At Home with Thomas Straker
In the latest instalment of their Homestory series, Westwing visits the home of chef and food creator Thomas Straker. Offering a glimpse into his personal style and creative process, we explore how his passion for food, design and entertaining comes to life throughout his thoughtfully curated space.
For chef and food creator Thomas Straker, home is a place to slow down, reconnect and enjoy the simple pleasures of everyday life. In collaboration with Westwing, the London-based restauranteur has refreshed different areas of his home, from the open-plan kitchen and living space to the bedroom and bathroom, bringing a considered approach to each room while reflecting his personal style and the way he lives.
Having spent much of his childhood on a small farm, where he developed an early appreciation for nature, cooking and seasonal ingredients, food has always been central to his life. Today, after 18 years working in professional kitchens, Straker brings that same instinctive approach to his home, where considered design meets the warmth and informality of family life.
Describing his interior style as functional, Straker’s home is characterised by a sense of openness and a natural flow between spaces. Each area has its own distinct personality, from a more contemporary feel at the front of the house to a quieter palette of muted tones and wood elsewhere.
Hospitality is equally important to Straker’s approach to interiors. Having spent years creating restaurants and shaping experiences for diners, he understands how an environment can influence the way people feel. For him, welcoming someone into his home is about creating an atmosphere in which they can relax and feel comfortable.
This philosophy extends naturally into the kitchen, the heart of his home and the place where he feels most at ease and unsurprisingly, he spends a lot of his time. Incorporating the Westwing Jordan Leather Dining Chair at the breakfast window seat and the newly launched Westwing | Victoria Beckham collection on the kitchen shelves.
If I could only have five things in the kitchen, then I'll have olive oil, salt, a chopping board, a couple of good knives, and that's basically it. Oh and some butter."
Despite his busy schedule, which now sees him travelling for much of the year with his new Straker's restaurant opening in New York, Straker considers home an essential retreat. With time at home increasingly precious, it is somewhere to switch off, away from the pace of professional life. It is also a space shaped by the realities of family life, where comfort and practicality take precedence over keeping everything perfectly in order.
His main sitting room area includes layered textiles, with the Laguna Cotton Cushions, along with a play area for his three children fit with storage solutions for toys.
“Our home is open, with a free-flowing feel. I suppose it is a sanctuary of sorts for me. When I'm at home I try to switch off, read a book or lie down with the dogs.”
An unfussy atmosphere runs throughout the home, extending upstairs to the bedroom and bathroom, where a softer, more muted palette creates a sense of calm. The Posie Ruffled Linen Bedding brings warmth and texture to the bedroom, complementing the understated aesthetic and creating a relaxed space to unwind. In contrast to the more open, sociable spaces downstairs, these rooms offer a quieter retreat, balancing comfort and considered design with the same effortless feel that defines the rest of the home.
Asked what it means to live beautifully, his answer is refreshingly straightforward: “Be happy, be healthy, explore, be curious, have fun, eat well, drink well, sleep well.”
For Straker, these are the ingredients of a life well lived, and the same sensibility is reflected in his home: a space designed to be lived in, shared and enjoyed.
