When designing this French Country Kitchen, I used many combinations of materials. The hood has a stained wood molding that frames a carved plaster insert. The back splash is a mixture of matte and satin finished ceramic tiles. Then I used a tumbled limestone to frame out the tile behind the stove.
The floor is a Biblical limestone reclaimed from European villages where the prophets might have once walked.
Many of the French homes that we fall in love with today were added to over a period of years and mixed different materials from different times. We had La Cornue custom color the French stove then picked up the blue as an accent on the cabinetry. The ceiling is bead board that has been painted in the same blue and glazed to soften and age. The large beams are reclaimed heart pine complete with the original nail holes and cracks.
This is the family room open to the kitchen. Notice the reclaimed Terra cotta tile on the ceiling between the beams. In many of the older home built during the 18th and 19th century had exposed roof tile on the ceilings. The fireplace mantle is Mexican Pinon stone hand carved from my drawings.
The two seating areas separated by a narrow library table allows groups to have their own space.
I grew up in the kitchen so to speak. It was the one place in the house I could have heart to heart talks with my mom. Now if we could just get all of the world leaders to have their meeting in the kitchen, I bet they would have better out comes.
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