See how a dark modern kitchen was transformed into a gorgeous coastal kitchen design.
The kitchen is my favorite room in a house, and this kitchen is 100% what sold me on buying our current house. The previous owner combined the kitchen and dining room to form one large kitchen with a small dining room at the end. We have a large kitchen island with a built-in range and tons of counter space.
However, when the previous owner remodeled the kitchen, he painted the cabinets dark brown. That’s right, he PAINTED them brown (not stained them). He also added heavy black hardware that made things feel even darker.
Visually, this kitchen was the opposite of my style. The bones were great, the finishes were not. In this post, I’m sharing the coastal kitchen design before and after—and exactly how I turned a dark kitchen into a bright and airy coastal space, along with simple coastal kitchen ideas you can use in your own home, whether you’re planning a full renovation or making smaller updates.
BEFORE: Here’s what the kitchen looked like when we bought the house—great layout, but very dark finishes.
White Coastal Kitchen Design
I knew immediately that my coastal kitchen would be white, but I had to research the perfect shade. I used Sherwin Williams Pure White in my last kitchen and absolutely loved it. But it has cool gray undertones which worked perfectly in our last house. This kitchen has warmer tones with off-white granite countertops and a beige stone backsplash. I ultimately landed on Benjamin Moore Simply White, which has a creamier warm undertone.
Fact: I’m not in love with this color. I prefer a brighter white. However, sometimes you have to compromise and work with your existing finishes, not against them. I didn’t want to rip out the stone tile and re-do it. In the end, working with the existing countertops and backsplash mattered more than choosing my perfect white, and that choice shaped the entire coastal kitchen design..
I love to paint! It’s one of the only DIY things I’m actually good at. But we used professional painters to tackle this project. Don’t try and paint your own kitchen cabinets unless you’ve done your homework and are ready to put in the necessary prep. Painting a dresser or wall is one thing. Painting your kitchen cabinets is a lot of work and you want them to look flawless!
Coastal Kitchen Design Mood Board
Cabinet Knobs & Handles \\ Cabinet Paint \\ Counter Stools \\ Window Treatments \\ Rug \\ Pendant
I had an idea in my head of how I would design this kitchen, but I always build a mood board so I can fully visualize the space. Pulling everything together ahead of time made it easier to see which coastal kitchen design ideas would actually work in this space. I use Canva so I can drop in pictures and see the full design come to life.
Since I was going for a more modern coastal kitchen design, I opted for gold hardware versus the satin nickel we had in our last kitchen. It took some getting used to, but I absolutely love it. I’m loving gold more and more, even though it’s been a trend for a while.
Open Shelving in a Coastal Kitchen
Faux Plant in Wicker Basket (similar) \\ Cutting Board (similar) \\ True Comfort Cookbook \\ Half Baked Harvest Cookbook \\ White Potted Plant (similar)
Our kitchen has a ton of open shelving. I have a love/hate relationship with it. Open shelving can work beautifully in a coastal kitchen when it’s styled simply and kept intentional. But our kitchen doesn’t have any upper cabinets at all, so all of our plates and bowls are on display. This forces us to be ultra-organized 24/7, which is actually not an issue. I am already super organized!
The bigger issue I have is the dust. They are dust collectors, which means our dishes can also collect dust. For the dishes we use often, it’s not an issue. Consider the pros and cons if you are thinking about open shelves in your kitchen.
Air Fryer (similar) \\ Blue Espresso Machine \\ Blue Coffee Grinder \\ White Metal Basket (similar) \\ White Dinner Plates \\ White Salad Plates \\ White Cereal Bowls \\ White Serving Bowls \\ Blue & White Striped Dinnerware Set \\ Handwoven Wicker Fruit Basket (similar)
Coastal Kitchen Island Design
A large island with seating is one of my favorite coastal kitchen ideas for making the space feel both functional and welcoming. Ours is 10 ft long with ample counter space and room for seating. We eat 99% of our meals at the island. I fell in love with the Ballard Design Bailey Woven Counter Stools which were the perfect addition to our modern coastal kitchen. The wicker seats bring in organic materials and the black metal legs coordinated with our modern kitchen railing. They are so comfortable and are great quality. I cannot recommend them enough!
The stools come with a linen natural cushion in a taupe color. I really want to switch them out for the off-white cushion eventually!
