Welcome to our Coastal Cottage Kitchen Reveal! The day has finally come when we are “done enough” to invite y’all in for the first official “reveal” of our new kitchen and dining area!
Two years ago we moved into what we hope will be our forever home, a smallish coastal cottage on an island in Washington state! We fell in love with this house, it was cute and just the right size for us as empty nesters plus it’s within walking distance to the beach!
In a 9 month renovation that began last winter (and design planning that began nearly two years ago) we added a tiny cottage to the back of our home for my parents and made updates to our 750 square foot main floor to accommodate changes that were needed for the addition. In the redesign, we were able to move the location of our former kitchen into the existing dining room which resulted in a functional layout with more natural light and additional storage for our family!
In this post I’ll share some “after” photos as well as some of the “before” photos so you can see where we started and where we ended up. There will be more posts to come and I will share more many details and photos. Today will be part one!
You will also find a full source list at the end.
Below is a short video of our kitchen, then scroll down for all the photos and details!
We didn’t move any exterior walls, so everything you see in our “after photos” was added within the existing footprint.
The new kitchen was designed to fit within the walls of the previous dining room. Both the existing kitchen and the dining room were essentially the same size, but because we were able to move the location of the kitchen we were able to fit in more cabinetry and counter space as well as create better traffic flow between all three of the main floor rooms (we also have the mudroom, powder room and entry which I’ll share in a future post).
We added the French doors to a new deck so we can access the backyard (our previous back door access which was located in our mudroom was closed off due to the addition of the Tiny Cottage). Previously on that wall we had two windows, so the addition of the new doors with the transom and sidelights across the back wall brought in a lot more light!
The side window in the new kitchen was in the former dining room, so we just left it in place and just ran the counters across it since it was a few inches too low (like they often do in older homes!).
Besides swapping the locations, we also raised the two headers between the rooms. They were so low before that lifting them a few inches improved the sight lines, improved the flow of light and made each space feel more connected. The openings between the rooms were also widened just a little bit, but we left them in place to retain a slight sense of separation and coziness for each space.
By swapping the two rooms we were able to remove the two peninsulas. While they were necessary for the kitchen in the prior arrangement, they also took up space in all three rooms. We’re so pleased with the new layout as we were able to create a more spacious kitchen, dining area and living room without adding any square feet!
We have a growing family with three adult children, one grand babe on the way (and many extended family) who all live in the NW so we knew we’d host many holidays and get togethers here! While our home is still about 1900 square feet, we have created more room for people to gather, plenty of storage and a comfortable place my husband and I enjoy day to day.
Our dining and living room windows all have views of the water that we can enjoy from our kitchen sink and island! We didn’t realize our dining room would have a view of the water to the side, so that was a happy surprise. The sink is located in the ideal location to not only enjoy the views from every window, but it also allows for conversation when people are gathered across the island (we even added a little cubby for a stool to sit at!) or from the dining nook.
Because our main floor is small and the rooms are open to each other, we designed each wall of the kitchen and dining room to not only maximize storage but to be a pleasant view from every angle.
We didn’t want the sink or stove to be the main view from the front door, nor did we want any appliances to be a focal point of the design. All of our appliances are integrated with cabinetry panels (except the stove!). While our stove (who we named Beatrix) is truly the Queen Bee, she’s a special jewel that comes into view as you approach the kitchen rather than demanding visual attention throughout the rest of the space.
Since we wouldn’t have room for china cabinets or buffets like one might in a traditional dining room, we added a custom plate rack and display shelves as well as glass cabinets in the kitchen to give us the same function and look!
We were able to squeeze in the book nooks in the teeny space left once the windows were relocated from the kitchen and installed in the dining room.
The dining bench has a temporary DIY no-sew cushion we made ourselves to tide us over until we can have an upholstered cushion made sometime next year. It was really easy to make so if you need one, I’ll share how in an upcoming post.
Since we have so many doors, windows and openings we needed to carefully maximize every available wall for storage as well as to be mindful of the view from each area of the main floor. The two glass cabinets on either side of the existing window were chosen to be an attractive and functional feature as it would be seen from the front entry (void of all appliances and minimal day-to-day kitchen mess).
