How to Create a Coastal and Casual Kitchen Space
While dark kitchen cabinets and flooring can be warm and traditional, a casual and coastal kitchen theme can be bright and inviting and a better choice for small spaces that may seem even tinier with dark and rich features. However, it can also be easy to cross the line from casual and coastal to stark and sterile! You may then be interested in a Hamptons style kitchen. Note a few tips for effectively adding a casual and coastal look to your kitchen so you can create a space you'll love for many years to come.
Casual and coastal colours
Many homeowners choose white wall paint and cabinets for their kitchen, as white is associated with cleanliness and white surfaces make it easy to see crumbs and other debris that need cleaning. However, white is very sterile, as said, and does little to bring a coastal theme into a space.
Instead of that, consider light colour tones that are found at the beach, such as tan or sandy shades, sea foam green, coral and watery blue. You might opt for a sandy shade as your kitchen's main wall colour so that you don't overpower the space, or stick with white for several of the walls but then paint an accent wall a coastal shade of blue or green. You can even keep the walls and cabinets white but then paint the kitchen island a coastal colour to add some personality to the space.
Add lots of light
Many people associate the beach with lots of bright sunlight, so a dark kitchen will look anything but coastal! Call an electrician to install recessed lights in front of the cabinets if needed and to swap out a dingy fluorescent light fixture for track lighting with bright white bulbs. You'll also want as much sunlight in your coastal kitchen as possible, so replace outdated or dark blinds on the kitchen windows with gauzy curtains or wood shutters for a very coastal look.
Keep it free of clutter
A lot of clutter will detract from the relaxed atmosphere you're trying to create in your casual kitchen, so ensure you have plenty of storage in the space for small appliances and anything else you might otherwise keep on the benchtops. You'll also want to avoid having too many decorative items in plain sight, including fancy platters and even plants. By removing all those items and keeping the look very minimal, you'll ensure you don't detract from your kitchen's casual and coastal look.