Modern Coastal Kitchen Lighting
Hand & Dish Soap Set \\ Striped Roman Shades \\ Brass Pendant
Our kitchen has recessed lighting throughout, and we have lots of windows that bring in a ton of light. But I still wanted to bring in a light fixture. I chose the Pottery Barn Small Brass Pendant to go above our sink which matches our hardware perfectly. Warm metal lighting is a simple way to elevate a modern coastal kitchen without overpowering it. Pottery Barn honestly has some of the prettiest lighting of all the places I researched.
Coastal Kitchen Window Treatments
I was obsessed with the Pottery Barn Riviera Stripe Roman Shades for years before I finally invested in them. Classic stripes are an easy coastal kitchen design choice that adds pattern without feeling busy. I researched a lot of dupes before I finally caved and bought the real deal. They are worth every penny! I only have them in the kitchen, so things don’t get “too stripy” (which I definitely have a tendency to do!). You can read my full review of these gorgeous window treatments here.
Modern Coastal Dining Area in the Kitchen
Since the old kitchen and dining room were combined into one, our kitchen is a really nice size, but our dining room is tiny. It sits at the far end of our kitchen, and I had to get creative with how to design it.
Since we eat most of our meals at the island, having a small dining room is not a big deal for us at all! You can read all about how I designed it in my Beautiful Modern Coastal Dining Room for Small Space post.
Coastal Kitchen Pantry Update
Our house did not come with a pantry. When our kitchen was designed, they kind of left that part out. I agonized over this when we first moved in and settled on a free-standing bookcase that I converted into our pantry. If your kitchen doesn’t have a built-in pantry, there are plenty of coastal kitchen design solutions that can still feel cohesive and intentional. I share the bookcase pantry I used before this one in my best pantry alternative post and the full custom pantry we eventually built in this pantry makeover.
Our Pantry Alternative:
After living with our pantry alternative for over two years, I finally decided to take the plunge and have our contractor build us a real pantry. You can read all about our pantry makeover HERE. If you are on a tight budget, I think the pantry alternative I used is still the perfect solution.
Coastal Kitchen Design Updates That Made the Biggest Difference
The updates that made the biggest impact in our kitchen were simple but intentional:
– White cabinets with warm undertones
– Open shelving styled simply
– Woven textures mixed with clean lines
– Warm brass lighting and hardware
Coastal Kitchen Design: What I Would Have Done Differently
Let me start off by saying, this is by far the nicest kitchen I have ever had! I really do love so much about it. Because this kitchen was already gutted when we bought the house, a lot of design choices were already made. Even though I made a lot of design updates, there are a good amount of things I would have done differently if I had been designing from the start.
1. Include Upper Cabinets
If I had full control over the design, I would have nixed so much open shelving. I would love to have upper cabinets to store our dishes.
2. Choose a Different Backsplash
Our stone backsplash is pretty and sophisticated, but it’s just not my style. I would have gone with a white zellige tile or even a classic subway. I also would have chosen white quartz countertops versus the creamy granite and gone brighter on the cabinets.
3. Install a Farmhouse Sink
I think it goes without saying that the more room you have in the sink, the better. A double bowl sink just makes it harder to do dishes (especially large pots and pans) and no one needs that!
4. Build a Pantry
This is huge. I 100% would have built a pantry and this kitchen had plenty of room to do it. Luckily, we now have one!
I hope you enjoyed this post and found a little inspiration for your modern coastal kitchen design. Happy decorating!
Coastal Kitchen Design FAQs
A coastal kitchen design focuses on light, airy finishes and natural textures. Think white or light-toned cabinets, simple lines, woven or organic elements, and a relaxed, livable feel rather than anything themed or beachy.
Yes. This kitchen started with dark brown cabinets and heavy hardware. Lightening the cabinets, switching to warmer metals, simplifying finishes, and adding texture completely transformed the space into a bright coastal kitchen without changing the layout.
White cabinets are a classic choice for coastal kitchens, but the undertone matters. Warmer whites tend to work better when existing countertops or stone finishes lean beige or cream, while cooler whites pair best with gray or cooler materials.
Open shelving can work well in a coastal kitchen when it’s styled simply and kept intentional. It adds warmth and visual interest, but it does require more upkeep than upper cabinets, especially when it comes to dust and keeping everyday items organized.
Not at all. A coastal kitchen design can feel clean, modern, and timeless without using obvious beach references. Subtle texture, light finishes, and classic details go a long way without leaning into a themed look.
This post is about a coastal kitchen design before and after.