The long unobstructed counters allow us a place to serve buffet style as well as where family can help prep food. It’s so handy to have this space outside of the main triangle where the chef is working! We LOVE having all of the drawers and storage here.
The dining nook seats the same number of people as our previous dining room, except now we have more floor space where people can easily walk through or grab coffee from our coffee cabinet. We also have room to add another table when needed!
You can see here how the living room and dining room connect. I love that people can flow easily now from room to room. It’s easy to turn furniture around or pull up a chair to create more conversation areas in all spaces.
The kitchen is a dream to work in. Now we have plenty of space for multiple people in the kitchen. There’s room for someone to cook, wash dishes, and lay out food or put things away without running into anyone! We also enjoy having so much counter space to work with. It will be a breeze to serve buffet and potluck style for holidays and gatherings.
The perimeter counters are honed Carrara Marble and the island is honed soapstone. We chose not to oil the soapstone because we love the blue green hue! I’ll share more about our countertops in upcoming posts, but we LOVE them both.
Jack (and Lily) is so happy to have our home back together again.
The faucet was my first purchase for this kitchen! I had a Rohl in our English Tudor and have missed it ever since. I got mine through DeVol, but you can also find a similar one HERE.
This is a little cubby for our kitchen stool. We added the toile cafe curtain as it reminds us of our English Tudor kitchen where we had a red toile chair! It’s easy to slide open on this rod with these rings. The rod can be removed if desired and we can also swap out fabrics for a different look in every season if we want to! My husband especially loves sitting here for breakfast. It has a nice view to the backyard, too.
The cookbook shelves were also a nod to our English Tudor kitchen where we had a similar built in! We also did similar baseboard molding and inset cabinetry.
We treated the kitchen and dining areas as one space layout-wise so we could maximize every available wall!
It’s still a cozy home but the flow of the spaces works really well for us now. We love the character and live in each room!
The built-in cabinetry on this side of the dining area houses our coffee station and pantry cabinets. I’ll share the inside of these in an upcoming post! This is where the previous refrigerator was located. Now we have room for people to gather and chat as they make coffee or tea here! The cabinet doors slide back in so the cabinet can be left open during a gathering or closed for a cleaner look.
We really love the French doors to the backyard. Our back exterior changed a lot with the addition! There are also lovely new decks, gates and garden areas, so it will be fun sometime to give you a whole backyard tour! I’m especially excited to see our new plants begin to fill in and can’t wait to enjoy planting this spring.
The windows that were previously located in the original dining room are now in the new dining room! This wall was where the kitchen sink used to be. We only had one tiny window and it was quite dark, but now this room is flooded with light! We really enjoy seeing the beautiful trees and bushes, as well as a surprise view of the water off to the side.
The bench not only provides seating but lots of great storage in the drawers underneath as well. The DIY no-sew bench seat works well, so I’ll share more on that later.
We got all new European White Oak flooring throughout our home since we couldn’t match the existing and the upstairs was all older carpet. It offers a beachy look and makes the whole house feel so much lighter!
You can see the whole main floor above, except not pictured is our small entry with the staircase, plus the mudroom and powder room which are accessed between those to banks of cabinets. Also through the mudroom is how you get to the Tiny Cottage! I’ll share those spaces in upcoming posts.
Hope you enjoyed this first look at our coastal cottage kitchen reveal! I can’t wait to share more!
