Coastal Open Plan Kitchen Ideas and Designs

A central island in the kitchen brings the chef and diners together for casual snacks or elaborate dinners. We partnered with Jennifer Allison Design on this project. Her design firm contacted us to paint the entire house - inside and out. Images are used with permission. You can contact her at (310) 488-0331 for more information.

Coronado Beach House Renovation

Kim Grant Design Inc

Kim Grant, Architect; Elizabeth Barkett, Interior Designer - Ross Thiele & Sons Ltd.; Gail Owens, Photographer
Nautical galley open plan kitchen in San Diego with an island, shaker cabinets, marble worktops, white splashback, metro tiled splashback, white appliances, a belfast sink, medium hardwood flooring and blue cabinets.

Vermilion 3

Geoff Chick & Associates

Derek Makekau
Photo of a coastal l-shaped open plan kitchen in Miami with a belfast sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, dark hardwood flooring and an island.

Cardiff by the Sea - Beach Kitchen remodel

Signature Designs Kitchen | Bath | Interiors

SIGNATURE DESIGNS KITCHEN BATH Medallion Cabinetry in Providence Door in White Icing the island in Islander Finish.
Inspiration for a large beach style u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Diego with a belfast sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz worktops, glass tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood flooring, an island and multi-coloured splashback.

Cottage Update

Arch Studio, Inc.

Arch Studio, Inc. Best of Houzz 2013, 2014, 2015
Design ideas for a medium sized coastal u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with a belfast sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble worktops, grey splashback, glass sheet splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood flooring and an island.

Coastal Kitchen

Baine Contracting, Inc.

This is an example of a medium sized beach style u-shaped open plan kitchen in New York with a double-bowl sink, beaded cabinets, white cabinets, granite worktops, blue splashback, glass tiled splashback and a breakfast bar.

Coronado Shores Penthouse

K2 Interiors

Small coastal galley open plan kitchen in San Diego with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble worktops, stone slab splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood flooring and an island.

Chermak, Lake House Remodel

Chermak Construction, Inc.

Larry Evensen, Imaging Northwest
Inspiration for an expansive nautical single-wall open plan kitchen in Seattle with a belfast sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, engineered stone countertops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, white appliances, dark hardwood flooring and an island.

236 Nautilus St La Jolla, CA 92037

Exotic Interiors & Ei Staging Group

New Construction Kitchen
Inspiration for a small beach style galley open plan kitchen in San Diego with a belfast sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, composite countertops, white splashback, glass tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances and light hardwood flooring.

Open Low Country Kitchen

Saltwater Kitchen & Bath Studio

Photo of a medium sized coastal galley open plan kitchen in Jacksonville with a single-bowl sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, granite worktops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood flooring and an island.

Interior view of Pool House Great Room

Weintraub Designs

renee@chestnutstreetstudio.com; view to kitchen and poolside
Photo of a small beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Boston with a single-bowl sink, white cabinets, wood worktops, orange splashback, stone tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances and concrete flooring.

Coastal Virginia Idea House

Progress Lighting

Jonathan Edwards Media
Design ideas for a large beach style l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a belfast sink, recessed-panel cabinets, marble worktops, white splashback, stone tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood flooring, an island and blue cabinets.

Beach House

Arrowood Design LLC

Matthew Millman
Large beach style u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, metro tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, an island, a submerged sink, quartz worktops, ceramic flooring and beige floors.

2013 Coastal Living Showhouse

Our Town Plans

Courtesy Coastal Living, a division of the Time Inc. Lifestyle Group, photography by Tria Giovan. Coastal Living is a registered trademark of Time Inc. and is used with permission.

