Inside Great British Bake Off Star Kim-Joy’s Colourful Home

Hello, Hi Luxury Home Show. I'm Kim Joy. You may have seen me on the Great British Bake Off. I love to bake and create cute and colourful things. I'm also an author and yeah, welcome to my home. So I focus on the practical first when sorting out design in the kitchen. There are many similarities between baking and designing a house. So this bit is intentionally a lower ceiling, whereas the extension is a higher ceiling. Welcome in, we are in Leeds and more specifically in my hallway. And I live here with my partner Nabil and my cats Inky and Mochi who are hiding about somewhere at the moment. We'll find them later. This is my hallway. So it's cute and colourful. Basically everything that I love because obviously I love cakes that are cute with little critters and animals. I love pink and green. And I also love yellows. That's why the stairs go up and they're yellow because I want it to be energising when I go to bed. And this hallway is actually completely different to when we bought it a few years ago. It used to be, you'd walk along here. So it was about this narrow where you'd walk in and then you'd actually walk in from this side. So you go this way, this way, and you go this way. And here was a giant toilet. So the layout is completely different from how it was before. Yeah, it's just a giant cake that I love to live in. A few details specifically that I love are one of the things is this sprinkle floor. It's a faux terrazzo floor that I wanted to look like sprinkles. So all these paint, these are actually all paint chips and I spread them out really thin. And then there's Mochi. I spread them out really thin and then crumbled them up or teared them up and then sprinkled them all over the floor. And then it's covered with a layer of polyurethane. And then this is the big hallway space and look how tall it is. I wanted the drama, you know. I feel like houses are incomplete without all cakes. Like you always need something that really brings the drama and I love varied ceiling heights for that. We worked with an architect called Studio J who were amazing. They really helped us manage the costs of the build because I don't know, you don't really know approximately how much is it gonna cost to make this double height. And he really helped us to figure all of that out and let us, let me kind of do whatever I want. I actually grew up in London, like Northwest London and then I eventually moved up here because I did a psychology master's and I love it here. I love that it's got that mixture of countryside. Just makes me happy. And another thing that I really love is this bubble light up here. Again, it's drama. We have to have a bit of drama and it gives it, I like the floaty feeling of it. I love like things that feel like clouds and it feels like a bubbly cloud and it matches as two more bubble lights up there so they all tie in. And then when you walk in, you're actually, to your left, there is an office room which isn't currently complete but we're working on it. There's like IKEA stuff in there that we need to paint and do up but it's always nice to have little projects that you're still working on. And then through here, if you walk forward, you are into the main living room, kitchen space where everything happens. And this is the kitchen, dining and living space. This space is actually completely, completely different to how it was before. So this area where I'm stood now is all extension. So this did not exist before. And then beyond this pillar here is the original house. So this, where I'm stood here, actually used to be the kitchen. It was very tiny because probably like, probably a bit more than this. It's funny because I was wanting to move house to move from a smaller kitchen to a bigger kitchen but actually I moved house and got a smaller kitchen but I knew that it could be expanded and remade into a better layout. This over here, actually, this used to be one long room. So the pantry didn't exist. This wall didn't exist. And the office room that I showed earlier was all combined. So one really long room. So this space used to be the dining room. We used to call it the red room because it had a red carpet. It's hard to remember what the different spaces used to be. And this is also extension space. This is actually, I just wanted a cozy corner with plants. I love this wallpaper. There's a toque in there and it feels like it's, I don't know, just vibing with the space. So that was how it was before. And this is the kitchen now, which I love. I love the colors, love the plants. Just everything makes me happy in here. This is my yellow mixing machine. So it is my dream. I spent so much time getting the layout right. That was my first and foremost. Most important thing, you know, specific measurements like between these two cabinets. So your walkway is enough. So I could bake on this side and my partner could be washing up behind here. I need somebody to wash up when I'm baking. Yeah, I just love it so much. It's my dream, dream kitchen. And also all the cupboards as well. So this is the cutlery drawer in here with all my knickknacks for baking. So I've got like random paint brushes and whatever that is, a sculpting thing. And then mugs in here. So everything's accessible and works for me. Plates and stuff. One thing that I found really important for me is actually lighting in here because I wear tinted glasses because I have light sensitivity. So it's not too bright, but not too dark if that makes sense. Still works when I'm filming my