Trying to start the right way

[island]

I love to drink wines, but have never been really into the "correct" storage of them. Recently purchasing a couple bottles from a trip for around $300, we bought a 54 bottle stand alone, to keep our wine good till we want to open.

If I will be storing both reds and whites together, what is the optimal temp for these?
How much light is too much light? If the standalone is in the kitchen, should I think about tinting the inside glass to darken it up?
Someone told me that chards last a long time. How long should I give them till they go bad?