This gorgeous hidden away home in Leeds is full of fabulous surprises

Amanda Cook is in the design business and her Leeds home showcases her talents

It comes as no surprise to find that the home of Amanda and Tom Cook is nothing less than fabulous. The couple are a creative powerhouse. Amanda is co-founder of Wetherby-based Design Tonic, which specialises in commercial interior design, build and fit-out projects. High- profile clients include Leeds United and Yorkshire County Cricket Club and she and her team are responsible for some of the most fashionable offices, shops, bars and restaurants in Yorkshire.

Tom, a town planner, is Leeds divisional director of planning at property and construction consultancy Zerum and is also full of fresh ideas. The couple moved to their tucked-away, converted barn in the Roundhay area of north Leeds just over a year ago after deciding to sell their large terrace house in Chapel Allerton due to its lack of parking. Their new home was only partly finished when they bought it, which would have terrified many would-be buyers but the Cooks were thrilled with the basic shell as it gave them the chance to do the fit-out to their own specification.

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“The developer had to put a kitchen and bathroom in before we bought it because otherwise it wouldn’t have been mortgageable but we took the kitchen out and gave it back to them so it wasn’t wasted,” says Amanda.

The home is hidden away and is hard to find unless you are in the knowThe home is hidden away and is hard to find unless you are in the know
The home is hidden away and is hard to find unless you are in the know

In its place is cabinetry and an island from Howdens, a supplier she uses for her commercial work. The units are in matt black and the worktop, island top and splashbacks are in durable Dekton from Cosentino. The island is also home to a “deck drawer” and disco lights which keen DJ Tom takes charge of when the Cooks want to get the party started. Another must have in the open-plan kitchen/living space was a bar, which is neatly hidden away in a bespoke fitted cabinet, as is the TV.

The sumptuous velvet corner sofa is a family favourite but the undoubted star of the show is the Aeris bioethanol fire from Cocoon, which doesn’t require a flue or a connection to gas or electricity. Suspended from the ceiling, it runs on bio ethanol, a plant-based fuel, and when lit it throws out warmth with no ash, soot or smoke.

“We love it. It’s sustainable and relatively inexpensive when compared to installing a wood-burner and flue. Plus it spins round and in summer you can fill it with ice for drinks,” says Amanda.

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A separate dining room leads off from the kitchen area and is one of the family’s favourite spaces. The scene stealers here are the tropical mural from wallmurals.co.uk, the floor lamp from Rockett St George and the abundance of real plants, which are from the Perfumed Garden in Chapel Allerton. The dining table is from Calligaris at Batley interiors store Redbrick Mill and the chairs are by Danetti.

The open plan living space with a bioethanol fire and drinks cabinetThe open plan living space with a bioethanol fire and drinks cabinet
The open plan living space with a bioethanol fire and drinks cabinet

One of the benefits of working in the commercial design sector is knowing what is and isn’t durable, which is why Amanda chose to use Tikkurila paint in the dining room and throughout the rest of the property. “We use it a lot on work projects because it’s water-based paint with zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and has a lovely finish while being scrubbable and wipe-clean,” she says.

The walls of the house are home to a large collection of artwork, including prints by Wetherby-based David Questa, whose work features in their snug. The stairs to the first floor are also lined with a variety of colourful prints that are unified with black frames, an easier-on-the-eye trick that has also been used in the large main bedroom. This room in the roof was the most difficult to design because of the sloping ceilings but Amanda and Tom have made great use of the space by adding built-in wardrobes and a faux chimney breast papered in Beut wallpaper, which is now home to an art TV. The telly looks like an art print when it’s not being used as a gogglebox.

The main bathroom is both striking and restful with the bath, black loo and Crosswater taps sourced from Yorkshire-based MKM plus tiles from Mandarin Stone. Outside, the garden boasts a sustainable wood-burning hot tub and is perfect for parties, though guests have to be given detailed directions on how to find the property. It’s tucked away in a tiny enclave, which is why Amanda and Tom thought the perfect name for their home would be the Hidden Haus. “It’s not easy to find and that’s one of the reasons we love it,” says Amanda.

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Useful Contacts: Design Tonic, Wetherby, www.designtonicltd.co.uk; Zerum, property and construction consultancy, www.zerum.co.uk; Kitchen cabinets from Howdens, www.howdens.com; Tikkurila paint, www.tikkurila.co.uk; Cocoon bioethanol fire, www.bioethanol-fireplace.co.uk; Dekton countertops from www.cosentino.com

The dining room with mural is one of Amanda's favourite spacesThe dining room with mural is one of Amanda's favourite spaces
The dining room with mural is one of Amanda's favourite spaces

Dining table from Calligaris at www.redbrickmill.co.uk; David Questa prints from the Headrow Gallery, www.headrowgallery.co.uk; Plants and pots from the Perfumed Garden, Chapel Allerton, www.theperfumedgarden.co.uk; Wallpapers from www.beut.co.uk; Sanitary ware from MKM, www.mkmbs.co.uk

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