With an incredible three kitchens, heaps of space and customisable décor, our new ‘N5 Studios’ shoot location in London is the perfect go-to space for all things foodie…

We often find that the most practical location houses are created by someone who’s forged a successful career in the industry. Georgia Glynn Smith definitely fits into this category. She’s a hugely successful food and lifestyle photographer who has worked with all the greats, from Mary Berry to Gordon Ramsay, who describes her as having ‘the most focused eye in the business, producing true art that has taken my breath away.’ 

Creativity is in Georgia’s blood, her mother was an illustrator as well as an interior designer, which was also her father’s job – both worked with for Conran and Habitat at a time when these brands were leading the design world. So it’s no surprise that Georgia followed in their footsteps and became an interior designer too, ‘doing something creative just felt very instinctive’ she explains. But when she came up with some feature ideas for Elle Decoration, the magazines iconic founding editor, Ilse Crawford, encouraged her to shoot them herself and a career in photography was born. Georgia went on to help launch high-end horticulture magazine, Gardens Illustrated and then, when top food writer Nigel Slater asked her to shoot his seminal book, Real Cooking, she made the move into food photography, ‘and the rest is history’ she laughs.

Georgia describes her aesthetic approach as ‘just keeping it real and remembering that less is more, I try to make everything appetizing whether it’s food or life.’ And this authentic vibe certainly filters down to her own home in Stoke Newington, which she shares with husband, food writer and broadcaster Stefan Gates and their ‘two crazy daughters’, plus two cats and a puppy. The family home is super-stylish but also comfortable, relaxed and very much geared to real life. Having used the house for her own shoots since they family moved here back in 2004, Georgia has now decided to throw open the doors and hire out the space as a location for film and photo shoots, with an emphasis on food and lifestyle work. We’re thrilled that she has decided to join Fresh Locations to offer this gem of a location house.

It’s no surprise that the space is geared up for food shoots, after all the house boasts an impressive three kitchens (which must surely be more or less unique?). On the upper ground floor is the original kitchen which Georgia has been happily using for several years (now cleverly hidden behind elegant ‘Dix Blue’ panelled doors in the calming new reception room). But recently the couple took the plunge and converted the lower ground floor into an impressive new shoot space featuring a stunning main kitchen, gloriously glamorous green room area and, beyond that, a very practical prep kitchen complete with two Bosch ovens. This means that even when both downstairs kitchens are bustling with activity and the clients are observing the proceedings from the comfort of the green room (with its tropical Osborne & Little wallpaper) the rest of the crew can be having a cup of tea or preparing lunch in the upper kitchen. Having been shooting in the house for well over a decade, it’s unsurprising that Georgia has thought of everything. The main kitchen is light and spacious and boasts four ovens and a hot water tap. It centres around a generously-sized island with a gas hob and kitchen sink, meaning chefs can always face the cameras whilst wielding the skillet. The kitchen itself is quietly beautiful, with Silestone worksurfaces ‘they’re as beautiful as marble but they don’t stain which is important when so many people will be using it’ she explains. Georgia opted for open shelving made of reclaimed scaffolding boards ‘to the horror of my builder’ she says, laughing. These are used on the walls but also across the front of the island, allowing each shoot to stamp its own personality on the space, ‘By switching the accessories the space can quickly go from high-end luxury to pared-down rustic,’ explains Georgia. And we’re told that a certain legendary cook, who recently shot their latest book here, changed the look of the shelves with simple white duct tape along their fronts. Georgia has even created the view, providing a vista of greenery that includes charming espaliered crab apple trees. And the local area is just as beneficial for shoots, ‘This is a wonderful place for food, with lots of fantastic suppliers on our doorstep. We have the best fruit and vegetable shop in London at the end of the road and Highbury Barn which has Godfrey’s Butchers and La Fromagerie. We often use the restaurant Le Primeur who always deliver us a lovely lunch,’ enthuses Georgia. At ‘N5 Studios’ it’s foodie heaven, inside and out.