Sunday, February 17, 2008
Localizing the French Kitchen
The French Way
As promised, more on French kitchens. While contemporary reigns, you’ll find regional influences widespread. In Provence, you see lots of stone, both the material and the color, primarily a honey-colored limestone. In Alsace and Savoie, with ample forests, you’ll see wood for walls, floors and cabinets. In Brittany, stone again, but with the cooler colors prevalent in the region, including a silvery granite. Each region maintains the tradition of using local materials to create a unique and recognizable style.
Translating this approach to the Central Coast, means that even though we might have a contemporary, or Tuscan or Mission kitchen, we can localize it. Our local limestone resembles the stone of Provence, and would add a wonderfully warm accent to a kitchen—perhaps a backsplash, an accent around an archway or in a wall or floor. Oak, although not plentiful, is common on the Central Coast, so oak cabinets or accents would reflect the materials of our region. Iron cut-work celebrating our ranching heritage, a set of olivewood spoons or other kitchen accoutrements made from old vines would create a sense of place.
The French sense of style relies on confidence. Take a page from that stylebook and bring the region into your home in your own way!
Posted by editor at 10:34 AM under
