There’s a reason coastal kitchens are appealing to many homeowners, whether they live along the coast or not. The light hues, ample lighting and fun beach or maritime décor add a bright and airy beauty to a kitchen that’s hard not to love.
If you love the serene, relaxed look of coastal kitchens, you can easily bring this style into your own kitchen, whether you live at the beach, in the country or in the city. Follow our tips below for designing a coastal kitchen the right way and your kitchen will have the coastal vibe you dream about all year long!
#1: All-White Cabinetry
One of the best ways to recreate the light, breezy and calm look and feel of the seashore in your kitchen is to begin with all-white kitchen cabinets. Any style of white cabinets will work, however the simplicity that white shaker cabinets provide is ideal.
Not excited about having all-white cabinetry? Not to worry! Even though all-white cabinets are commonly used when designing coastal kitchens, you can opt for a two-toned look. For a contemporary style, consider going with all-white upper cabinets paired with light wood or light painted cabinets for the base or island cabinets. You’ll just want to avoid using any dark colors to keep the atmosphere bright.
#2: Blue and White Elements
One of best ways to incorporate the hues of the ocean is to include various shades of blue in your design. There are several great ways this can be done, so this is the perfect place to use your creativity and show off your personal style.
From blue and white checkerboard ceilings and white tile floors with pops of blue designs, to sparkling blue backsplashes and blue light fixtures, you’ll love all of the fun ways you can add beautiful ocean shades into your kitchen! Of course, if you prefer to not have so much blue, play around with different accent colors to use in addition to blue, such as pale, sandy yellows and sea greens.
#3: Ample Lighting
Let’s face it. A dark coastal kitchen wouldn’t be visually appealing, nor would it have an authentic coastal vibe. For this reason, regardless of how you choose to design your coastal kitchen, getting the lighting right will be key in getting the look and feel you desire.
This means the lighting needs to be bright. Natural lighting is always ideal and, if you have – or can install – tall windows and/or a skylight, you’ll get plenty of natural light coming in to brighten up your kitchen.
However, if you don’t have many windows or don’t get much natural lighting in your kitchen, you can create ample lighting with a combination of task, accent and ambient lighting.
Now that you’re familiar with these main characteristics of coastal kitchens, you’ll be able to create a truly beautiful coastal look – and add your own creative twists to the design!