LONDON CONVERSION

Cook and food writer Anna Barnett reworked the layout of her Victorian school apartment

Now that cook and food writer Anna Barnett lives in an apartment full of luxe touches, does she still like a good party? Ask Ted the dog…

it’s Ted the dog who gives the game away. As Anna Barnett pops open a bottle of fizz, his ears go up and he trots straight over. ‘Whenever he hears that sound, he knows he’ll get the cork,’ smiles Anna. ‘He likes to gnaw on them, like a bone.’ Ted is a hound who is clearly accustomed to a champagne lifestyle. As the go-to cook, blogger and food writer for fabulous food and entertaining ideas, Anna Barnett is getting ready for the festive season in her east London flat. She and her husband, Thom Archer, who works in media recruitment, bought this apartment in a former Victorian school 18 months ago and have since turned it into a cool, sophisticated home.

Anna and Thom immediately loved the huge windows and abundance of natural light they created. The layout? Not so much. For a start, the old kitchen was shoehorned into a dark corner, and a bedroom and a staircase took up half of the ground floor. ‘This seemed like a wasted opportunity, so we reclaimed the entire ground f loor as a living, entertaining and cooking space, which is much more “us”,’ says Anna.

Now the master bedroom is up in the mezzanine (accessed by a loft-style ladder) and the kitchen is a generous, chic space with loads of natural light and luxe marble surfaces. There’s ample room for Anna to cook, dream up new recipes and hold her at-home cookery classes. A cosy dining area under the mezzanine is where sit-down meals happen. ‘But, as everyone knows, all the best parties always end up in the kitchen,’ she adds.

The light, height and volume of the new and improved big living space is emphasised by a two-tone decor. The front door opens into a long skinny hallway painted black, meaning that, when you then step into the living area, you appreciate the full impact of the light and space. ‘I really love the contrast,’ says Anna, who brought interior designers Studio Clement on board to help realise her vision for the apartment. ‘They pulled all the ideas together and made it happen,’ she says.

Anna and Thom freely admit that waking up here feels ‘very grown-up’, compared with their old setup. ‘We lived in a nearby houseshare, a one-time pub owned by our friend, Dan Gillespie Sells, with a recording studio on the ground floor,’ says Anna. ‘What I loved about our old houseshare was that you’d never know who you’d meet when you got home. But now I love opening the door to no surprises, just complete calm,’ says Anna.

In their old place, the interiors were a fitting mishmash of eclectic vintage and slightly dishevelled Victoriana. But in this minimalist, serene space, a pair of Molteni & C armchairs holds court and clutter is kept to a minimum. ‘Just don’t go looking in the cupboards,’ smiles Anna.

But this home is proof that serene really doesn’t have to mean bland, with a variety of textures subtly added for extra interest and depth. There’s an expanse of Venetian plaster, as well as sections of bare bricks and walls painted in tactile limewashes.

Marble predominates in the kitchen, a theme that is also echoed in the living area’s tables and in the small but perfectly formed bathroom. Natural textures are added in the form of light oak flooring, woven baskets and fronds. And grasses are a tasteful take on Christmas decorations.

Before her success in the world of food, Anna worked in TV, then in fashion at House of Holland. On the side, she started hosting now legendary supper clubs and blogging and writing about food. Fashion designer Henry Holland was one of several friends who encouraged Anna to move into food full-time and she hasn’t looked back.

For Livingetc, she has created an array of party food that includes blinis, filo cups – and a cheeseboard the size of a spare wheel. ‘Party food is all about the prep,’ Anna says, adding some last-minute touches: a drizzle of truff le honey over slices of Manchego, sprigs of candied rosemary and a rich garlic confit that she pours over a just-baked Camembert. ‘I always include plenty of vegetarian food and dishes that are substantial enough to soak up the alcohol – you don’t want your New Year’s Eve party to peak too soon,’ she says.

But the most important thing, Anna says, is to enjoy yourself. ‘Friends come over to spend time with you, so don’t miss out on the fun. Plan ahead, but then just succumb to the joy of food.’

Look out for Anna’s recipes on livingetc.com. For her cookery classes, visit annabarnettcooks.com. Check out Grace & Thorn at graceandthorn.com