Tan France is back with AD for a new edition of 'Home at Last'. In this edition, the 'Queer Eye' star sets out to design a beautiful new kitchen and dining area for his family, and the result is a dream come true.
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00:00 Hello everyone, my name is Tam France. You may know me from the likes of Next in Fashion or
00:04 Queer Eye, but today I'm letting you in on my most personal project yet, the build of my dream home.
00:10 I'm going to take you through to the likes of my spice kitchen, my cottage, my closet,
00:14 the exterior, interior, and pretty much everything in between. You're going to love it, I promise.
00:19 Join me, won't you?
00:20 [Music]
00:34 My family were raised in a small town in a working-class community. I've got a very large
00:40 family. Me and my sister and my mom and my sister-in-laws love to cook together. I need
00:46 this kitchen to feel social. I love to cook for my kids, I love to cook for my friends,
00:52 I love to cook for my family. I want it to feel like a communal space where we can be really comfortable.
00:58 [Music]
01:07 I'm Tom Fox with the Fox Group. And I'm Cara Fox. Welcome to our office.
01:12 We are helping Tan and Rob build their dream home. Yay, welcome!
01:16 Hello, hello, hello, camera. Come on. Hi, dear.
01:19 I know that everyone says the kitchen is the heart of the home, but so many times I hear that and I
01:23 think, "You've never cooked a day in your life." For me, it really is the heart of my home.
01:28 You know how obsessed we are with getting this kitchen just spot on?
01:32 Sure.
01:33 [Music]
01:36 As a kid, my issue was my mom would cook South Asian food, which smells really strong,
01:41 and then we'd go to school and the kids would make fun of us saying, "Why do you smell like that?"
01:44 I would love to not traumatize my kids. So I want my kids to be able to eat and hang in the
01:50 main kitchen with their dad, and for me to be able to cook in the spice kitchen, close off the door,
01:54 and make sure that smell doesn't enter the rest of the house. We want to go for two-tone cabinets.
01:59 Neutral, light, airy, but not white.
02:01 Light will hit it so we can see there's a texture to it. It doesn't just feel flat like that. I want
02:06 the spice kitchen to feel Asian. Do you remember that geoprint that we have all over South Asia?
02:11 The star? Is there a world where we could engrave it into that or laser cut it?
02:16 Yes.
02:17 I will come up with something.
02:18 I will check your work. That banquette area in the corner is really important. We can sit around
02:23 that as a family. I know we have a dining room, but that's more formal.
02:26 I think it will really play off well with these black and white floors. We have a more tumbled
02:30 or a more straight edge.
02:31 I prefer the straight edge.
02:32 I prefer the straight edge.
02:33 Countertops, we're over marble. No shade, but we're over marble. Is this quartzite?
02:38 Quartzite.
02:38 I love this.
02:39 I love it.
02:40 And it'll be easy for me to clean.
02:41 Are you a messy cook?
02:42 No.
02:44 He would say no.
02:45 The answer is no.
02:47 [Music]
03:04 This is a home for my family and therefore it needs to function a certain way.
03:09 The dining space that we have, making sure that it can cater to a larger group of people.
03:14 The kitchen. South Asians center their whole world around the kitchen.
03:18 That's where families are really made. I wanted to create a home that catered to all of that.
03:23 This space here is going to be my kitchen. I could not be more excited about this space.
03:30 I wanted to have a massive stove, but we want to enclose it so it feels really old-worldy.
03:37 And then I really wanted to have a space here, a nook, that my kids feel like they can hang out,
03:42 they can do homework, they can eat, they can do whatever they need to do,
03:46 but I can keep an eye on them and I want to feel like we're always together.
03:50 And then the thing I'm most excited about in this space, instead of just a regular pantry,
03:55 this here is going to be my spice kitchen.
03:59 We wanted a contained space where we could cook Indian food.
04:03 The fact that I get a spice kitchen where I can close that door, cook with my family,
04:06 cook for my family, and still have my kids go out into the world,
04:10 my husband go out into the world, and not smell like they live in a restaurant,
04:13 that's gold for me. Any brown person will understand that completely.
04:18 And then this connects over to the dining room.