baking videos. But one of the key things to me is lamps. Feel like every kitchen needs a lamp. So I've got this lamp in the corner over here. I've got fairy lights all along there. And then this is also a light and a diffuser. And then another lamp and then another lamp, another lamp here. Yeah, it just makes it feel, I want my space to feel not just, first and foremost, I want it to be practical. So I focus on the practical first when sorting out design in the kitchen. And then second to that, I figured out what colors I wanted, which took forever. Like this green color. So the company spray paint it to the color that you pick out. And it took me ages to find the right color of green. Had these like samples of all the different greens where it's like the differences are minute. So there's like colors where I was like, these are really different. I'd show it to my partner, Nabil, they'd be like, they're the same. I'm like, no, they're really different. I'm sure everyone goes through that experience. And it just brought it everywhere with me, different lighting. And I knew I wanted pink and green, which is why these cabinets over here are pink. With like gold accents because I just love like gold makes things look kind of all brass. Brass kind of makes things look nice and elegant feel. And I love shiny things. I like pink things, green things, shiny things, cute things, plants. So obviously our builders did the vast majority of the space. Like I don't even know how they did it. They put up this shelf here, just they put up this ash slat wood, which I love so much. But we also did a lot ourselves, which is what I want to do. It's fun to do stuff yourself and learn things. So for instance, this floor, it like blows my mind all the time that we tiled it ourselves, which took probably like five times as long as what an expert would take to tile a floor. But I'm so proud of it. And every time I look at it, I'm like, oh, like these straight lines. It's so satisfying. We had to get a laser because I was like, it can't be wonky. Imagine if it's wonky. Also the kitchen design, actually the company I went with is called DIY Kitchens. And what I love about them is you don't get like most kitchen companies, you speak to somebody and they design it for you. And DIY Kitchens, you save money because you actually do that yourselves, which I really enjoyed because I liked drawing out the measurements and figuring out exactly how this fit. I think I had quite a specific image in mind of how I wanted the kitchen. So I didn't want somebody else to do it for me. And these tiles actually extend all the way into the pantry over here. And this is our pantry, which is amazing, especially because I bake. So it's a lot easier to see all the ingredients that you need. And so we've got all the open shelves where you can see it. It's intentionally darker in here. So the ingredients aren't exposed to loads of light. It's my little retreat room. And we've got things like all our appliances in there. So they're kind of tucked away, but accessible. Like you don't have to open a door to get to them. They're just there. This light, by the way, looks really cool when it's on, but I've lost the remote, so I can't turn it on. So imagine it's like really vibrant and amazing. It's magical. And come in. Oh, and this archway, by the way, is actually, I had a really specific plan for everything before the build. But when I was looking at the space, I realized this definitely has to have an archway. So the builders put in the archway. They did an amazing job. And then I gold-leafed the inside of the archway. First time gold-leafing, so it's probably not perfect, but things that you do yourself, I don't know, even if it's not perfect, you have that pride because I'm like, I did it myself. So how I use this space is, obviously all the shelving all around has everything like spices, flowers, sugars, everything for my baking is out so I can see it and try not shop and buy things that I've already got. So it's super practical. Also got all the appliances in here. So microwave, blender, an air fryer, but I don't actually ever use it. Not really an air fryer person. And a rice cooker, which is, yeah, love a rice cooker. Always recommend a rice cooker. Chocolate, really important. Snacks, also really important. And this is all my cake stands. And this, this is my trophy when I did the New Year's bake-off. So I'm always terrified of dropping that, so I'm gonna put it back now. But as well as it being practical, I always want the little fun elements. So I love Studio Ghibli and I've got little soot sprites with their little eyes peeking out. They are from Totoro, but also Spirited Away, I think. And correct me if I'm wrong. And then little like, I don't know what this is, strawberry milk thing with feet. I just liked it, saw it. This is like a mini Totoro, one of the little ones. Some plants that are struggling, but this one was actually suffering of too much light. So I moved it in here. So hopefully it will improve. This is the thing that I probably show everyone when they come round. One of the first things I'm like, look at my sprinkle drawer, which is obviously full of sprinkles. I actually buy most of them from the US because they allow e-colors that aren't used here. And actually, there's not just one sprinkle drawer. There is two sprinkle drawers because you can never have enough sprinkle drawers. I initially had one and then had to increase it. And maybe it will increase again, who knows. And then there is all biscuit cutters. I mean, we recently