The Cuisine Collaboration from Flax Sleep and Jackie Kai Ellis Makes Every Kitchen Feel Effortlessly Parisian

If only our homes looked like Apt La Fayette, Jackie Kai Ellis€™ dreamy Parisian apartment. But at least we can emulate the Parisian way of life with the new Cuisine by APT, a collection designed by Vancouverite Jackie Kai Ellis and the women behind Flax Sleep (Anna Heyd, Oana Papuc and Vivian McCormick), a Vancouver-based quality linen brand.

The capsule collection of European linens for the kitchen and home is inspired by the apartment Ellis bought and renovated. As the space began to garner attention€”and features in magazines like House & Home and Real Living€”for its thoughtful design, Ellis evolved the space into a design and lifestyle consultancy, and a space to share home inspiration.

Ellis had been wanting to get back in to hands-on design again. She had previously owned her own design firm for nine years before going on to pursue pastry and found Vancouver's Beaucoup Bakery & Café in 2012 (she has since passed the bakery to two of her long-time team members). But as a long-time designer, design had never really left her. This time around she wanted to do so on a team€”one that inspired her. €œI wanted to collaborate,€ she says. €œBecause I feel like when you collaborate, more beautiful things come out that.€

When Ellis approached Flax Sleep to collaborate on a capsule, the timing was perfect. Heyd, Papuc and McCormick had been wanting to branch out into kitchenware, but weren€™t sure exactly how yet. And while Ellis didn’t necessarily have kitchenware in mind, it all made sense.

Like Apt La Fayette, the collection reflects Ellis€™ philosophy of meaningful beauty. She wanted to share the idea that beauty is not always necessarily something precious, but rather something woven into every mundane or special moment. €œIt’s the idea that beauty is actually every practical small detail that makes our lives just a little bit more pleasant,” she says.

Even the capsule's colour palette€”midnight green, rose, crisp white and stone€”are drawn from Apt La Fayette's hues.

Because Ellis is always looking for ways that objects can be multi-functional, the capsule is designed with this in mind. Though formally intended for apéro get-togethers, the cocktail napkin (set of four for $42) can be a small snack or dessert napkin, or€”because of the little buttonhole€”an impromptu baby bib, or can be folded and looped through itself to form a little catchall wrapping. €œI'm using the cocktail napkin right now, It's my coaster on top of the table,€ Ellis says. €œIt's nice to be creative with something as simple as a napkin.€ The Oversized Dish Towels (set of two for $56) work as table runners, or oven mitts, and the Market Bag Inserts ($18) can be used to carry home a loaf of bread (how Parisian), or simply as little storage pouches atop any table.

The Chef's Apron ($78) is a homage to the half apron Ellis wore during her time at pastry school at Paris€™ Ecole Gastronomique Bellouet Conseil.

Each item is effortlessly multi-purposed€”and intended for everyday use. €œThey€™re going to get dirty, they€™re going to get used, and that's part of the beauty of it,€ Ellis says. €œdon't save the linens for the good days, because every day is supposed to be good.€