If there’s one thing every avid home pastry chef needs, it’s a beautiful pastry atelier design (that’s a pastry studio or baking room, for all my English-speaking friends). 

After months of looking for the perfect furniture and organizational tools, I am so excited to finally reveal my brand new at-home atelier!

Creating My Pastry Atelier Design

I was lucky enough to have a (mostly) functional atelier space in my old apartment, but it was right in the middle of our home and was also used as the dining room. When we started looking for a new apartment back in December, I knew I wanted to find something with a separate baking room I could use to create new recipes, film virtual pastry classes and do live calls with my Online Pastry School students.

We moved to this new apartment in February, only about 7 minutes away from our old place in Versailles. The announcement of the move was met with a bit of surprise by my followers – because our last place was gorgeous! We loved it, but what you didn’t know was that it was on a super noisy street and the layout wasn’t ideal. We started looking by chance and stumbled upon our perfect place, which made the move a super easy decision. 

When we first visited in December, the electricity had been turned off and it was already dark. Despite only being able to explore with our cell phone flashlights, we knew right away that this was the one!

The layout is just perfect for our lives and my work creating online pastry classes. It has a large, extra room that’s separate from the rest of the apartment. 

The room features two large windows and plenty of space for teaching and creating. I knew it would make the perfect pastry studio where I can host classes online and in person. Even better? I can close the door at the end of a long day and truly leave my work behind (which is easier said than done for a home-based business owner!).

Design Features of My At-Home Baking Room

I knew that if I wanted the perfect pastry atelier, then I would need to take my time picking out furniture, decor and organizational items.  I had a deadline looming with guests expected for a class about a month later (spoiler alert: there were still boxes!).

I wanted this space to be just as beautiful as it is functional and to have an eclectic vibe that still feels polished and elevated. 

In my previous studio, I had lots of built-in storage cabinets to store supplies, ingredients and my antiques collection. But in this new space, I was starting with a completely blank slate (and four bare walls without storage).

I started planning the atelier design by mapping out a few different zones (I’d seen this after watching multiple episodes of the Home Edit and it seemed like a good idea):

• A baking and creating space
• Big storage shelves
• An area to display my antiques collection
• An office & boutique space for in-person guests

I’m so happy with how the space came together and can’t wait to start sharing it more with my community online and in person. For now, let’s take a little tour through the key features of my new atelier:

Antique Baking Table

Any good baking room needs a sturdy workspace. If your atelier is separate from your kitchen (like mine is), you’ll need a work surface on which to measure and mix ingredients, knead, roll out dough and more.

This gorgeous antique table we found on Selency moved with us from the previous apartment where it was the center of attention. The placement of the table in the new space was pretty tricky though – smack dab in the middle, or off to the side… , long-ways inviting people into the room, or facing the entry door almost like a desk. 

Francois suggested a little off to the side close to the equipment and it’s worked perfectly. I can spin around, grab some flour, and spin back to the table as I’m working through recipes. Having your tools nearby is always a plus. 

The table also has two large windows next to it which offer ideal lighting for baking, photography and filming. I can’t wait to create more recipes at this beautiful table.

Antique Baking Rack

This baking rack was definitely the most involved atelier design feature. I knew I would need lots of storage space for all my baking tools and ingredients. And I wanted something that wouldn’t just get the job done, but would be beautiful too!

I’m a lover of all things antique, so I wanted to find a unique piece that would make my studio feel really special. After looking for hours online, I wasn’t finding anything that stood out so I turned to my friends in Paris. 

A quick call to Mimi of Belle Inspiration Magazine and a couple of days later we were wandering around the Saint Ouen antique markets in the North of Paris. We meandered around the markets for about 30 minutes and saw it – looking a little dusty – hidden behind a row of chairs. A big black baking rack dating to the 1930s/40s from a bakery that closed nearby.

After much discussion, measuring and examining, I couldn’t quite make up my mind yet. After all, it was a big decision! You’re not exactly going to move this thing once it’s placed. We explored a bit more and saw some other options, but after a short call with Francois (the practical one in our relationship), this gorgeous antique baker’s rack won out!

As you can see, it’s the perfect fit for the wall and offers a ton of open storage. It also complements the Loberon cabinet that I’d already bought to house my antique collection really well.

On delivery day, the antique dealer asked for a “strong man” to be present as he was in his early 70s and this was quite a heavy piece. Francois volunteered to be there but with the dealer running quite late (this is France, after all), it fell on me. 

Thankfully, with the help of my neighbor, we were able to bring up more than 30 wrought iron pieces and get it set up. Four hours and lots of mismatched screws and hanging iron poles out the window and it was assembled!

I’ve put in a lot of time and energy since getting this baking rack to make sure it’s as functional as possible for my work.

Loberon Cabinet for Antique Collection

The other non-negotiable for my pastry atelier design was a place to store and display my antiques collection. If you haven’t figured it out already, I LOVE antiques – everything from small decorative plates to figurines of Marie Antoinette. And I want to be able to see my collection while I’m working.

I used some antique pots, plates and other containers as storage and decor items throughout the space. And I got this beautiful cabinet from Loberon to hold the rest of my collection. While the cabinet is new, the timeless design ties in perfectly with the antique table and baking rack in this studio space.

The exact cabinet I bought is no longer for sale, but Loberon has plenty of really beautiful storage cabinets that are perfect for holding both decorative and functional items. I especially love these two Loberon storage cabinets (the Vaisselier Bellac and Vaisselier Juillac). The glass-front drawers and shelves in each keep items organized while also looking really beautiful.

Boutique & Office Space

Because I also use my home studio to host private French pastry classes, I knew that I also needed a small space where I could display my cookbooks, aprons and other items for sale.

I turned one corner of the room into a mini boutique. I’m able to proudly display my cookbooks and give in-person pastry students an opportunity to purchase a keepsake before heading home.

A white desk organization unit from Loberon keeps this space tidy and lovely. It fits in perfectly with the antique furniture throughout this space!

Create Your Own Baking Atelier At Home

I hope that sharing my atelier design ideas has inspired you to create your own baking room at home – or whatever kind of creative space your heart desires!

Use these ideas to start dreaming up your very own pastry studio and stay tuned for my next post when I’ll share all of the organization tips, tricks and products I’m using to keep the room functional and beautiful.
Want to learn more about French pastry? Get on the waitlist for my French pastry for beginners course or register for the next kick-off of my Online Pastry School membership.