French Country Kitchens - Tour de France Inspiration!
As you may remember if you've been a reader for some time, I LOVE the Tour de France!
I never paid much attention to the Tour until our son took up cycling in a very serious way, with dreams of riding in le Tour himself one day. That particular dream has been replaced now, but it was very much alive for a few years. And so it goes.
But, watching the Tour is now a fixture in our home. It's a beautiful sport, one of the most beautiful, I think. Combined with the incredible scenery, the colorful jerseys, the huge pieces of artwork in the farm fields as tributes to the tour, and the magnificent look of the peloton, not to mention the aerial views, I recommend it highly. it's on the channel Versus for the next 3 weeks until the triumphant entrance into Paris.
SO, in the spirit of the Tour and the beautiful tour of the French countryside, let's look at some kitchens. I think we can learn many things from looking at authentic French kitchens.
We get out of our comfort zone
We see new ways of looking at color and texture
We see new ways at looking at form and function
At other times during the Tour, I'll add more images of French kitchens, both modern, farm country kitchens, and formal, elegant kitchens as well.
And, tell me what your likes, dislikes, opinions on these kitchens. Have fun!! Want to rent a French chateau? Images are from Just France.
Saturday, July 5, 2008 at 10:46AM
Reader Comments (11)
omg - Susan - such pictures!!!! I am dying from them!!!
Joni
Ha! I'm not surprised, Miss France!!
Ok, you talked me into it. Let's go next year! *grin* We'll do a French Country Tour! (for work purposes, of course...)
NOW you're talking! We should start to plan the "sacrifice trip". I'm THERE. Joni, you in?
What first struck me about these kitchens is how beautiful the ceilings are. Almost every one had an interesting ceiling, either beamed or vaulted. Striking, but simple and rustic. I love them.
Jeannie, yes, you're absolutely right. That, and I love how the hoods are part of the walls too. They just look like part of the architecture. It's great to see these different methods of French design.
All of the kitchens you posted are gorgeous. I love the warm feel of the architecture and design of European countryside homes. I saw a few great kitchens this past winter when vacationing just outside of Madrid, and your post makes me want to go back ASAP!
I'm originally from France - thanks for all the pictures, as they remind me of my home country! I can say that kitchens in the French countryside use a lot of Tile (in particular in the warmer climates) and older-style wood tables or cabinets. The typical French kitchen also showcases pots and pans as part of the ambiance. It is very very frequent to see 10-12 beautiful pots or pans spread out across the kitchen cabinets (attached to hooks). Kitchens in America are designed for entertainment and friends gatherings. In France, country kitchens are really designed for the cooking experience. Some kitchens also feature wooden tables that are used for cutting and assembling the food - a far thing from the beautiful and expensive countertops found in today's upscale & urban kitchens.
Nicolas
My Kitchens Site
I love the photo frenchkitchen1! I think it's the most gorgeous of all!
You have very lovely kitchens. Makes me wanna cook more food.
All those photos make me want to do a food exploration in France. :-)