I use a magnetic strip and love that it keeps the bench clear. I don't like knife blocks very much as they are hard to keep clean. I use quite a few knives frequently and I don't find they get dusty at all – and the ones I use less frequently, like the fish filleting knife, I just wipe with a damp cloth before using but, as I usually touch it up with the sharpener before tackling a fish, I would wipe it after sharpening anyway. I have mine near the stove but in a reasonably discreet spot so I don't feel that they are out on display.

That's hard. Doing a total renovation, every room is being done to my complete satisfaction naturally, so I'm loving every one of them and being in them.

By viable I mean workable, functional. A chimney sweep or a builder adept in chimneys will give you a report. Certainly enquire about a future gas fitting rather than logs if possible. I say this as a fireplace anywhere is delightful and, if downstairs, it could heat upstairs through the house, to a certain point too. If you look at the quality of the brick laying, you will see that its not meant to be a feature which is why it was rendered, but that is choice only. Certainly seal the bricks. Good luck and stay with it if you can. Everybody loves the romance of a fire.

I will use my phone in the kitchen if I receive a call/text while there. But otherwise, no. And I avoid using my tablet in the kitchen: water, oils and what-have-you simply don't go well with technology. Very occasionally I will use my tablet to consult a recipe. But I prefer my recipes on paper out so I can attach them to a handy surface (fridge door, stovetop extractor fan) for easy reference while cooking. I don't "hang out" in my kitchen (it's a food preparation room, not the eating/dining area) so there's no other reason to be in there using a tablet.