W When this young couple purchased their forever home
in Churchville, Maryland, they knew they wanted each
Taste of the Countryside
A 1980s kitchen is simultaneously given a contemporary face-lift
and a more historic feel with a classic French-country foundation,
sleek upgrades, and collected antique accents layered in.
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From vintage china to artwork, the
homeowners’ storied treasures add
prominently displayed character and
contribute to a nuanced French vibe
throughout this kitchen redesign. “Our
clients really helped make this space
feel so unique,” says interior designer
Kasey Bedford of Winsome Interior
Design. “They brought so many special
collected items with them that really
guided our creativity through the
design process.”
room in their abode to have a distinctive identity—and
the kitchen was no exception. With a clear concept
in mind, they teamed up with Kasey Bedford and
Arianna Pannoni of Winsome Interior Design, along
with kitchen designer Tanya Smith-Shiflett, owner of
Unique Kitchens & Baths, to bring their vision to life,
creating a rustic but elegant space functional for the
modern day yet infused with the effortless Old-World
charm of interiors found in rural France.
“Our clients wanted each room of their home to
have its own story, so their guests are invited to a
different experience in each space,” Arianna explains.
“They love to entertain, and it was important to them
that the space is very inviting for their guests. They
wanted it to feel very open and French. They arrived
at our first meeting with a 50-slide presentation that
contained inspiration for every nook and cranny of
the house—all these French château kinds of images.”
Despite the kitchen’s 1980s origins, the floor plan
was laid out surprisingly efficiently and only required
a few tweaks. The home’s traditional architectural
style was evident in the space, so the team decided to
capitalize on that aspect to help achieve the sense of
history the owners desired. “Our design goal was to
match the interior of the home more closely to the
classic Georgian architectural style of the exterior,”
Kasey says. “Since there were  no historical features
in the kitchen to maintain, we incorporated elements
and finishes that make the home feel older than it is.”
This translated to several farmhouse-inspired
architectural features, executed with a sophisticated
finesse, that instill character at the foundational level,
such as ceiling beams and open display shelving along
the walls just below. The brick accent wall with an
arched alcove was original to the room, so they
opted to play it up, making it a focal point for an
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eight-burner range, in a way that blends seamlessly
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with their updated look.
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 “Instead of removing the brick, we decided to
add grout to give that over-grouted look and then
limewashed with the same color that was used on
the wall,” Arianna says. “We wanted the brick arch
to remain a feature but in a much more subtle way.”
With a focus on the fine points of the project
up front, many of these structural elements were
incorporated with finishing touches in mind. “We
built the initial design framework around details
that were consistently present throughout our
clients’ inspiration images—rich wood tones, a
decorative pot rack, a shelf to display items collected
throughout the years, and a space that exudes
warmth,” Kasey says. “We did not want the space
to feel too precious but rather a space that had
precious items that were well loved and used.”
To accomplish this, they embarked on an exercise
in juxtaposition. Dark wood furnishings, like the
eye-catching antique island, are softened by a linen
Roman shade and an Oriental rug. Streamlined
cream-hued cabinetry and sleek cool-toned
Arabescato Corchia marble countertops contrast
with warm mixed metals throughout.
The wide range of organic materials that make
up a mostly neutral base provides plenty of interest
and depth with myriad textures and shades. “We
wanted to keep the kitchen relatively tonal in the
color because it is connected to two rooms that
have a very bold design,” Arianna says. A collection
of blue-and-white china and vintage still life artwork
add subdued top notes of color across the space.
And though they worked to include these types
of storied accents to hone in on a time-honored
ambience, it never came at the cost of practicality.
“The finishes are meant to age and [develop] patina
over time, lending to the lived-in aesthetic while
also being functional,” Kasey says. “While many
of the features are more formal aesthetically, one
does not have to be too careful with them because
they are designed to last.”

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TEXT BY ELIZABETH CZAPSKI

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG

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