For cook and food writer Hattie Ellis, a well-planned and straightforward kitchen is an essential part of the craft.
A thoughtful reconfiguration by Paul Archer Design introduces a new flow to the London flat she shares with partner Tim. Here they share how the design caters to a demand for food to play a central role in both professional and family life.
“With any craft, you want the smallest possible distance from A to B when it comes to things you do all the time. When I see in large kitchens with islands I think: bigger kitchen, further to walk. Here I just pivot to get what I need. This kitchen also has some really interesting lighting. Natural light from the big windows and above. And different options for top lighting or shelf lighting. I find I play with the light all the time because it creates a different sort of ambience.”
“There’s a flow of food through here when I’m writing my books. Some of which are not cookbooks but about practical ways to help people eat well. I also help other people with their books. I do recipe testing but also do a lot of talking to people about what they do. A hell of a lot of food can come out of this kitchen. For Paul Hollywood’s A Baker’s Life there were 100 recipes I made at least once and even a wedding cake. I’d make them up to four times if there was something particular I was trying to figure out.”
“The kitchen is so much part of the house. It could have been separate but for me food is such a sociable thing. It is never disconnected from the people you are feeding. It’s an amazing space where you feel very close to everything. You’re not in the kitchen slaving away but part of people’s conversations. It’s a really brilliant space to entertain people. We’ve had up to 14 people here and it works fine. You can carry our dining table out on to the patio through the big sliding door for big family occasions.”
“When you look at kitchens in maga- zines, the one thing you never ever see is any food. You might see a lemon and that’s it. Because food is so much part of our family life, and part of Hattie’s working life, we wanted to celebrate it. When you walk in from the hall, the kitchen is just in front of you, and then you have this unveiling of the dining room, sunroom, patio, and garden.”
“My favourite was the one for Lidgate’s, the posh butcher in Holland Park. On a Friday a courier would arrive with paniers full of chops and steak. My sons, Hattie and I, would work our way through this. 5kg of meat arriving every weekend, what’s not to love?!”
In the kitchen, it’s wonderful to have very clear lines. I like to have fresh ingredients around me in bowls. And then a wall of flavours. A bit like an old-fashioned dresser but with ingredients. If I want to explore grains and pulses, there they are. Or vinegars and oils, right where I can see them. Like an artist’s palette.
“It’s important to have family around me and be in the flow of life. When I’m cooking profession- ally, I have a habit of doing things quite intensely and then I clear it away and the boys could come in and make their smoothies and things. It’s quite easy and works fine.”
“I think, when you talk about work life balance, there’s only really life. The home is all about that and having a place like this is such a joy. It really makes you live better. I thank Paul Archer Design a lot for making that difference every day. When I’m work- ing and thinking hard, I often glance up and catch sight of something that inspires me: an ingredient or some flavours that could go together. It’s moments like those that can give me an interesting idea.”
“Now the boys have grown up it’s just Hattie and I and our two dogs. It was part of the plan when we did the work, that there would be five years of them being around and then just us rattling around in our old age. It’s worked perfectly for both.”
“It’s also usually pretty untidy. I’m sure other Paul Archer-designed homes are immaculate. One of the nice things about this being a family home, and a working home, is that we’ve always got the Hoover out. And we’ve always got the dogs’ bowls out.”
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