04:22 This space will probably be used for socializing more than any other space in the house.
04:26 I'm a very keen host. I wanted to have a dining table that would fit 12 people around it.
04:32 Okay, I'm going to bring Tom and Cara in, who are going to explain the design even more.
04:35 So, should we talk about wallpaper?
04:37 Let's do it, yes. We have a few different options from De Gourney.
04:40 The middle one's still the one I love so much.
04:41 I want to use this as the thing that we pull colors from.
04:44 The blues in particular, I think, on this are gorgeous.
04:47 And I just saw this.
04:48 Oh, yes.
04:49 Okay. So, this isn't actually the finished thing.
04:52 So, this is a prototype, but we wanted to show you the overall design that you designed.
04:55 Yeah. So, this design is such a typical South Asian design.
04:59 You see it all over India and Pakistan, and we wanted that to be incorporated into the house.
05:04 I don't want this to just feel like an old English house.
05:07 And so, this on this in the end will be absolutely gorgeous.
05:11 I'm so excited about it.
05:12 It's so full of character. It's so you. I love it.
05:15 Okay. So, this is the spice kitchen.
05:19 The stove is going to go here.
05:20 It's not going to be as big a stove here as it is there, which is completely understandable.
05:24 This is more of a utility stove.
05:26 We have lots of shelving in here, open shelving, just like pantry and also cooking.
05:30 This is my space.
05:32 I am such a cook. This is my space.
05:35 [Music]
06:03 So, I am on my way to the property to build.
06:07 I've not seen the house within the last couple of months.
06:10 I'm actually really excited to have him see it.
06:12 100%.
06:13 Just because so much has changed.
06:14 All the fun things are happening.
06:16 Like, think of the crown molding in the dining room.
06:18 That's so custom and pieced together exactly how we wanted it.
06:21 The flooring Rob has been extremely particular about.
06:26 Rob wanted smaller tiles.
06:28 I wanted slightly bigger tiles.
06:30 I'm just praying that they don't feel too small for the large space.
06:33 [Music]
06:47 I actually don't have relevant English for this.
06:52 I can't articulate how much I love it.
06:56 Well, you designed it.
06:57 It's so good.
06:59 It's amazing.
07:00 After we figured out the actual scaling, right?
07:02 Because a lot of times when you do a five-piece crown, it just gets so big.
07:06 Yeah.
07:06 And it just gets so kind of almost obnoxious.
07:08 Yeah.
07:08 Rob was saying, "Is it too much?"
07:10 I was saying, "Too much is not a bad thing."
07:12 Like, I wanted this dining room to feel just incredible.
07:16 I have this term where I say, "I want to make the eye dance with clothes."
07:20 And that's what I want in this space.
07:22 And now it does with all of your tools and apparatus in here.
07:26 I can't wait to invite friends over.
07:29 We're going to leave those as a housewarming gift.
07:31 That orange thing can be my dining table.
07:33 What is that?
07:33 A Rizzi-Crisi-sized toolbox?
07:35 What is it?
07:35 Exactly.
07:36 Great.
07:36 That could be the dining table.
07:37 Then should we talk about the five, please?
07:38 Yes.
07:39 I mean, we can, sure.
07:40 How's it coming along?
07:41 [Laughter]
07:42 Well, we're getting there.
07:42 Mantles are in production.
07:44 Okay.
07:44 We are probably getting those in about three weeks.
07:48 So we haven't received the wallpaper for the primary bedroom yet.
07:52 How's this one coming along?
07:52 We're in the same boat, but I know it's in production.
07:56 I've seen pictures.
07:57 Okay, good.
07:57 It's being hand-painted.
07:59 It takes a lot of time, but they are promising us, you know, mid-September.
08:03 Chris, and the table.
08:05 Has he started on the table?
08:05 Oh, yes.
08:06 Yeah.
08:06 The table's going to be spectacular.
08:08 It's a custom size.
08:09 It's going to fit perfectly for this room.
08:11 Your dinner guests will never...
08:13 Leave?
08:13 Will never leave.
08:14 That's a pop-up.
08:15 I only like guests with two hours maximum to get the heck out of the house.
08:18 Get out of my house.
08:18 [Laughter]
08:22 Okay.
