Country fare

A kitchen has to satisfy the daily needs as well as the aesthetic preferences of those who will use it. A European-style country kitchen, for example, will likely combine practical surfaces with a warm, approachable atmosphere.

This remodel by interior designers Sally Wilson and John Kelsey took a gloomy kitchen-and-den combination and transformed it into a space ideally suited for both cooking and relaxing in.

"First we gutted the interior to make way for the upgrade," says Wilson. "Then we introduced a complete architectural shell, articulating the ceiling with painted beams to help define the 27ft-long space."

The owners wanted a classic French kitchen and the eclectic, pulled-together nature of the cabinetry is a part of this.

"Habersham cabinetry framing the oven is a focal point and this is contrasted by Omega cabinets in a ginger stain and coffee glaze," says Kelsey. "Both have a furniture-like appeal. Similarly, the outer island has decorative turned legs and beadboard panels in lieu of cabinet fronts."

Original plans for upper cabinetry were abandoned on the designers' advice, as the added bulk would have made the room seem cramped and claustrophobic.

While demolishing one of the walls, old brickwork was exposed.

"The owners liked the idea of brick but the original walls were dilapidated, so we introduced a veneer of new brick applied over the existing walls," says John Kelsey. "Once the bricks are set in place, mortar is applied to complete the look."

Kelsey also designed a banquette and millwork surround to enclose the informal dining area at the other end of the room. A gas fireplace completes the cozy aesthetic.

"Material choices helped to create the ambiance: the combination of upholstery fabrics, the classic toile backsplash customized via drawings, then manufactured in England as well as the stone-like appearance of the porcelain tile floors," says Sally Wilson.

Story by: Charles Moxham