went to Japan and I saw this store with like even more biscuit cutters. It was like all the way up the stairs. And then I bought additional biscuit cutters for my collection. And then these are just bits and bobs, more for baking. Again, more trays, bits and bobs. Yeah, I've got a lot of baking stuff. So that's the kitchen and the pantry. We're gonna continue with the rest of the tour and maybe come back to the kitchen to do some actual baking. And this is our outdoor patio space over here. And what I love about it is there's bamboo. And I love like the sound of bamboo when the wind goes over it, it's just so peaceful. It's so nice to sit outside and just have a drink. Although I need to sit outside there more. But it's amazing because these windows can open right up and they really connect the space with the dining area. And also one thing I did is this rug actually has a similar pattern to the tiles outside. They're different colors. One's black and white and one's orange and white. But yeah, they connect. I like it to be soothing. I actually really love, even though I love color, I love wood elements. So this table makes me happy every day. Sometimes I cover it with tablecloth, but yeah, I just love the look of wood. It makes everything calm. I actually really love the space to be, the goal is colorful yet calm. And the bamboo, the wood, the plants really bring in that sense of calm. And I briefly mentioned this mural before, but I wanted to mention it again because I love that it ties the indoor because of all the leaves with the outdoor and the bamboo. And it also adds that element of fun. And it also has like pink and green colors to kind of link in with the whole room. Yeah, I love this wallpaper so much. It's actually by my friend who's called Avalana, Avalana Design, and she's really incredible. It's all painted with, she hand paints everything with watercolor, then scans it in, and she can actually move the animals around. So she showed me a batouken there and then in different positions. Oh, and there's this jaguar. Can't miss the jaguar. I've got a lot of cat themed things in the house because cats, they take over my brain. The whole design is probably my cat's design. They're just implant ideas in my brain. That's probably also why I did a cat themed baking book. It's all the cats. This is actually where I spend most of my time. Although I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, I also spend even more time sat on the couch over there, watching television whilst editing videos on my phone. Too much staring at screen. And I love the view from here over to the kitchen. Although actually I usually sit over here on the sofa, so I don't see the kitchen at all. But it kind of gives me that separation between kitchen and sitting down. Even though it's open plan, it's kind of zoned. So this bit is intentionally a lower ceiling, whereas the extension is a higher ceiling. And it's a bit darker in here, all because of my light. My eyes can't cope with light. I'm a vampire. So yeah, that's all intentional. Okay, we're back in the kitchen. I'm gonna make some marbled shortbread cookies. They look like pebbles with little cute faces on them. So I've got the ingredients here, weighed out. So it's really easy actually. Just chuck in, chuck in butter. Oops. Chuck in butter, chuck in sugar, chuck in flour. And then just use your hands to mix everything up. This takes a little while. But you want it to resemble like fine sand. And I forgot, but add some vanilla essence or some lemon zest to flavour it. Now that you've got a ball of dough, I'm gonna split it up, because I'm gonna dye it different colours, just kind of where the fun is. There are many similarities between baking and designing a house. I mean, with baking, it's the same. You've got to think about what colours you're gonna use, what textures you're gonna use, how are you gonna make it interesting? What's gonna be the focal point? And yeah, it's a three-dimensional structure, as is a house. And there's also that whole split between you need to get the measurements and sort of the science correct. And then on top of that, you know, you want to add your decorations and do what you want to express your personality a bit with it. If my house was a cake, it would be, I can't decide, but like some colourful cakes, a nice, keep thinking of lemon meringue pie, but I don't know if the house would resemble that or if that's just what I want to eat in this moment in time. And this is the fun bit, because basically you just get bits of dough, maybe a bit of pink, a bit of white, a bit of blue, a bit of orange, and you just want to gently marble it. You don't want to get rid of the colours too much and then form a little triangular shape. So because I'm creative, I love designing things myself. I particularly love spaces. I really actually enjoy measurements. I'm very interested in the flow of the space and how it makes it work. So working with our architect, he gave me creative freedom with it. And if I asked him a question, like how much is this going to cost? Is it going to be reasonable? And he'd be able to give a guide on that. He was also really good at reaffirming what I wanted. So if I was like, I want the ceiling higher, do you think it'll look good? Because sometimes I'm not sure. He'll be like, yeah, yeah. And he'd never put down any of my ideas. He'd just sort of, I don't know, like a therapist. He just like, isn't critical. I feel like every architect needs to have like that kind of personality. I am going to put this in the fridge for