part
of the kitchen leads to storage cupboards, a small bathroom with
shower, a wash room (plumbed in for washing machine) and an adega
or wine cellar (also has a chest freezer in it with some space for
storage as well).
Two
sets of solid hardwood doors with opaque double glazed security
windows lead out onto the outdoor dining area; a huge specially
made granite table which easily seats eight adults and is set in
a fortress style circular granite walled extension over the hill
/ bank below. This area is part of the private driveway down to
the river but has granite patio tiles instead of the kubos granite
cobblestones used for the road and benefits from two large wooden
gates which keep the dogs out when the owner chooses. This area
has a gate and steps up to the family garden where the BBQ area
is located. It therefore is used regular and safely by the children
of the house on their bikes.
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