Beach Vibes: How to Design a Kitchen that Looks Like a Vacation All Year Long

Summer is coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the soft colors and bright, airy feel of a beach house all year long. With the right mix of colors and natural materials, you can create a fresh and relaxing kitchen that looks classy in any season.

Let’s start with the colors:

Now, if you are thinking summer, your first instinct may be to choose warmer colors for the walls, but in this scenario, we are trying to capture the refreshing atmosphere of a seaside vacation home. That means you are going to want to stick to pale, cool tones–such as seafoam green and powder blue– in combination with white or off-white (whichever you prefer). Once you have the paint colors established, you can add some contrast to the room with brighter colored throw pillows, wall art, or other smaller decorative features.

Then add the cabinets:

To keep the whole room soft and light, stick to either white, off-white, or a pale wood cabinet. You can give the kitchen a casual weathered effect by choosing a natural or unfinished wood like hickory or oak. As for the cabinet style, simple is better here.

The floor comes next:

If you were actually in a beach house, you would have to worry about sand, which damages wood floors, but in this case you can choose a light-to-medium wood floor without a second thought. If you prefer tile, a large-scale (12″x12″) cream or tan travertine tile will give you a similarly open, natural feel.

Last your counters, the crown jewel of the kitchen:

As the most significant natural element in the kitchen, your countertops will be the visual center of the room. You don’t have to break the bank to get just the right look; several low-to-mid range granite colors like Kashmir White Granite, Colonial Gold Granite, and Hawaii Granite all have interesting patterns and creamy neutral base colors that will tie in the cabinets, floor, and paint colors.

In a slightly higher-priced category of stones are those granite patterns with a bit more motion and color. Typhoon Bordeaux Granite and Typhoon Green Granite have exciting diagonal waves with a splash of color to increase contrast and energy. For a glossier surface, take a look at Sea Pearl Quartzite and White Macaubas Quartzite, which both have long, meandering lines that closely resemble sea foam or gentle waves.

If you are ready to look in the exotic granite category, you can bring the ocean right into the kitchen with stunning stones like Blue Bahia Granite.

Don’t forget backsplash!

Light, simple, medium-sized tiles will help set the stage for your countertops. If your granite has a cooler background, white marble subway tiles pair well. To match with a warmer granite, neutral travertine, porcelain, or ceramic tile is best.