08:23 I know you'll remember.
08:24 My biggest concern was mini tiles.
08:25 That's going to look insane.
08:27 Rob's right.
08:28 Perfect.
08:29 It's an eight-inch.
08:30 And it fits really well with the scale of your kitchen.
08:32 Yeah, it's gorgeous.
08:33 It looks really great.
08:33 Yeah.
08:34 And I like that it's not too shiny.
08:35 Yeah.
08:36 The beams.
08:37 I'm so glad we went with beams.
08:38 I know.
08:39 Those white oak beams are amazing.
08:41 Still missing that small little bead detail on the corner, but...
08:43 Still missing the stain.
08:44 That's okay.
08:45 Yeah.
08:46 That's okay.
08:46 Even just this.
08:47 The color is coming.
08:48 Creates some warmth to the kitchen.
08:50 Yeah.
08:50 Now, this isn't warm.
08:52 This question.
08:52 You're going to get real frosty.
08:54 [Laughter]
08:56 [Laughter]
08:58 Him.
08:59 Um, I think it's pretty great as it is.
09:02 [Laughter]
09:03 You mean the custom-made steel window?
09:07 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
09:08 Is it ready or not, Tom?
09:09 No.
09:09 But I will say Bellstone is sending me pictures daily, and it is looking out of this world.
09:15 Yeah.
09:15 I mean, listen, we just did all these.
09:17 The curvature in the glass and some of that.
09:19 And we did throw that on them.
09:20 Because once they said we can make it curved like you originally wanted, I said, "Go for it."
09:25 But does that mean that the rest of the kitchen can't be done?
09:28 The cabinets can't be done because the window's not there?
09:30 So you're right.
09:30 Like, to finish the exterior, to finish the countertops, this has to be in.
09:34 So if it arrives end of September, you've only got like 15, 20 days to get the kitchen done?
09:39 Yep.
09:39 Yep.
09:39 Yeah.
09:40 All the cabinets are ready.
09:41 Everything is ready to just come in.
09:43 The floor will be done.
09:44 This furniture piece will be done.
09:46 So it's just a matter of install.
09:48 Okay.
09:48 I love how calm you are about that.
09:50 Because I'm freaking out inside.
09:52 I feel good.
09:55 There is so much custom work in this house.
09:57 Hello, Chris.
09:58 How are you?
09:58 Good to see you.
09:59 I went to Chris's workshop to see just what the progress was of this millwork.
10:04 Okay.
10:05 So this door is for the spice kitchen.
10:07 Oh, yeah.
10:08 It's one of the upper cabinets.
10:09 Yes.
10:10 And it has a treat for its panel.
10:12 It has what?
10:12 A treat.
10:13 And flip it.
10:15 That is pretty magical, isn't it?
10:20 It turned out great.
10:22 It turned out great.
10:25 Is this the color?
10:26 This is the color.
10:27 This is the final color.
10:28 This is French canvas.
10:29 And this is the Jacobian oak stain.
10:32 Okay.
10:32 Wait, this is French canvas?
10:34 Huh.
10:36 We have a swatch book if you want to see it.
10:37 No, that's okay.
10:38 I thought it was slightly creamier.
10:40 Are you having second thoughts on the white?
10:43 I think my concern is I love this so much.
10:49 I love the design so much.
10:52 I wonder if this just needs to be slightly creamier so it's not so stark.
10:56 So you know this color is going from the kitchen to the spice kitchen.
10:59 I know.
10:59 So would you want to isolate the spice kitchen and make it a different color?
11:03 That's not too late.
11:04 I think it's wise to do so.
11:06 Okay.
11:06 As long as it's still in a neutral family, I think it works.
11:10 So then we can review some other colors.
11:12 Something that's a little bit darker.
11:14 A little bit.
11:14 But here's my honest reasoning.
11:17 This feels beautifully modern and that feels really...
11:21 Dark.
11:22 Yeah.
11:22 Antique.
11:22 And so I think to just marry the two, we just need to change it up slightly.
11:26 I like this family.
11:28 Okay.
11:28 Do I think that's better?
11:31 No, that's too close still.
11:32 I think it's that.
11:33 Okay.