COASTAL COTTAGE KITCHEN SOURCES:
Blue Range Stove (mine is the 30 inch in Blue Gray / Grey) – read more about our range in this post
Similar Blue Plate on Wall – see How I Hang Plates here
Amber Votive Holder with Battery Votives
Rattan Serving Cart (see more photos in my home here) // Accessories on Cart
Brass Pendant Light (other finish available) or here is a SIMLAR PENDANT LIGHT
Blue and White Toile Curtain (hung with this tension rod and these rings)
Rattan and White Stool Under Island (other finish options)
Blue and White Rattan Bar Stool – Similar 1 //// Similar 2 //// Similar 3
Ship Art: Mary Maguire (see more coastal art I love here)
Nickel Faucet – This faucet on Amazon is the same brand, finish and style of faucet I have, but I bought mine through deVOL Kitchens. It appears to be a special deVOL edition and the price I paid was far less than the version on Amazon
Rug by sink: World Market (washable, Niko Blue and Rust Distressed Rug) or here is another similar washable rug, and one other similar rug
Toaster (color options)
Hot Water Kettle (color options)
Marble Tray (by range)
Footed Resin Marble Looking Tray (by range)
Scalloped Rattan Tray (on counter with mugs)
Round Rattan Scalloped Basket (on counter with apples)
Striped Towel on dishwasher handle
Wood Board (on counter with bread)
Blue and White Pot (on counter with holly)
Cabinet and Wall Paint Color – Classic Light Buff Sherwin Williams
Countertops: Soapstone island and Carrara marble counters on the perimeter (read more about our countertop choices here)
Flooring: Real European White Oak hardwood, engineered (I unfortunately don’t have a link to them — they were purchased through a local store and have no brand name I can find online)
Tongue and groove beadboard on the walls V-groove tongue on the ceiling
DINING NOOK SOURCES:
Patterned Rug (Ocean/Gold color)
Blue Striped Slipcovers (Downey Blue fabric)
Rattan Dining Chairs – Similar mine were from here but out of stock
Jute Wrapped Chandelier with Shades (lots of shade options)
Dining banquette bench fabric – this reversible throw blanket (I’ll share more about how we did this in a future post!)
Blue and White Striped Table Runner
Rust Colored Battery Operated Taper Candles (moving flickering wick–see more battery candles I love here)
Favorite Design Books (many of the ones on my shelves)
V-groove tongue and groove on the dining room ceiling
LIVING ROOM SOURCES:
Leather Sofa Armchair Version (loveseat no longer sold)
Blue Plaid Throw on Back of Sofa
Jute + Cotton Rug with this rug pad
Brass Wall Sconce with this Patterned Lampshade
Wall Paint Color: Beach Glass Benjamin Moore
Trim Paint Color: Classic Light Buff Sherwin Williams
Find more sources from my home and similar styles in my shop!
- Look back at our before/after kitchen floor plans in this post
- See more of my kitchen remodel (+ tiny cottage) posts I shared along the way here
- See a peek at my kitchen organization here (more to come in future posts!)
Be sure to subscribe to my emails so you won’t miss future kitchen updates! I send out one or two a week with free decorating tips, my favorite home decor finds and links to new posts, so if you don’t receive them, put your email address in here!
It’s dreamy!! Love the toile curtain… adds so much character!!
Thank you Maggie! I love that curtain too, it’s a fun detail that makes it feels
like home!
Outstanding!!!! What a beautiful home!!! I love the layout and opening up the area by the ceiling let’s in so much light! You’ve done a fabulous job!!! Your windows are beautiful! I love your stove/oven! That color is beautiful! Well done!!!!!
Thank you so much!!
Your home is so beautiful. What color are your kitchen cabinets?
Thank you, they are classic light buff sherwin Williams!
Such a dreamy, collected, intentional and joyful space. I can imagine all the fun you’ll have as a family here together. It inspires me for our not-too-distant future as empty nesters. What a beautiful design and execution of your vision, Melissa! Thank you for sharing, as always.
Thank you so much, Ashley! Those empty nest years creep up so fast 🥹 but we are thrilled to have been able to create a cozy nest for ourselves and to share it with our family.
Stunning. So well done! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, I appreciate the kind comment Maureen!!
Such details in this beautiful, well thought out design. Your knowledge is amazing. Enjoy your new spaces. Happy Holidays.
Thank you, so kind. xoxo
Love, love, love all the windows and doors and so much natural light! You’ve done an amazing job transforming your home. Do you have a link for the rug in front of your sink?
Thank you so much for the kind words, Stephanie! That means a lot to me! The rug is from World Market called the Niko Blue and Rust Distressed Rug. It’s washable!
What a beautiful remodel. I’ve been following you on Instagram but this post was so helpful to see the full view. Love everything you did. I’m also envious of your water views!
Thank you so much! And thank you for visiting the blog, too! I do offer a lot more detail and photos here so I’m glad you stopped by.
Beyond stunning! What are you going to do with yourself now that there’s no more work to be done…lol? I see a new book in our future (fingers crossed). Enjoy every inch of your beautiful home. Well done!