Cape Cod Dining Room

Maraya Interior Design

Luxurious modern take on a traditional white Italian villa. An entry with a silver domed ceiling, painted moldings in patterns on the walls and mosaic marble flooring create a luxe foyer. Into the formal living room, cool polished Crema Marfil marble tiles contrast with honed carved limestone fireplaces throughout the home, including the outdoor loggia. Ceilings are coffered with white painted crown moldings and beams, or planked, and the dining room has a mirrored ceiling. Bathrooms are white marble tiles and counters, with dark rich wood stains or white painted. The hallway leading into the master bedroom is designed with barrel vaulted ceilings and arched paneled wood stained doors. The master bath and vestibule floor is covered with a carpet of patterned mosaic marbles, and the interior doors to the large walk in master closets are made with leaded glass to let in the light. The master bedroom has dark walnut planked flooring, and a white painted fireplace surround with a white marble hearth. The kitchen features white marbles and white ceramic tile backsplash, white painted cabinetry and a dark stained island with carved molding legs. Next to the kitchen, the bar in the family room has terra cotta colored marble on the backsplash and counter over dark walnut cabinets. Wrought iron staircase leading to the more modern media/family room upstairs. Project Location: North Ranch, Westlake, California. Remodel designed by Maraya Interior Design. From their beautiful resort town of Ojai, they serve clients in Montecito, Hope Ranch, Malibu, Westlake and Calabasas, across the tri-county areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles, south to Hidden Hills- north through Solvang and more. New custom designed Cape Cod home overlooking the water. The alder table was custom made for the space in two pieces, with hinges and support to make the table large enough for large family gatherings. White painted recessed paneled cabinets, wide plank pine floors. We matched the fabric colors to the owner's collection of colorful pottery. Kurt Magness: architect Stan Tenpenny, contractor Dina Pielaet, photographer

Organic Contemporary with Whimsial Pops

Lisa Benbow of LCB Interior Design

The Great Room
This is an example of a beach style open plan kitchen in San Francisco with a feature wall.

Isle of Palms Lowcountry Modern

Phillip Smith General Contractor, LLC

Expansive coastal single-wall open plan kitchen in Charleston with a belfast sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble worktops, white splashback, marble splashback, integrated appliances, light hardwood flooring, an island, beige floors, white worktops and a wood ceiling.

Modern High Rise

Studio M Interiors

Lori Hamilton
This is an example of a medium sized nautical l-shaped open plan kitchen in Miami with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, mosaic tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, an island, engineered stone countertops, metallic splashback, porcelain flooring and white floors.

Forever Farmhouse

GLDESIGN

Large nautical l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a belfast sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, engineered stone countertops, grey splashback, metro tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood flooring, an island, brown floors and white worktops.

Niguel Hills Kitchen

Joseph Rodrigues Interiors

Kitchen Remodel
Photo of a large coastal l-shaped open plan kitchen in Orange County with a submerged sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, engineered stone countertops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl flooring, an island, white worktops and a vaulted ceiling.

Coastal Open Plan Kitchen Ideas and Designs

Want to discover beautiful coastal kitchen ideas to inspire your new kitchen design? You’ve come to the right place. You can discover millions of coastal kitchen designs and ideas; from kitchen islands and storage units, to all sorts of kitchen lighting ideas, such as pendant lighting or under cabinet lighting. Whether you want inspiration for all-in-one fitted kitchen designs, some small kitchen ideas or maybe just some tips for improving your kitchen decor, there are tons of nautical photos to inspire you for your next kitchen project on Houzz.

What kind of beach style kitchen design should I go for?

With so many kitchen ideas and photos to look at you might be a bit overwhelmed when it comes to picking your own coastal kitchen design. If you are updating your kitchen you know what a big and important decision it is to get the design right – the kitchen can be the hub and heart of the home, and it’s unlikely that you would invest in renovating your kitchen again in a few years. But fear not, focusing first on the important elements like layout, cabinet style, worktops and appliances will help you to bring together your dream kitchen design. Additional elements like kitchen lighting, cupboard storage and decor can come after in the kitchen planning process. A kitchen designer or fitter can help you to decide the layout of your nautical kitchen in terms of where to place your kitchen units, appliances and island (if you’re having one), but if you prefer to handle this yourself you can focus on where you want your key elements of your kitchen to be – the oven, hob, sink and fridge. Of course you might be constricted by space, but try to envisage the easiest and most efficient layout based on how you usually like to cook and prepare your food. If you’re fed up of always having to carry dirty pans and pots across the room to the sink, place the sink closer to your oven and hob. Once you have the core elements sorted, consider extra layout considerations, such as where your bins will be stored, where the cutlery draw should be and where small coastal kitchen appliances can be installed.

Should I include a kitchen island?

Kitchen island ideas are abundant these days; it seems most kitchen designs include a kitchen island, if not multiple islands. However, if the layout doesn’t work, especially if you have a small kitchen, then there’s no necessity to add in a kitchen island. You can add a breakfast bar or counter to your existing kitchen units, or stick with a good old-fashioned dining table if you don’t need the extra work surfaces. That said, if you do have the room, take a look at some beach style kitchen island ideas to see if the designs inspire you for your kitchen. There are a huge variety of island designs to cater to different needs – you can have sinks, ovens, hobs, wine storage and all sorts of drawers and organisers built-in, you can have separate bars and counters that extend from your island, or you could go for a kitchen island on wheels to make your kitchen layout more versatile.

