What’s the best way to setup a gite and furniture business in France?

I am about to register a gite business in France and my partner for selling furniture, antiques and objects principally in the UK. At some stage I hope to develop my work as a psycho-praticienne (counselling) and my partner will be a restorer too. As I understand it, we can add the codes for any such work in the future, if we become auto-entrepreneurs.

The gite will be a commercial activity and I understand that cotisations are 14.1% and 1% tax (optional) under auto-entrepreneur. I’m thinking commerçant for the selling of furniture and objects too. Can you explain the optional tax of 1% to us?. Do I register as a loueur meublé (professionnel) for the gite?

I understand that counselling and furniture restoration are regulated professions. Are there any implications for us in terms of registration? I’ve read that we need proof of qualifications or 3 years experience. Are the other areas (gite and selling) regulated professions or not? If so, are there any implications? How can we find out how much business rates would be on any of these schemes once they start?

We installed a new wood-burner in March 2013 and received a crédit d’impôt for the destruction of the old burner. To claim this back, I think I need to be in the tax system. Does this mean I need to be set as auto-entrepreneur to be able to claim the credit back and if so, do I need to be registered by this year’s tax end date?