Last week we talked about the REAL French country kitchen: unfitted, un-fussy, centered around a farm table and cozy as can be. It’s likely to be a small and practical kitchen, just for the family, not a showcase for guests. As promised, we’re following up with some American style French country kitchens.
Americans entertain in an entirely different manner from the French. In the States, a kitchen is a gathering place for guests. Everyone gravitates to the kitchen, and meals are informal and often served family style. This almost never happens in France, where meals are sit-down affairs with multiple courses. Even when meals are casual in France, there is a certain structure to them, and there’s a zero chance that you’re going to perch on a stool or on a sofa with a plate on your lap.
Perhaps this difference in lifestyle is the reason for the slick American kitchens, dazzling in their surfaces and details and frequently wide open to the main living space, or at least to the dining room. Still, Americans are fond of French style, so they’ve adopted some of the best features of French kitchens and made them their own.
The current trend in American kitchens, country French and otherwise, is to have fitted wooden base cabinets but to abandon the overheads for open shelving or a bank of windows, as they do in Europe. The Country French styled ones often have a massive stone or plaster range hood as the focus of the room, which is reminiscent of a French fireplace.
Americans will rarely give up their islands, though (or a nice big peninsula), a feature which seems uniquely American and a must-have, if one has the space.
In the photos, I’ve featured one hybrid Franco-American kitchen: my own. Well, two of them actually: the one I had in Charleston before we moved, and the one we have now in France. Both are more American than French, though my current French kitchen was once an old barn, so it has old stone walls. And though I’ve got a farm table in the center instead of an island, I couldn’t part with my overhead cabinets. The French would call it an “American kitchen” for sure.
I’ve also included two kitchens, also European in style, of a couple of American friends with fabulous taste.
Photos above, and below:
In my own French kitchen, I went with fitted cabinets but I used old armoire doors for the pantry, as a nod to the unfitted look. The table in the center is definitely a French feature. The range hood is simple, we made it out of sheetrock but banded it in pine. On it I hung an old plaster piece I found in Beaune. (This kitchen appeared in Better Homes & Gardens Kitchens and Baths Magazine).
Below is my former Charleston kitchen. It’s a bit European, with its antique glazed cabinets , French chandelier, and hanging copper pots. But it’s open to the family room and fitted all the way—definitely a gathering place. (This kitchen appeared in Renovation Style).
My friend Darlene’s beautiful kitchen in Charleston is fitted and has a peninsula, but she fashioned a backsplash from tiles she hand-carried from a trip to Italy, and she used a small French butcher block as her island, plus her lantern and confit jars were brought over from France. Her kitchen is wide open to her dining and family room, in the American way. (Darlene’s kitchen appeared in Traditional Home).
Alix Rico is an American interior designer living in France (and New Orleans). The setting is an old French house, Provençal, and so is the look, which she has nailed. Love those beautiful windows and curtains, and the plaster range hood which is true to the look of a French fireplace. (This kitchen was featured in Country French).
No farm table in Alix's kitchen, but isn't this the most charming little area for a un petit déjeuner à deux that you've ever seen?
Do you have a "French country kitchen", or a favorite photo of one? Please share!
All photos are by Gordon Beall for Meredith Publishing.
In the COMMENTS: Jo Ellen, you have a mélange kitchen too, would love to see it. Susan has affirmed my French kitchen theories: "I'm glad someone finally put this whole kitchen thing to right!" (You must visit Susan's lovely blog on French life, Our French Oasis). Kiki, you nailed the description too. Patricia, I'll bet you were surprised to see your kitchen, which I love! Natalia, vive la difference is right, and, as Salve says, there is real heart in a French kitchen. Paula, what a story! Now I want to know what's under that door.
Favorite Reads: Don't you love an old-fashioned book shop? Well, if you've ever coveted being the proprietor of one, do I have a deal for you! In Valbonne, one of my very favorite towns in the south of France, Lin Wolff is an American who has run a charming little English bookstore there for years, which I have happily visited. And now she's selling. Interested? You can get in touch with her here.
And speaking of books, one of our longtime loyal readers and contributors, Herm Meyer, is a poet whose website we have mentioned several times, so you may have visited it. Now Herm has collected his poems and photos into a book. The photo at right shows Herm at a book signing. Do check out his lovely book, Pic-poems and Stuff
12 thoughts on “The French Country Kitchen, American Style”
Sigh. I look at these kitchens and wish for what I can’t have. We have always lived in historic houses in our U.S. city. On the first floor they had large formal spaces (LR and DR) but only small kitchens — 10×10 if you are lucky because when these Craftsman-styled houses were built the only person in the kitchen was the mother or the housekeeper. I was ready to push out the back of the house so I could have a work table in the middle, a walk-in pantry, art on the walls instead of cabinets. Instead, though, we moved to another old house that needed fewer updates because we are too old to live through two years of renovation. Alas, I still have the small Craftsman kitchen and am forced to have an island instead of a center table because we need somewhere to put the sink and dishwasher. But I can at least be picky about finishings. Wood to warm it up, a sunny wall color, a special Motawi(or other) tile mural on the range hood, framed art and my American art pottery quite prevalent, and hanging my rolling pin collection on the wall instead of shutting it away. I think one thing that makes the French Country style so appealing is that it looks lived in — objects curated over a lifetime rather than put together at a big box store.