half an hour and then it's going to go in the oven to bake. They are baked. They're looking amazing, smelling amazing. So they're still hot. So I'd usually wait for it to all cool down first, but I reckon I can pipe some faces whilst it's still warm. And this one, I'm going to pipe a special message. Subscribe. There you go. I've just realised I wrote subscribe. Please still do subscribe. Even though it doesn't spell it correctly. And now I think it's time that I have a little taste test. So good. Because it's still warm. Okay. We've got to get back on the tour now, but then afterwards I'm going to eat more. Now that we've finished looking at this downstairs area, we are going to have a wander upstairs. Now that we're upstairs, I wanted to show you a couple of the bedrooms and bathrooms. But whilst I'm up here, I just wanted to show you what the view is like from up here. So this is one of the bedrooms. It's actually a North facing room. So I was worried of it getting cold light, that it wouldn't feel cosy. So that's why I've gone with really cosy colours in here and oranges and pinks. I just, I love that cosy vibe. There is a little pumpkin in the corner. It's actually like a cat bed, but the cats never use it, but we still have it there. There's always things like that, but it kind of makes it home. I love that there is a little picture of reasons to get out of bed. None. To encourage relaxation, because I feel like we all need more relaxation. And then obviously, because I like cute things, I have like a little axolotl on the bed, pumpkin on the bed. Yeah, it's cosy. And speaking of relaxation, obviously lighting is so important to me. So these lights over here are colour changing. Look, red, purple, orange, green. I usually leave them on this warm, warm orange setting to emphasise the warmth of the room. And this is the landing area. And now let's head into the bathroom. I kind of wanted this room to feel really calming, extra calming. So the colours are a bit more earthy and it's full of plants. So I really wanted behind the bathtub, we've put it on a corner angle so that it can have like a jungle theme with all the plants on top. Wait, let me just let go of Mochi. It's still not finished in here. There's like, actually what's funny is the shower, which I love the pink and white tiles. They're from Burton May. They're so striking. Give that pop of colour in here, because obviously, again, it's relaxation with pops of colour. But what's funny is the shower doesn't actually work. So we've never used it. We need to get it fixed because with all the building work, there was a crack in where the waste goes. So yeah, needs fixing. And this is the main bedroom. So I thought in this room, I wanted, again, a lot of pinks, a lot of greens, because that's the theme throughout the house that I really enjoy. So I've carried it through into here. And then I don't know if it depends on my mood when I'm decorating, but I went with this pink and white checkerboard because I just wanted fun. Even though it's a bedroom and I want relaxation. I don't know, still the pink and white checkerboard brings relaxation because it goes over and onto the ceiling, which feels cocooning and nice. And behind me, this is actually just a basic Kallax from Ikea, but I love a bit of Ikea and we are going to paint it. So it's not going to stay like ordinary white. It's going to be pink. And I'm thinking maybe like more gold bits, either gold paint or gold leaf, maybe on the insides, just to bring that bit of glam. So the bedroom area has like a shorter ceiling height, which makes it again, cozier. And the wardrobe area is a lot more energizing because the ceiling goes higher, gives it that drama. And then we have this wardrobe here. And I love the wardrobe is again, Ikea. I love a bit of Ikea, but it's wallpapered. Again, this is the wallpaper by Avalana. It brings that sereneness into the room because it's a forest. So you can look from the bedroom over to the forest. So rather than, I don't know, practical looking wardrobe, it feels like another world. And this is the ensuite bathroom, which kind of continues on from the bedroom because that is the same wallpaper on the door of the bathroom. And then again, pink and green again in here, but it's a slightly, I feel like it's a different vibe in here. I don't know. I got into a phase of really liking graphic shapes, which is why the tiles behind me are white with the black grout on them. And then there's these stripes on the countertop. And then, well, actually I'm really proud of this because this was leftover, a leftover kitchen wall thing. I'm not sure, but we just covered it with vinyl wrap. And I feel like it looks, it's really easy to clean and it looks really effective. And again, this is actually Ikea, these drawers, but I painted them green and then added these pink handles just to make them pop and match in with the room because the tap is also pink. And then the toilet roll holder. I mean, I know that's not very exciting, but that's also pink. And again, there's loads of plants in here. So it says even a Monstera. In the shower, because again, give you that like rainforest feel. And this mirror used to be white, but I painted the border pink so that it ties in with the room. And that is it. Thanks for coming to the tour. I hope you enjoyed it. And if you want to see a little bit more about myself and what I do, then my new book, Ordinary Joy is coming out soon. So have a look. Bye. Hello, Luxury Home Show. I'm Katie. Welcome to my home in Shropshire. Come and take a look inside.