How do I choose my kitchen units and cabinets?

When picking out kitchen units and cupboard styles for a fitted kitchen, you’ll first want to consider the more practical questions – how many units do you need? How many cupboards and drawers do you need? Do you need extra kitchen storage built into your units? It’s always best to overestimate how much kitchen storage you’ll need as we all tend to have a habit of filling up whatever current space we have to the maximum. Next you can consider kitchen cabinet style and colour. Shaker style cabinets and raised and recessed panel cabinets offer a more traditional kitchen cabinet look, while flat panel cabinet doors tend to lend more to the modern and contemporary style. However, going for raised or recessed panel work in a striking colour such as dark blue, green or black can still work with contemporary kitchen ideas. White kitchens can give a sleek and clean feel, but remember you may have to do a bit more cleaning of those cupboard doors if you want everything to stay shiny and fresh. Of course, grey kitchens are the neutral colour choice du jour and can be paired with pale and rich shades alike if you want your fitted kitchen cupboards to contrast with your worktop, splashback, floor, or all of the above. Exposed shelving and storage is also popular for eclectic, Scandi and industrial-inspired looks, so you could opt for glass-fronted cabinets or no wall-mounted cabinets at all. Remember that this will require more restraint in what you can store and more effort in keeping it looking presentable compared to what is stored away hastily behind cupboard doors. The kitchen cupboard handles are also another element to decide upon – do you want traditional round knobs, modern metal bars, country kitchen cup handles or maybe to go ultra sleek with a completely handleless kitchen?

What coastal kitchen storage ideas should I consider?

If you want to keep your nautical kitchen well-stocked and well-equipped but don’t want it spilling over with clutter, then you’ll need to rely on good kitchen storage. Apart from the usual fitted kitchen cupboards and drawer space, there are many other ways of keeping your kitchen tidy. Whilst a large kitchen pantry is the dream of most homeowners, it can’t always be a reality. However, there are now lots of pull out compartments and drawers with trays and shelving that can act as mini kitchen pantries, and you can install handy cupboard organisers that fit onto the inside of the door to make the most of your cupboard space. You can also look at corner drawers and cupboards that open up to reveal lots of extra storage. Rails or small shelves along your kitchen walls or splashback can help with hanging utensils or pans, or storing small items like herbs and spices in an usually empty space. Buy extra kitchen storage products for your home on Houzz

Are there small kitchen ideas for small beach style spaces?

If you’re working with a galley kitchen, a one-wall kitchen in an open plan space or just a pretty small kitchen, there are some small kitchen ideas that can help you get the most out of your cooking and dining area. If you find that you don’t utilise the back of your cupboards (maybe they become the graveyard for out-of-date tin cans), you could decide to go with shallower kitchen units to free up some extra floor space in front of your cabinets. As mentioned, open shelving or glass-fronted cabinets are a popular trend and they should make the space feel more open and less boxed-in. However, if you have the capacity for it, cupboards and coastal kitchen units that maximise the floor-to-ceiling space you have will mean you can use all of that for valuable kitchen storage. Wall or ceiling racks could be a useful solution for hanging pans and pots if you’ve run out of cupboards in which to store them. Kitchen ideas and coastal accessories such as baskets, trolleys and storage jars are both aesthetically pleasing and practical as they give you extra storage space. Kitchen appliances like a fridge or dishwasher can be tucked away in built-in units in fitted kitchens so they blend into your layout and don’t make the space look crowded. Discover all the small kitchen ideas you could need by taking a look at photos of compact kitchens.

What sort of nautical kitchen lighting should I go for?

In the kitchen you need to have practical lighting – no one wants to chop, cut and cook in a dingy room. Kitchen ceiling lights are probably the best way to go, but should you opt for recessed spotlights or traditional hanging ceiling lights? While spotlight LED kitchen lighting will give you excellent light, they may not fit with a design that’s not contemporary. Traditional chandelier lights could work for other kitchen styles, and of course, kitchen pendant lighting comes in all sorts of styles, colours and designs. While the popular choice is to go with one or two pendant lights over your kitchen island, you could also opt for a single pendant light over your dining space, or a few spaced out across your kitchen. Of course, if you want good lighting for your worktops, under-cabinet lighting is the way forward. Speak to your kitchen supplier about having this pre-installed, or there are a number of easy-install options you can fit yourself or with the help of a lighting expert or electrician. In the market for your beach style kitchen lighting today? Once you’ve found some inspiring kitchen lighting ideas here, take a look at our kitchen lighting products to find the new lights for your kitchen project.

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