Hannah Luard, aka to her chatty band of Instagram followers as Hannah and the House, first got in touch with us in 2022. She was, she told us, planning a new family kitchen and one of its focal points would be a vast copper Belfast sink. Hannah explained she was looking for a normal mixer tap for the main sink, and on a smaller, separate sink, a boiling water tap. She wanted the taps to be finished in copper, too. Could QETTLE help, please?

Happily, we could. And even more happily, Hannah had caught us at just the right time: our QETTLE Signature Mixer Tap range had recently been launched. A bespoke, copper-finished Signature Modern Mixer tap with dual lever handles, was duly put in progress. And in the meantime, we arranged for a copper finished QETTLE Signature Mini – dispensing 100°C boiling water and filtered drinking water – to be made, too.

Fast-forward to March 2024, and we were invited to visit Hannah (and her house) in the breathtaking Brecon Beacons – and see the realisation of Hannah’s vision for a kitchen that whilst indisputably beautiful, also puts family life front and centre. From the Anvil, the Llandrindod Wells-based company from whom Hannah sourced her striking architectural ironmongery, joined us – and there was definitely a moment – perhaps when Hannah demonstrated how the kitchen’s island conceals a smoke machine – when we would all have happily moved in.

There is an uncommon skill in creating a space that whilst aesthetically pleasing also works on a practical level. And with four children at home, not to mention an ongoing full-scale house renovation and a small Airbnb to manage, Hannah certainly has her hands full. Family-life and fun, however, have proved to be the perfect underpinning.

Says Hannah,

‘Family life and time is immensely important to us and like so many others, lockdown reminded us of the value of simply being together and making our own, simple fun. We love a kitchen disco or an impromptu musical recital, so whizzy lighting to set the mood, was for me, as important a factor as the kitchen’s cabinetry and my choice of appliances. In the same vein, I couldn’t resist a giant mirror ball, or the smoke machine. Guests can’t believe what they’re seeing, but they’re proof that you can combine all those fun elements that make a space come alive with beautiful, elegant design.’

After fun, came convenience. Hannah planned floor to ceiling cabinetry that included both a baking cupboard and a cavernous tea and coffee pantry. Meanwhile, the sink run, with its co-ordinated QETTLE taps finished in copper to complement the statement sink, is effectively a ‘sink station’. The roominess of the Belfast sink means everything from a morning’s worth of baking tins and trays to seasonal pickings from Hannah’s cut flower garden can be easily accommodated.

Meanwhile, the adjacent QETTLE Signature Mini tap that sits on its own, smaller sink, provides instant, 100°C boiling water for not just hot drinks, but a myriad kitchen shortcuts, and filtered drinking water, too.

Hannah comments,

‘We all love the convenience of the QETTLE. It’s safe, and it goes beyond tea and coffee. I use it for everything from dissolving stock cubes to making my garden roses last that little bit longer. If you run their freshly cut stems under the flow of boiling water, it seals them.

‘Having filtered drinking water on tap is also wonderful – we’ve no need to store bottled water, which is not only awful for the environment, but expensive – and it’s very helpful for encouraging the children to drink water.’

Fortunately for Hannah, who is still making her way through bedrooms and the house’s gardens and grounds, Teams QETTLE and From the Anvil did eventually find their way home. But not before some truly inspirational content had been captured, and Hannah’s QETTLE tap properly put through its paces. In true Hannah and the House style, our last stop was a quick tour of the wine room. But we’ll save that story for another day… 

ESSENTIALS

• Hannah’s QETTLE Signature Mini boiling and filtered water tap starts at £615, with coloured finishes – copper, brass, matte black and gunmetal are available – starting at £805.
• Matching QETTLE Signature Mixer taps start at £270 and are available with single or dual lever handles and round or square spouts, and also in coloured finishes by special order.
• Visit qettle.com for further information, email sales@qettle.com or call 01603 989039
• Watch Hannah and the House videos here
• Book a QETTLE video demo at qettle.com/appointments
• For beautifully co-ordinated architectural ironmongery, lighting and other accessories, visit fromtheanvil.co.uk
• Follow Hannah on Instagram at @hannahandthehouse