French Inspired Kitchen Design by Beverly Ellsley

Westport, Connecticut designer, Beverly Ellsley has been in the business for over 40 years and designs houses from the ground up. She is best known for her beautiful kitchen designs and most recent projects feature fine woodworking produced in her own cabinet shop.

Recently I read a wonderful interview with Ellsley on Decorati and fell in love with this French inspired Connecticut kitchen. The small splashes of blue in the tile, rug and dining chairs (in a lower photo) in this neutral color palette add to the kitchen's tranquility.

The light and airy kitchen includes an incredible floor-to-ceiling French carved limestone fireplace which is beautifully centered between the cooking and dining areas. The romantic chandelier above the island coordinates nicely with the dark wood of the French woven rush seated barstools.

The dining area has a casual, yet elegant feel. Notice the cabinetry behind the dining table - it's hiding a refrigerator and freezer. The panel of latticework houses appliances that need ventilation. Ellsley states in Decorati that she likes to hide appliances, “Not just because they say kitchen, but because they date one. Stainless steel may be the harvest gold of tomorrow, but the right cabinets for a home’s architecture are always right.” In fact, 30 years ago she designed her own kitchen and has no plans of remodeling.

The large kitchen island evokes charming antique qualities with ornate corner pilasters with shell carvings. The gorgeous top is made from salvaged French parquet flooring.

The farmhouse sink is framed by elegant cabriole legs from Ellsley’s Villa Collection for Enkeboll.

After looking at this gorgeous kitchen for the past few hours, I am ready to book my next vacation to the South of France. And if you need more white kitchen inspiration click here.

*images from Decorati