Thank you SO MUCH Maria! Ha, if only the work would end! Seems there is always more to do! :) Thank you, perhaps I can do a new book someday!
All the changes are absolutely perfect!! You did a super job picking everything out and where it would be placed. Everything flows and makes the home so much roomier. And the colors – so pretty!! You are going to have a wonderful holiday season with your home.
Oh thank you Barbara! That is so sweet of you to say. I am so happy with how it all came together. It truly is HOME and we cannot wait to celebrate the season in it.
Melissa, it is so YOU and so well thought out!! It feels very warm and inviting, even from the photos, so I can only imagine how it feels in person. The pups can finally relax and claim their spots on the couch :) Congratulations on such a successful renovation and for sharing all of it with us!
Amy, that is the kindest compliment thank you! It is always hard to show how a space “feels” but I am glad these photos offer at least a glimpse of what we feel here. Thank you so much!!
Oh, wow! It’s beautiful! What a great job you did! Love it all! 🥰
Yay, thank you Lynn!! I so appreciate your kind words and that you took the time to visit, too!
Absolutely beautiful, Melissa! Your time spent planning all the details really paid off. And I’m amazed at how raising the headers just opened up those rooms. I love it!
Thank you Debbie! I do tend to think a lot about details so thank you for saying that! There are always random changes like those headers where I wonder will if it make enough of a difference but in this case, it was absolutely worth it!
BEAUTIFUL! You mentioned your English Tudor house, do you remember where the pretty chairs you had in the kitchen of that house were purchased? Love seeing your dogs in the pictures and on the sofa. My Husky is curled up in one if the family room chairs as I am writing this. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Hi Maryann! Thank you so much. The chairs were second hand, but the toile slipcovers were custom made! So if you ever shop through Facebook Marketplace or any second hand furniture or consignment store, look for club chairs! If you have a handy seamstress, you could have some made in toile! I LOVED those chairs. Maybe someday I’ll get some similar, they were so cute!
Beautiful home; and the kitchen is spectacular! I’m pinning it so someday when we downsize I can renovate my own cozy cottage. So excited to see the yard and your parent’s home, too! Thank you.
Thank you, that is so kind. I’m so glad this is inspiring you, thank you for pinning the images to remember them. I have so much more to share, so thank you for being excited to see it!!
Oh, Melissa, I’m so happy for you. What an absolutely beautiful space you’ve created. You’ve shown that you can pack an awful lot of style into a small footprint. Way to go!
Aw thanks Richella! It is true, I definitely didn’t let the small footprint deter me from the style and function I wanted. Thank you for your kind words and for coming by to see it!! Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving, friend.
It’s great to have so many photos to look at, both before and after! I was puzzling out the French doors for awhile until I got to the part where you added them. Brilliant! Glad you used your windows again. You show so many good design workarounds and choices (like the skinny built-in bookshelves and expanding the room headers) I need to come back and read again. Such a gorgeous result; you must be so happy. It’s a long, arduous road but now you get to reap the rewards.
My favorite two things: are the sink in the island and the rattan cart/shelf on the end of the island. Personal touches.
It looks like a Nancy Meyers Kitchen!! Cozy and gorgeous!
Awww well if that isn’t the ultimate in kitchen compliments I don’t know what is, thank you so much!
Loved following along on this major renovation.. So happy you are settled into your very homey, comfortable beach cottage. Enjoy🏡
What a dream kitchen! It’s beautiful with an English sensibility and coastal palette. Love all the details and that it is so well thought-out and functional, as well as brightened by all the windows and doors. Love the built-in dining nook with bookshelves. What a joy to have such a wonderful space to share with your family and friends. Love a cozier feel over a whopper kitchen any day. This is perfect!
Aw thank you so much, Carolyn! I think you nailed my style, I’ve always loved english with a coastal flair. Thank you for your comment and for visiting today!!
Well I knew your home would be beautiful because everything you touch is so cozy, warm and thoughtful. Thank you for sharing the process and sources.
Thank you Susan!! What a sweet thing to say, I appreciate that.
That looks amazing! I absolutely love what you have done – great job! 😊
Thank you Lesley!