Love your site and hink of you often,
We. have to meet. Am doing lots of testing for my new cookbook and many recipes are my take oh French classics.
Lynn,
Thanks for the promo. It was your suggestion “away back when” that I start a blog for my poems. It was your ongoing encouragement along with your published book that lead me to “follow the leader” and put together the book.
Merci beaucoup ma chère amie !
Thanks, also, for the fantastic photos and kitchen displays of your last two postings. Great job presenting some beautiful and function kitchens! My wife says I always leave a mess to clean up when I cook, so I’d probably be banned from such nice kitchens.
Herm
Dear Lynn,
What a surprise to return home from the end of the world (literally) and finally have an internet connection only to see my French kitchen in your post last week! Funny thing, when I started on the design process for that house I carted all the tools of my trade from the States to create the ultimate county French kitchen – in France no less. French country fabrics from my favorite fabric house that I had had great success with in America creating French Country atmosphere. It actually took me a while to figure out that it all looked ridiculous because I already had a 200 + year old house,in the country, in France! French beamed ceilings that were original, 18” thick stone walls, huge fireplaces, old linen monogramed sheets I could use for curtains, a French garden view out the window, and French antique furniture. Voila. Real French country doesn’t need decorating as you’ve so eloquently shown.Great posts! I thoroughly enjoyed them. Thanks!
Hi Lynn,
Such fun to see my kitchen on your Blog!! I miss it and cannot wait to arrive there in May!
Funny, another little 6 degrees of separation! I know the first responder , Suzanne Dunaway, through my friend Anne who lives in Nice! The world is small! xoxo, hope to see you this summer! a.
Lynn,
Lovely kitchens and I especially love Alix’s kitchen. This is the look I would love. Your kitchen is beautiful as well. I used to have a French Country kitchen but not in this house. I have dark cherry cabinets which frankly are too dark for me but they were here when we bought this house. I’ve been thinking of having them painted in the tones of Alix’s but I just can’t seem to make that change yet. Then it’s a domino effect of changing the counter tops and the backsplash. All big messes which I have not come to grips with yet. Thank you for another lovely post.
Wow,Lynn,these kitchens(yours!)are nothing short of breathtaking!
So beautifully designed and decorated!
What a pleasure(and privilege,too)to have such lovely places to enjoy.
Thank you for sharing them with us.No better way to start the weekend!
Also enjoyed seeing and reading about Herm.
Remember you have mentioned his poetry before!
Beautiful kitchens! I live in Provence, and have a 2m x 4m kitchen, very small. It is what I would call a galley kitchen. It is deparate from other areas of the house, but connects to an outdoor covered summer kitchen. I’ve had open kitchens and closed ones, and I have to say that in spite of how gorgeous the open ones are, I don’t want to have to keep the mess cleaned up all the time. Its hard to create a meal for a group and not have the kitchen get littered. I have minimal uppers as I prefer the open-ness of windows and open shelves, and I have curtains on my lower cabinets. In a narrow kitchen doors can get in the way, and the curtains have the bonus of making it very easy to change the look if you decide to do that!
bonnie near carpentras
Yes, the traditional French kitchens are usually quite small. My mother-in-law does all her prep work sitting at her round kitchen table, has a very small fridge and a very old stove, but manages to come out with delicious meals that consist of several courses. That said, I love the American French Country kitchens that you featured here – what beauties!
With my old galley kitchen in my 1900 Old Louisville home, I do long for a nicer kitchen! I’ve only had one really nice modern spacious kitchen in my life, and I’m now 70. I have a designer friend who could do wonders with my kitchen, but I don’t own this place, so I’ll just have to be jealous for now.
I loved reading these two stories since you definitely shared the truth about French kitchens compared to American ones. Husband Jim and I have enjoyed kitchens in several parts of France, visiting and renting homes with each one quite different from any kitchen in the U.S. I love your kitchen, especially the beautiful range hood that you created. My Alabama-French kitchen has part of a French antique fireplace mantle for a wineglass rack and shelf with assorted copper items. Copper pans hang above the range on the wall. My kitchen is small with no room for a table, but I love my older cabinets and my window with French curtains bought in the Dordogne and a view of my old heritage Bourbon rose now framing the window. We cook more than food in our French kitchens, right? Thanks for your beautiful stories!
Wow! What a beautiful kitchens! So beautifully designed and decorated! I really love it …