A ceiling is not often the starting point for a design scheme but in the case of this 1820s villa on the Normandy coast, it simply could not be ignored. The beautiful mural, featuring a celestial sky and rose-covered stone balustrades, was installed in the house in the late 1960s and while the room had not been used as a kitchen previously, the new owners were keen to turn the property’s main salons into a contemporary open plan kitchen, dining and living space.
When the family relocated from Paris the house, which was renovated in the 1920s when an extension was built, and again about 60 years ago, had originally had a kitchen below the main dining room where food was delivered by a dumb waiter. As lifestyles changed, a smaller kitchen was built next to the dining room, but when taking on this latest renovation project, the family wanted to reconfigure the space to make the most of the expansive sea views seen through the French doors, while spending time together.
“We have four children and two dogs and, coming from the city, we wanted to enjoy the views every day,” says the owner, “so we combined the dining room and kitchen to create one big space. We wanted a place we could all be together, not just for meals but for the life that goes on the rest of the time too. Somewhere I could watch the children do homework while I cooked and somewhere that would be warm and cosy for us to gather.”
The couple turned to kitchen designer Fransien from Neptune Paris for help realising a kitchen that would complement their unique ceiling while working for their busy family life. “We knew we had to build the kitchen around the ceiling and find a colour that worked with the mural,” says the owner. “Fransien was really helpful finding the right colours, kitchen cabinetry and details that would look in keeping.”
After much deliberation, the couple selected the Henley collection as they particularly liked the kitchen’s deep drawer options. Two slim, glass fronted cabinets either side of the cooker were made bespoke, and they chose Armac Martin brass handles. After considering the darker Moss green shade, they opted to paint the cabinets in Sage to reflect the delicate, soft hues in the mural and cover the floor in a warm, pale limestone.
A kitchen island was a non-negotiable as it made the space more sociable, and a large freezer was essential, as were two integrated recycling bins. The owner is a keen cook so having the island positioned where she could see the whole room as well as the sea view, all while keeping an eye on the children was also important. “I didn’t want to be isolated in the kitchen, I wanted it to be a place we can all share at the same time,” adds the owner.
While base cabinetry wraps around two sides of the space, open Suffolk shelving sits along the wall opposite the windows, keeping the kitchen feeling light and airy.
Finally, a reclaimed table is paired with chairs from Maison du Monde and the Rivage pendant by Market Set to complete the scheme. “The kitchen now feels like a real part of the living and dining room,” says the owners, “and they look like they have always been together which is exactly what we wanted to achieve.”
