The kitchen is the undisputed heart of the home and that’s especially true of shoot location houses. Kitchens are an incredibly important part of most locations and our location library features a diverse selection of very special kitchens for film locations in and around London. But what makes a successful location house kitchen?

You might be surprised to learn that it’s not quite as simple as being a beautiful space. The best kitchen shoot locations in our location library cleverly tick a lot of other boxes – and here we share our insider intelligence with you…

Some of the most sought-after features of a good location kitchen are an island with a gas hob, no visible extractor fan and of course, plenty of space for the camera to get back.  And while we appreciate that it’s not always possible, top of the list for serious food shoots is a prep kitchen. It provides a second space where the nitty-gritty of cooking can happen off-camera. It means that the kitchen filming location can stay looking perfect and allows the team to prepare one batch of food while another is being shot – saving a lot of time and effort.

N5 Studios

Our popular location ‘N5 Studios’ is a great example of this, with a second prep kitchen to the rear of the house and also, cleverly hidden away behind a wall of panelling in one of several gorgeous sitting rooms, a third kitchen for the team’s drinks and meals. This one is on the floor above the main kitchen so that any noise doesn’t impact on the shooting below. With so much thought going into the set-up, it’s no surprise that the main kitchen is brilliant too, featuring an island with hob and sink so that chefs can be filmed in action. The island and upper walls feature lots of open shelving so that props can be used to transform this versatile space to create a wide variety of looks – and there are lots of beautiful props at the location, from stylish pots and pans to hip houseplants.

Divall

Another location with a great island feature is ‘Divall’ in London SW16. The rough-luxe style kitchen is part of a stylish open-plan kitchen-dining space overlooking the garden and summerhouse. The versatile neutral backdrop includes wooden worktops and shelving and a palette of soft greys and whites. The same airy look echoes throughout this spacious five-bedroom Victorian house.

Persimmon

‘Persimmon’’s beautifully designed kitchen is a perfect blend of period charm and modern functionality, making it an ideal setting for kitchen shoots. The open-plan layout seamlessly connects to a bright and airy living space, allowing for effortless movement and a variety of camera angles. A striking wooden parquet floor adds warmth and texture, while large bay windows flood the space with natural light, enhancing the elegant yet contemporary aesthetic. Whether capturing a lifestyle shoot, a food-focused project, or a home interior campaign, ‘Persimmon’ provides a stylish and versatile backdrop in the heart of Hackney.

Nuthurst Hill

Another location with a stand-out kitchen is ‘Nuthurst Hill’ in South West London. The modern and colourful kitchen has an island with a concrete worktop, which alongside the white bricks and wooden flooring creates a mixture of interesting textures. The kitchen opens on to the dining area, which is flooded by natural light from the full height crittal windows, and also provides ample space for a crew to shoot the kitchen island front on.

Eversfield

Also in South-West London, you’ll find ‘Eversfield’ one of many stunning exclusives within our hand-picked location library – special places that you won’t find anywhere else. Eversfield features a vast kitchen-dining-living space with floor to ceiling windows onto the garden. This kitchen shoot location in London features the all-important island with hob, gleaming white worktops and sleek grey cabinets.

Ashlake

The final property we’ve chosen to highlight is our ‘Ashlake’ location in London SW16. Part of a large period home with a light, modern style, the island kitchen contrasts inky blue, soft grey and crisp white in a calm, neutral space. Food shoots also enjoy the benefit of a separate prep kitchen that features an AGA stove.

These are just some Fresh Locations spaces that we know work brilliantly for food shoots. If you’re a would-be location owner hopefully we’ve given you a good idea of what works really well in a location kitchen. And if you’re looking for a kitchen filming location, do talk to us about your search; our expert team know our location library inside out and will make it easy to track down the perfect kitchen for your shoot…