Coastal Kitchen Design for a Seaside Beach House Look

Imagine waking up in your beach house kitchen with the ocean breeze drifting in through open windows. The soothing sounds of rolling waves set a relaxed vibe as you brew your morning coffee. Your kitchen's breezy coastal design brings the beach atmosphere right into your home.

Coastal kitchen design infuses seaside charm into the heart of your home. Light blues and neutral tones couple with weathered woods and natural textures to create a laidback oasis. This style is the perfect complement to a beach house location.

Utilizing Coastal Elements for a Seaside Kitchen Design

Several signature elements can transform your kitchen into a coastal retreat. Incorporate these features for a room that looks and feels connected to the nearby shores:

• A white, blue, and neutral color palette keeps things calm and breezy. Aquas, light blues, and grays coupled with warm whites feel right at home by the sea.
• Open shelving lined with wicker baskets provides a place to display beachy ceramic tableware or pretty shells and sea glass collected from the coast.
• Butcher block or concrete quartz countertops relate the textures of weathered driftwood and rocky shorelines.
• Distressed wide-plank flooring and ceramic subway tiles underfoot echo the feel of a weathered coastal cottage.

Further linking your kitchen to the nearby oceanfront are stainless steel appliances with a nautical vibe. Their luster emulates the way light dances off waves. Iron lanterns, glass pendant lights, and rope trim accents also reinforce the coastal aesthetic. Seaside artwork depicting crashing waves or seashells layered over backsplashes influenced by ocean hues enhance the beach house ambiance.

Selecting the Right Coastal Color Palette

Color choice is key for setting the right beach house mood in your kitchen design. Stick to a scheme drawing inspiration from soothing ocean tones:

• Aquas ranging from soft sea foam to bolder teal
• Muted sage greens reminiscent of sea glass
• Warm grays like oyster, dove gray, or coastal fog
• Crisp whites evoking sea spray and billowing sails
• Washed driftwood browns
• Accent colors like muted gold or pearl iridescence finishes

Popular cabinet and wall paint colors for coastal kitchens include Benjamin Moore's Coventry Gray, Wythe Blue, and Newburyport Blue. Soft aquas like Farrow & Ball's Breakwater and Pavilion Gray work well on walls, while their off-white Hague Blue makes a perfect cabinet shade. For a bolder coastal pop, try Sherwin-Williams' Rainwashed or High Tide.

Incorporating Coastal Lighting and Decor

Complete the beach house vibe with lighting and decor selections that speak to seaside life. Iron lanterns, woven pendants, and rope lighting emulate sunshine filtering through swaying palms. Mix these with shells, starfish, and driftwood accents against backsplashes mimicking ocean waves and sea glass. The result is a space with texture, depth, and loads of charm.

Designing a Coastal Kitchen Layout

The layout and architecture choices for your kitchen also impact the coastal aesthetic. Design the space to feel open, airy, and connected to the outdoors for a true beach house vibe.

• Inject spaciousness with high ceilings and large picture windows framing ocean views.
• Incorporate sets of French doors that open your kitchen to patios or decks.
• Opt for an open concept linking the kitchen to living areas.
• Add a kitchen island or peninsula to boost seating and surface space while lending dimensional, sculptural appeal.
• Include a built-in dining banquette for casual coastal dining.
• Maximize storage with built-in cabinetry, bookshelves, and butler's pantries.
• Extend the kitchen outdoors with an alfresco dining area or outdoor cooking space.

Architectural Tricks for an Airy Coastal Kitchen

Several architectural design choices can make a kitchen feel more open and breezy:

• Bump up ceiling height to 9 or 10 feet.
• Incorporate recessed lighting to open up the space.
• Add skylights or clerestory windows to usher in natural light.
• Use interior transom windows above cabinets for airflow and light transmission.
• Select lighter-colored cabinetry to prevent a closed-in feeling.
• Include ventilating roof cupolas or ceiling fans.

A beach house kitchen should connect to the outdoors. Opt for large picture windows, French or sliding glass doors, and easy access to patios and decks. Then complement indoor spaces with covered outdoor kitchen and dining areas.

Choosing the Right Materials and Finishes

Coastal design comes to life in your kitchen through weathered, natural, and tactile finish materials. Select choices that lend warmth and relate the textures of seaside living:

• Painted or naturally weathered wood cabinets emulate the look of driftwood.
• Subway, glass, or pebble tile backsplashes in aqua hues mimic ocean waves and textures.
• Countertops like marble, concrete, or butcher block feel cool and earthy.
• Hardwood floors evoke weathered coastal cottage charm.
• Well-worn finishes in materials like bamboo, seagrass, jute, and rattan add more coastal texture.
• Rope trim accents on open shelves relate to dockside living.

Coastal Countertop Choices

Countertops set the tone in your kitchen. For a coastal design, natural stone surfaces lend an organic, earthy feel. Top options include:

• Honed natural marble like Calacatta Borghini
• Concrete in soft beachy hues
• Butcher block wood countertops
• Quartz like Bianco Drift or Nebulous White
• Soapstone, great for cooking zones
• Recycled glass surfaces

Pair these countertops with bare wooden cabinets or painted finishes in pale blues, grays, or creams. Then add an easy-clean ceramic, glass, or stone backsplash mimicking currents and waves. The result is a coastal kitchen that looks and feels connected to the sea.

Flooring to Ground Your Coastal Kitchen Design

Don't overlook your flooring choice, as it grounds the whole space. Warm, weathered wood flooring easily channels coastal cottage charm. Opt for wide-plank oak or pine boards. Bleached finishes in white oak or maple evoke sun-washed driftwood. Alternately, handmade cement tiles or natural stone surfaces lend an earthy vibe perfect for a beach house.

Creative Storage for a Coastal Kitchen's Supplies

Even the most serene coastal kitchen still needs ample storage. Include solutions that stow necessities without cramping your laidback style:

• Floor-to-ceiling pantries maximize space for dry goods.
• Simple Shaker-style cabinets offer plenty of hidden storage.
• Clear canister jars display pastas and baking staples.
• Open shelving lined with wicker baskets adds breezy display space.
• Built-in cabinetry around appliances streamlines storage.
• A banquette with hidden storage keeps extra tableware and linens out of sight.
• Glass-front cabinets lighten the look of dishes and barware on display.