11:34 Albescent.
11:35 We can do that.
11:36 Just take this off, throw it away and...
11:37 Can that just be repainted?
11:39 Do we have to throw it away?
11:41 Oh no.
11:41 You can have it.
11:42 I'm so sorry, Chris.
11:43 A piece of glass and it'll be a little mirror.
11:44 But it really...
11:45 Do you see what I'm...
11:47 Do you agree or am I...
11:48 I know I'm a nightmare with detail, but I think it's going to make such a difference.
11:50 You can do that.
11:51 Scott, write that down.
11:52 Thanks, Scott.
11:53 All right.
11:54 Thanks.
11:55 Other than that, I love it so much.
11:57 I think it's...
11:58 I think the design is incredible, incredible.
12:00 It's going to be a bitch to clean, but it's incredible.
12:02 Just don't get it dirty.
12:03 I know.
12:04 Okay.
12:04 We have the kitchen hood mantle to look at next.
12:06 Right over here.
12:08 Here's the rendering of that to get a visual.
12:11 Gosh, it's good.
12:12 That Indian scallop there is...
12:14 And this texture, we actually wire brush this a little bit to give it some texture.
12:19 So when it's painted...
12:20 It feels a lot more aged, not brand new.
12:21 It's going to look like it's an old piece that's been restored, if you will.
12:24 Love.
12:25 And this, just to confirm, is going to be the same black as the oven, the stove.
12:29 Yes.
12:29 Similar.
12:30 Now, more importantly, can we see the sopwrite?
12:33 Yes.
12:34 God, that's massive.
12:38 Wow.
12:39 Is that how wide the stove is?
12:40 Yeah.
12:40 I'm pretty sure I measured it four times.
12:42 You know, the funny thing is it actually looks old English.
12:45 It doesn't...
12:46 You wouldn't know immediately that's from an Indian palace.
12:49 It's gorgeous.
12:51 Honestly, better than I ever expected.
12:52 Yeah.
12:54 All right, we're on our way to the site.
13:09 And how are we on timeline?
13:11 It's fast approaching.
13:14 I think the unique challenge for me, or for us,
13:17 into finishing off the construction and then passing it over to you guys to finish off the design,
13:21 is there are just so many details.
13:24 Think of the kitchen, for example.
13:26 Everything from the stove and hood detail to, obviously, the start of the show in the kitchen.
13:31 The Liberty of London-inspired steel window.
13:35 It's just this huge statement that you see out into the yard and out into the valley, right?
13:39 We had it craned in.
13:40 So much work went into that.
13:41 I'm giddy to see that.
13:43 [Music]
13:50 Oh, my goodness.
13:52 That window.
13:53 Handmade, custom steel window with your little Liberty of London touch
14:00 right here for Tanner Ruffrance.
14:01 And one of the best parts is going to be that incredible view out to the side yard
14:05 with the view of the valley.
14:06 Floor.
14:06 Like that combo.
14:08 The floor looks so good.
14:09 I'm so glad we went with that scale.
14:12 Yeah, we're ready for the cabinets to come in now.
14:14 The built-in fridge system and freezer system go in here.
14:17 The big custom island goes in here, along with the custom stove and the details hood, right?
14:23 So in the next three weeks, we have a ton going on.
14:26 It's going to be what we like to call fun here up at the France job site.
14:31 [Music]
14:51 The past couple of days, all the furniture has been brought in.
14:54 All the finishing florals and details, it's all come together.
14:57 I totally think it's fine to mix metals.
14:59 I love the mix of copper and brass.
15:02 We have the stainless steel.
15:03 I think the more mixing of metals, the better.
15:06 It just adds a lot of character to a space.
15:08 Another neat thing about this room is the juxtaposition of the chairs.
15:15 Typically, you'd see, you know, the high chairs on the end.
15:18 But the way this balances out with the high chairs on the sides,
15:20 the low chairs on the end, it's just a really beautiful moment.
15:23 The marble fireplace mantle really brings in like a modern pop for the space.
15:29 One thing that took so much effort was getting the exact right color of brick in here.
15:33 We wanted it to match exactly with the custom de Gournay color.
15:37 And you see the color in the rug.
