A DASH OF FRENCH DRESSING

This handmade English kitchen looks perfectly at home in Paris, thanks to plenty of Gallic charm

- Words Miriam Methuen-Jones

If you thought this was a cottage kitchen in the English countryside, the owner would be delighted. That’s exactly the vibe she was looking for when she began renovating her home in Paris. Pierre Pensec, manager of the French capital's branch of Neptune, explains the background to this unusual project. “The house was built in 1923 in what was called the Anglo-Norman style. It was often chosen by wealthy holidaymakers for their villas near Honfleur and Deauville in Normandy and it quickly became the symbol of chic seaside living.” The architectural style — often with exposed half timbers and bow windows — found its way to Paris, and there are pockets of these villas dotted across the city.

Nathalie, one half of the couple who own this house, had a vision in mind for the kitchen, and used her training as an interior architect to bring it to life. “Her first step in transforming the space was to create a large open archway and add beams that matched those throughout the rest of the house,” says Pierre. “This established a sense of openness and a smooth, seamless flow from the kitchen to the dining room.”