A Must-See Kitchen Makeover Full of French Country Elegance

Text by Elizabeth Czapski

When this young couple purchased their forever home in Churchville, Maryland, they knew they wanted each room in their abode to have a distinctive identity—and the kitchen was no exception. With a clear concept in mind, they teamed up with Kasey Bedford and Arianna Pannoni of Winsome Interior Design, along with kitchen designer Tanya Smith-Shiflett, owner of Unique Kitchens & Baths, to bring their vision to life, creating a rustic but elegant space functional for the modern day yet infused with the effortless Old-World charm of interiors found in rural France.

“Our clients wanted each room of their home to have its own story, so their guests are invited to a different experience in each space,” Arianna explains. “They love to entertain, and it was important to them that the space is very inviting for their guests. They wanted it to feel very open and French. They arrived at our first meeting with a 50-slide presentation that contained inspiration for every nook and cranny of the house—all these French château kinds of images.”

Despite the kitchen’s 1980s origins, the floor plan was laid out surprisingly efficiently and only required a few tweaks. The home’s traditional architectural style was evident in the space, so the team decided to capitalize on that aspect to help achieve the sense of history the owners desired. “Our design goal was to match the interior of the home more closely to the classic Georgian architectural style of the exterior,” Kasey says. “Since there were no historical features in the kitchen to maintain, we incorporated elements and finishes that make the home feel older than it is.”

This translated to several farmhouse-inspired architectural features, executed with a sophisticated finesse, that instill character at the foundational level, such as ceiling beams and open display shelving along the walls just below. The brick accent wall with an arched alcove was original to the room, so they opted to play it up, making it a focal point for an eight-burner range, in a way that blends seamlessly with their updated look.

“Instead of removing the brick, we decided to add grout to give that over-grouted look and then limewashed with the same color that was used on the wall,” Arianna says. “We wanted the brick arch to remain a feature but in a much more subtle way.”

With a focus on the fine points of the project up front, many of these structural elements were incorporated with finishing touches in mind. “We built the initial design framework around details that were consistently present throughout our clients’ inspiration images—rich wood tones, a decorative pot rack, a shelf to display items collected throughout the years, and a space that exudes warmth,” Kasey says. “We did not want the space to feel too precious but rather a space that had precious items that were well loved and used.”

To accomplish this, they embarked on an exercise in juxtaposition. Dark wood furnishings, like the eye-catching antique island, are softened by a linen Roman shade and an Oriental rug. Streamlined cream-hued cabinetry and sleek cool-toned Arabescato Corchia marble countertops contrast with warm mixed metals throughout.

The wide range of organic materials that make up a mostly neutral base provides plenty of interest and depth with myriad textures and shades. “We wanted to keep the kitchen relatively tonal in the color because it is connected to two rooms that have a very bold design,” Arianna says. A collection of blue-and-white china and vintage still life artwork add subdued top notes of color across the space.

And though they worked to include these types of storied accents to hone in on a time-honored ambience, it never came at the cost of practicality. “The finishes are meant to age and [develop] patina over time, lending to the lived-in aesthetic while also being functional,” Kasey says. “While many of the features are more formal aesthetically, one does not have to be too careful with them because they are designed to last.”