15:39 It's not too much, but it's there.
15:41 I think it's really important to have a lot of familiar items in a client's home.
15:46 This is a lot of Tan and Rob's personal china.
15:50 This is one of the special pieces from Tan and Rob's travels.
15:54 It just brings back memories, and it makes the space personal.
15:58 We want it to just feel like they can just come right in and start using the kitchen.
16:02 We want it to feel warm and welcoming.
16:26 It turned out better than I ever imagined it could.
16:29 I feel so happy in this space, I could cry.
16:33 This kitchen feels so English, yet so South Asian at the same time, yet a hint of American.
16:41 We wanted to balance Western and Eastern, and I think we've done that beautifully.
16:46 It's because of the small details that really make it clear that this is our kitchen.
16:51 You'll see the little design on the hardware that is, again, very much South Asian.
16:57 We see it in mosques, we see it in temples, but it's not just there.
17:00 You'll see it throughout the room.
17:01 I mean, the sienna lighting, just that kiss of a detail, I think, makes all the difference.
17:07 Also, a part of the South Asian touch is this.
17:10 This could have just been a solid square.
17:13 We didn't want that.
17:13 We wanted at every turn for you to see something that feels really intentional,
17:17 which is why Chris came up with this, which I think is dynamite.
17:20 This Latelier stove, I've dreamt about having something like this for about 20 years.
17:28 You know when you're on social media, you see it on Pinterest, on Instagram,
17:31 and all that kind of stuff, and you see these homes, and you just think,
17:34 "Gosh, I wonder who has a stove like that?"
17:36 Now I can say, "Me, Bellstone."
17:39 This, I'm just going to feel that light because that is gorgeous.
17:43 The fact that we get so much light here, magical.
17:45 Nobody could have prepared me for just how gorgeous it feels when you're in this space.
17:50 I mean, it's so dramatic, almost as dramatic as I am.
17:53 The butcher block, I think, is gorgeous.
17:56 It's always that light wood, but we don't have light wood in the house, really.
18:00 We have this shade of wood, and then it ties in to that gorgeous custom
18:05 table and banquette that we've got there.
18:07 I think that that is magical, and I think that this is the place where
18:10 we will spend the most time as a family.
18:12 Whilst I'm cooking, the kids will hang out, and I love my kids very much,
18:16 but I know them very well.
18:18 They will destroy my dining room so they don't get to eat there.
18:21 They will always spend time at this table.
18:24 I'm a realistic parent.
18:26 They're going to destroy my house.
18:27 And before I forget, look at that gorgeous floor.
18:31 Couldn't you just eat your dinner off that?
18:33 It's gorgeous.
18:34 Then I would love for you to see Spice Kitchen.
18:36 I wanted this to feel like the most South Asian space.
18:39 I'm so glad with where we've landed on this.
18:42 The fact that we've used this dark stain is so typically South Asian,
18:46 but we've paired it with this light colour, which is not.
18:48 And you'll see we've continued the scallop detail up here.
18:51 You'll see that throughout the house.
18:52 I think it's perfectly befitting in a space like this.
18:56 It just feels like a gorgeous slice of South Asia in the most modern, chic way.
19:03 I can't wait to cook in this space.
19:04 Okay, dining room.
19:15 First of all, the feeling.
19:17 I want to feel like this is our version of a perfect dining room.
19:22 Nobody else's.
19:22 We've got vintage chairs, a bold wallpaper.
19:26 I treat this wallpaper like if I were to design my own collection
19:30 as I used to many, many years ago.
19:31 I find one thing, a print, and then I will pull all those colours out of there.
19:35 And that's how I build the rest of the room.
19:37 And we had this chair reupholstered,
19:39 and they had the matching blue to the blue in the wallpaper.
19:43 So at every turn, we've considered just how this room will come together
19:49 to really tie in the wallpaper, and nothing feels like it's competing.
19:52 We wanted a table that could house at least 10 people, preferably 12.
19:57 Because I love to host.
19:58 I love to cook for people.
20:00 Yes, you could go for a round table.
20:01 I just don't like a round table.
20:02 When I'm at a round table, it's too far away to be able to communicate.
