Maï wanted to inject traditional English charm into her French home. After a visit to our Paris store, it was love at first sight for our Shaker-style Suffolk kitchen.
Inside the walls of a pink 20th Century Maison, Oxford the family dog nuzzles up to the Aga in search of warmth. ‘It was my non-negotiable when moving out of our Paris apartment, I longed for a traditional Aga and an English kitchen to complement it,’ Maï, of online store Cherished Corner, explains. And what started as reclaiming a childhood memory of cooking with her mother around the Aga, evolved to creating a kitchen that exudes English charm within the surrounding French countryside.
When Maï and her husband Henri moved into their home in 2018 they were already a family of five, and a little later Basile joined, bringing the household to an energetic four boys, plus Oxford. ‘I always wanted a kitchen where I could watch over the boys and for it to be the heart of our home, and this is it,’ says Maï. Before moving in the couple revised the floor plan to make use of the larger dining room at the back of the house, removing a fireplace and replacing with a window out to the garden – where Maï could watch the boys play – and opening up a large kitchen-dining space, which leads to a functional boot room. Opting not to add a kitchen island and instead have one wall of fitted worksurfaces and a double-door Suffolk larder to the side, the new kitchen footprint provided plenty of room for the boys to run around, too. ‘They sometimes play football in here which drives me mad but I do love having the large open space,’ Maï chuckles.
It was decided early on that the interior would reflect a traditional English kitchen, and working with Pierre, owner and designer of the Paris store, helped Maï bring her vision to life. ‘I’d originally seen a Neptune kitchen in my cousin’s home in London many years ago and I loved the charm and character. To discover that Paris had a store and I could see the collections for myself, it made the process so easy.’ Maï was instantly drawn to the classic design of Suffolk, ‘I liked the solid oak drawers which for me are much more functional than cabinets as I can easily see everything, and the simple decorative cornicing which felt like a classic style that can cross the ages. Something I noticed is that the British really consider functionality and storage, and it was obvious to me that Neptune was doing this best in their designs.’ And because the Pearl Aga was already decided on, Pierre suggested a customised cooker hood to match the Suffolk cabinetry details, tying the whole room together.
Looking to keep the space feeling warm and making use of the original wooden floors, Maï introduced colour to the drawers and cabinets. ‘All the walls are white but I wanted a kitchen with character, so together Pierre helped us choose the dark Navy as I found it very warm and it complemented the Aga. I then added green through striped cushions on the bench and curtains,’ says Maï. Character was also considered through the fitted bench seating and antique table and chairs that Maï has collected as part of her passion curating unique finds for her online store, Cherished Corner, and to display lovingly throughout the home.
Today the family kitchen is a hub of activity, but still Maï finds time to reclaim the space, ‘this is the place where I like to wake up, have my first cup of tea and check my emails or read a magazine.’ One of the hero pieces in the kitchen, other than the Aga, was the Suffolk double door larder. ‘It’s like a pantry! It’s nice to have space to put everything inside hidden away; food, toaster, microwave, everything. There are many drawers and door racks, it’s just a brilliant piece of storage,’ exclaims Maï. A tidy kitchen is what Maï covets but she admits she loves it most when it’s filled with her family, cooking a meal while the boys huddle together to do their homework, or sharing dinner with friends who visit and remark on her enviable ‘British style’.
‘I often think that the house is a mirror to a person. It's a reflection of what you are, and this kitchen is it for me,’ Maï muses. The contrast of calm and cosy, with the comforting noise and chaos of family life, it’s a kitchen that’s truly lived in.
To begin your kitchen journey, book your free consultation today or visit your nearest store.