Warm, welcoming, and flooded with light, TV and radio broadcaster Zoe Hardman’s new kitchen oozes a retro feel with a fun Ibiza-inspired twist…
Nestled inside a detached Victorian property from 1886 is TV and radio broadcaster Zoe Hardman’s dream kitchen. “The shell of the property was so beautiful – really high ceilings, fireplaces – but it hadn’t been touched internally for a while, so we knew that we wanted to do something special with it,” Zoe tells me.
She had found luxury designers Sheraton Interiors on Instagram, after following an influencer who had their kitchen designed by the company. “In a very weird twist of fate, I had met Sheraton Interiors designer Mark Hassett from going to the gym. So, when I clicked on their page and saw that Mark worked there, it was like the universe had brought us together to create this space.” And so, the wheels were set in motion…
“The builders ripped the old kitchen out in December 2023 and began work on the extension. We went away to see my mum in Kenya, and when we came back, we were using an air fryer and washing our pots and pans in the laundry room, so it was quite a shock to the system. But just after around 12 months, the space was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in my life. Every time I walk into the kitchen, I get filled with joy at how stunning it is,” she beams.
Keen to discover all about the renovation journey and its alluring details, I’ve asked Zoe about the ins and outs of her new kitchen…
What was your vision for the kitchen design?
“Initially, I thought I wanted a classic kitchen with white Shaker doors, quite Scandinavian and simple. But when I was chatting to one of my best friends, interior designer Ali Pittam, about my vision for the kitchen, she asked ‘You love Ibiza, colour, and exciting, bright spaces – why would you want to do something so simple?’,” which, in turn, challenged Zoe.
“Suddenly, sitting down with Ali and working with Mark, I realised that I actually wanted to create an impactful, dramatic design with a 1970s disco vibe.”
Can you tell us more about the kitchen layout?
“We’re a very busy family of five, so I needed the kitchen to really work with me and for our needs. The breakfast bar is one of my favourite features in the whole kitchen. You open the cupboard doors, they slide down, and you’ve got an extra work surface. There’s also a tea and coffee station, a pull-out fridge where we keep juices and milk, and I’ve got all the kids’ cereals and bowls in there.
“Then, as the lights come down in the evening and I’m cooking, you move over to the island space. Right behind are the sink, the dishwasher and the bins.”
How did you come up with the island design?
“The worst outcome would have been me having my back to the kitchen whilst I was trying to cook,” she laughs. “So, when Sheraton Interiors suggested having the hob on the island, that meant our kids could do homework or guests could enjoy a glass of wine while I was cooking or having a chat with them. I’ve really gotten into my cooking in the last couple of years, so that was important to me.”
“I also wanted to have everything I would need in front of me, so I could just bend down to grab a saucepan, a steamer, or spoons. That’s one of the reasons why I love the kitchen so much – the flow works in harmony with what you’re doing at the time, so you’re not constantly walking back-and-forth. The function of the kitchen really works with our lifestyle.”
What about the statement splashback?
“It was Ali who suggested it needed to be our hero piece. I love copper and gold, and it works well with the dark wood, too. We found bespoke company Halman Thompson, who had never built one on this scale before – it’s totally unique. We chose an aged copper, so it’s not too shiny or too matt, and it’s got a few little dents making it perfectly imperfect. It’s a wow feature – you walk in and that’s the first thing that you see in there.”
Did you have any non-negotiable features?
“I really wanted a boiling-water tap and enough storage, because having lived in London for 15 years in small flats, there was never enough storage for everything. Now, we’ve actually got space at the top of the kitchen cupboards that we’re not using,” she laughs.
Was lighting important to you?
“The biggest lesson I have learned during this whole project is that lighting is key in setting the right mood. So, we were really careful about the positioning of the spots in the kitchen. We’ve placed them where I’m using it as a workable area – over the hob and the sink. We have some ceiling spots shining on the cupboards, to light those up, and then also inside the units, so you can see what you’re doing.
“But on the other side of the kitchen, where we have the dining area, there are no spots because that space is for entertaining.”
How did you create the dining zone?
“Ali’s got to take all of the credit for this one. Having a best friend who’s an amazing interior designer – what a win,” she giggles. “Our builders created the banquette seating, and Sallyanne Jones from Our Favourite Things came round with loads of fabrics for the seat and backrest. Then, Ali sent over a couple of dining room table suggestions that were long enough so we could actually entertain for the first time in our lives. And the wallpaper just sets the whole thing off.”
Looking back, did you face any challenges?
“Life is chaotic enough with three kids, and then you chuck in a house renovation on top of that… it could have been really stressful, but I didn’t find that at all. I loved walking through the project at different stages – when it was in the shell form, then the plastering, and the paint. Once the kitchen started being fitted, it moved quite fast. It was brilliant coming back from work every day and seeing the progress. I was like a kid with sweets,” she reminisces.
“So, my best piece of advice is staying calm in the chaos. You are creating a space where you’re going to have so many incredible memories. You can’t worry about the dust or delays; these things move and change. If it doesn’t happen today, it will happen tomorrow.”
Photography: Chris Snook
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