20:06 And I can't reach to get somebody else's food,
20:08 and I love to help myself to somebody else's food.
20:10 We're so close to the holidays.
20:12 I want to do a Friendsgiving.
20:13 I want to do many Thanksgivings.
20:15 I want to do a Christmas event.
20:16 I can't wait to build this room and this table.
20:19 It's going to be gorgeous.
20:20 Now, shall we bring in Tom and Cara?
20:22 And I want to talk about exactly how this was all brought to life.
20:25 There was debate about the crown moldings.
20:28 It was so much like tug and pull.
20:30 And I am, by nature, a maximalist, so I love a lot.
20:35 Same.
20:36 But I think we came to the perfect agreement.
20:38 So in a nine-foot ceiling, you have to be really careful.
20:41 Because sometimes when you do super heavy molding,
20:43 like around the windows, for example, and a super heavy crown,
20:46 pretty soon the bottom of the crown and the top of the molding
20:48 end up being really close to each other.
20:51 We don't want that.
20:52 It doesn't create incredible balance for the space.
20:54 Otherwise, it could feel really stifling.
20:56 100%. You're totally right.
20:57 Did it turn out how you wanted?
20:58 I think it turned out fantastic.
21:00 It's not too overbearing in the space.
21:02 The wallpaper's kind of the star of the show.
21:05 I mean, you're going to be able to--
21:05 I am.
21:06 Co-star of the show.
21:07 I stand corrected.
21:08 Yeah, please.
21:09 Super B-roll co-star of the show.
21:11 There's so much detail, but nothing's incredibly overwhelming.
21:15 It feels like it's been here for a while,
21:17 and it feels like there's already a coziness.
21:19 There's already a set charm.
21:21 We added the ceiling medallions.
21:23 You were involved in every detail of those.
21:25 They tie in with the details of the light.
21:28 Everything came together, and I think we're all really happy.
21:32 That's a perfect balance.
21:33 OK, kitchen.
21:35 Heart of the home.
21:36 This was, I think, the hardest thing for us.
21:38 We have South Asia influence.
21:40 We have English influence,
21:42 sprinkled with a little bit of American influence.
21:44 Just all these subtle details just added up to make really a unique room.
21:49 This incredible window.
21:51 That was the bane of your existence.
21:52 Tell me about it.
21:53 So the crazy thing about this glass structure
21:55 is that each piece is mitered and welded together,
22:01 and then hand-painted on top of it.
22:02 And then after that, we have all these custom glass handmade pieces
22:07 created and cut, and then they have to be individually set,
22:11 sealed, silicone-ed, cleaned.
22:13 I mean, it is hundreds of man-hours to accomplish that.
22:17 I mean, to me, it's like that window is the star of the show.
22:21 But then I take my eye over here.
22:24 The nook bench, the table, the island is the gathering spot.
22:28 I mean, this stove.
22:29 You could gather your whole family around here.
22:31 They can watch you cook, watch you do your thing.
22:34 It's just really heartwarming.
22:36 It's why I do this job, is to have moments like that.
22:40 Well, I appreciate the hard work like you would not believe.
22:43 Thank you so much.
22:44 Thank you so much.
22:46 This is the most amazing kitchen I've ever seen.
22:48 That's all.
22:48 My parents were immigrants to the UK.
22:52 God, I don't know why I feel really emotional all of a sudden.
22:55 Excuse me.
22:55 Excuse me.
22:59 My parents were immigrants to the UK.
23:06 Their families came over to the UK with nothing.
23:08 They lived in government housing, government-assisted housing.
23:11 My family is still currently working class.
23:14 This was never meant to happen to me.
23:18 This whole life that I now have was never meant to happen to me.
23:22 I actually have my family from England coming out this Christmas.
23:27 They're going to stay for 10 days.
23:29 And the last time I brought them out was a couple of years ago to LA.
23:33 This time is so much more important for me because this is my true home.
23:37 It's where I plan to live out the rest of my life.
23:40 And for my family to see just how far we've come is mind-blowing.
23:45 [MUSIC]
23:55 [MUSIC]
24:05 [MUSIC]
24:15 [MUSIC]
24:25 (classical music)
24:28 (upbeat music)