The Garlic Tree replanted

Following on from my refurbishment preview last week, the deed is done and The Garlic Tree has been given a makeover.

It had been just over a year since my last refit, and so it was about time I shook things up. Using my handy blueprint as a guide, it took around an hour on Thursday for me to complete the redesign. Here is the new look of my restaurant:

The Garlic Tree after refurbishment

I managed to stick to the blueprint in the main, with only a few minor alterations. As you can see above the general style has been maintained, with the main section still boasting the four-pillared centrepiece where most of the delicious food is placed. The String Quartet continue to provide the core of the musical backdrop with the Grand Piano and Elegant Harp offering additional entertainment.

The rest of the place remains split into numerous sections, each of which houses a specific theme. The way I designed this set-up allows for seven additional areas, including the foyer, kitchen and garden which have become mainstays of The Garlic Tree. Let's inspect each of these in a little more detail, starting with the foyer:

New foyer section of The Garlic Tree

The dark grey tone is maintained - I really like the lavish feel this produces, not least due to the sophisticated Dark Pattern wallpaper. The Lobster Tank and Chilled Drink keep their positions while the Bookshelf and Lounge Chair return having been part of the foyer in my 2013 layout.

And also making a triumphant homecoming are the two strips of water. This walkway was one of the highlights of my diner two years ago, and it was difficult to part with it for my last redesign. Using the Tranquil Waters flooring I'm delighted to once again drop the Flamingos and Lotus Flowers back into the bridge between my foyer and main section.

You'll notice that by placing the foyer and kitchen adjacently, I am able to join them up with a gap in the Fancy Wood Dividers where the staff can move in and out of the kitchen. And it is there where we go to next:

New kitchen section of The Garlic Tree

The kitchen is really where the revolution has happened. The overall appearance of my restaurant hasn't changed much except here where there are big changes. First up, the Swedish Kitchen has grudgingly been moved into storage. A 13 gem bargain on Black Friday in 2013, I still have a real fondness for that piece, but it's had its run and couldn't be accommodated in the new set-up.

Scattered throughout the kitchen are the goodies I received by purchasing the Classic Bundle prior to its removal last month. The Ticket Station comes with three chefs working at the pass and is a hive of activity. It's a second prize in the Classic Kitchen box, and is definitely the highlight of the new look kitchen section. But with the Dishwasher, Culinary Artist and Industrial Fridge also dotted around, my kitchen now has a real world feel to it which is very satisfying. When you also add in a selection of characters - including the Classic Chef - the place looks full of life and industry.

 Previous refurbishment posts

 15/03/14 Expanding into the garden

 13/04/13 The Garlic Tree refurbished

I'm absolutely delighted that I did go for the Classic Bundle in the end - for 80 gems I've been able to put together a realistic kitchen which will be a permanent fixture. The other themed areas will continue to be rotated but the kitchen will be staying for the long haul. For me that justifies the big expenditure!

A decision which I only took at the time of the refit was to create a blue theme for the kitchen. I'd thought of doing this before but it had escaped my mind for this refurbishment until I was putting it to work! The Blue and White floor tiles can be bought for coins as can the Blue Stove, so this variation didn't require me to part with any further gems. Of course using the Blue appliances has the disadvantage of losing the single tap function that makes the Easy appliances so popular. The extra taps on the basic cookers is taking some time to get used to but it's worth it for the aesthetic benefit!

Moving outside, my garden was transformed a while after Valentine's Day with a Spring theme now being adapted for the revamp:

New outdoor section of The Garlic Tree

The Blossom Grove, Garden Pond and Summer Fun are the three major decorations on show as I try to emphasise the high spirits as the weather improves in the Spring. To be honest I'm not particularly happy with this area - I'm short of ideas for this time of year which means there's just a mishmash of outdoor stuff on display. Depending on future updates I plan to break out my Riverboat and Pier Fishing in April or May with a beach style in the Summer.

Looking at the bigger picture there are both positives and negatives to this new layout. I've managed to fit in four zones for rotated themes, with the Italian, table tennis, Steampunk and Ancient Egyptian styles in place at the outset. With retro diner, pool, futuristic, musical, sports, nightclub and saloon themes all in storage there's plenty of scope for me to keep things fresh, and hopefully one or two more can be added to the rota in the coming months.

On the downside the new arrangement has put a strain on my place's efficiency. With only 20  reachable tables for the bots that leaves around half a dozen customers going red in the face with fury at the lack of a free table. They then turn on their heels and stomp out of my diner in indignation, causing my customer satisfaction rating to drop. This is unfortunate and isn't something which is restricted to the initial influx of punters either. As well as causing grumbling bots this issue will hit my cash flow with a drop in income. However with no more expansions to save for and over 10 million coins in the bank this is a drawback I can live with.

So there it is - The Garlic Tree's shape for 2015 has been forged. Depending on what is coming for the game in the months ahead this could even be the last major overhaul I undertake which would be a shame, but at least it's a successful one!