We designed this French Country kitchen for a client in Brookville, Long Island. The kitchen made it’s movie debut it Adam Sandler’s movie — The Cobbler (see story here). This particular French Country Cabinetry collection we carry at Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly is the result of an extensive collaboration between one of America’s foremost French Country architects, Jack Arnold, and the dedicated craftsmen and artisans at our manufacturer, Bentwood. The result is an exquisite, elegant kitchen/bath/home cabinetry collection of absolutely authentic door designs, custom finishes, accoutrements, and concept details.
This Bentwood Architectural was inspired by one of the most enduring traditions in French furniture history. In 1789, the French Revolution toppled the monarchy of Louise XVI. In the fifteen troubled years that followed, three other regimes — the Republic, the Directoire, and the Consulat, rose and fell in rapid succession. In the world of cabinet making, the ornate styles associated with the French monarchs were rejected and new furniture was hurriedly commissioned. A new style, born of demand and necessity for improvisation, came to be known by one of the elected governments of this turbulent period, Directoire. The hallmarks of the Directoire style are simplicity and subtlety. The basic geometric forms of Louis XVI style are retained, but the silhouettes are austere and clean. Colors are subdued and decoration is understated in keeping with French Society’s transition away from the flamboyance of the Royal French Court.
We chose three finishes for this kitchen in black, green, and off white. We combined four cabinet door styles: 1) Avignon, a diamond shaped solid raised panel; 2) Rochelle, a square shaped center panel with 1″ x 1″ clipped corners; 3) Toulouse, a raised pyramidal center panel with an applied molding; 4) Cassis, a decorative X-shaped mullion door which we used in combination with dove wire (Dove wire has smaller holes than chicken wire). The countertops are granite (Costa Esmaralda) and cherry. We built an exposed interior spice shelf into the range on the hood.
The backsplash area behind the stove is a custom hand-painted mural on porcelain. We used a traditional wall-mounted pot filler by Waterstone in an American Bronze Finish and a Towson kitchen faucet. The biscuit porcelain sink is from Whitehaus. We combined the SubZero refrigerator and freezer into an armoire-style configuration with decorative storage and custom panels.
We completed the look with the wainscoting panels, door casings, and crown moldings to match the French Country collection.We also added an entertainment sink for drinks and ice in the step-up eating bar (shown in photo 1). The creative process resulted in an elegant kitchen with character, sensible design, and understated elegance. See our accessory selections below.
Complete the look of this elegant French Country kitchen design …
1. Waterstone Pot Filler w/ Cross Handle | 2. French Market Collection Provence Side Chairs | 3. Rosanna Etched Glass French Bistro Glass Set of 4 | 4. Natural Decorative Box | 5. Ruffoni Copper Cookware | 6. Frieling Stainless French Press, Cream & Sugar | 7. Le Creuset Garlic Keeper | 8. Jardin Tin Decoupage Vase Set | 9. Paris Bistro Chair | 10. Paris Wire Votive Candelabra | 11. Le Creuset Kettle and Mugs | 12. Wood French Miter
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©Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly, Inc. Showroom location: 26 Hillside Avenue, Williston Park, NY 516-746-3435