Would it be possible to get a little more information on the ceiling treatment? It looks as though some bead board was added. Can you describe the process, did they have to spray it on site? I am moving into a cottagey style house that has popcorn ceiling and I am thinking it might be easier to do a similar treatment on the ceiling rather than scraping the popcorn off. Just trying to decide which is going to be the most messy!
Sure, I definitely recommend just covering the popcorn up if you can avoid the added mess of trying to scrape it all off! There are a variety of options for wood plank ceilings, this is a tongue and groove v-groove style (which is the backside of beadboard). You can get it in light weight panels that are affordable and fairly easy to install, too. I believe these are MDF boards, they come primed and then after they are installed you paint. We’ve also used wood planks in our last kitchen (like cedar or pine) because we wanted the grain and knots. Here we wanted a smoother board. Congrats on the new home!
I love it! 😍
Thank you Christy! ☺️
This is stunning! I love it and every detail is perfect! I am so happy for yall and know you will enjoy it for years to come! Happy Thanksgiving
Thank you so much, Belinda!! 🥰 Happy thanksgiving to you too!!
What an amazingly beautiful space! Melissa, you are a wizard and continue to inspire us with your talents. Thank you!
Aw you are so sweet thank you Diane!
You are so talented Melissa! Looks wonderful! What did you do with the original kitchen island and that beautiful wood top it had?
Loved the original wood floors but I see why you changed those to a lighter wood shade..also beautiful.
Not sure if I got signed up for the drawing but if not maybe next time. A wonderful gift for someone. I saved some ideas so that maybe we can add some bookcase built-ins one day. Fingers crossed.
Hi Lori! Thank you! We sold the freestanding island, it was really cute but we didn’t have room for it here. We had to maximize the space we had plus we needed the sink there so a built in island served us better! Unfortunately the original floors couldn’t be refinished, matched or patched in so we decided to replace them so our new flooring would be cohesive throughout.
As long as we were changing the floors we decided we would go lighter and we have no regrets! I love dark floors too, but the white oak made tremendous difference in the sense of light our home has. Plus they are good for cutting down on the look of dust that tends to settle and show up a lot on dark surfaces. I’m all for easy care :).
Oh also the drawing will be on my Instagram later today, so you can enter then!
I love everything you do!!! I used your former idea (can’t remember which house) of using Hardi-Board for shiplap in the kitchen and I love it!!! I love the plate rack and I am toying between adding a plate rack or open shelving in my kitchen. I would appreciate any thoughts you have on usability of each. Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you!
Hi Selena, thank you! We loved that hardi-board too in our last kitchen! As far as the shelving, I think it’s personal preference as to how they would each be used as well as style preference for your home. We needed as much storage as we could get because we only have two walls! So we choose the built in hutch style with the plate rack and shelves above it so it would fill the space. I just liked the look of it but also functionally it gives us room to store plates in a charming way, plus the upper shelves for larger items or display, so it was a win win all around. We considered open shelves though, too, and they can absolutely be functional and work well in a variety of situations!
What an amazing transformation! I love your window seat in the dining room and the vibrant shades of blue that you used in that area. One question – where is your fridge/freezer in your kitchen?
Hi Brenda! The fridge / freezer is to the right of the plate rack! Thank you so much!!
Your renovation is truly inspiring! Your home is warm and welcoming – just like you ❤️
Awww 🥰 sooo sweet, such a kind comment! Thank you so much!
It’s so open ,and sooooooo beautiful 👍❤️🥰
Just gorgeous and well worth the wait. Cheers to making lovely memories with your family in your newly renovated spaces.
Thank you Deb :)
Absolutely charming and exquisite such attention to detail. I just love everything you did fantastic job. I too would like a little more information about the ceiling. Thank you for sharing such a gem!!!
Absolutely stunning transformation! Your Coastal Cottage Kitchen is a true masterpiece, blending functionality with the charm of a coastal retreat. It’s a delightful space filled with warmth and personality. Well done!
Do you have any more information on your shiplap ceiling? Is it real wood or PDF? Thanks!
This ceiling is MDF tongue and groove v-groove boards (the backside of beadboard), our last kitchen was cedar I believe (or pine?) also v groove tongue and groove boards. We used the MDF this time because we didn’t want the knots, and in our last kitchen we wanted the character of the wood to show!
I have enjoyed your blog over the years. Thank you for letting me follow along. Your home and style are lovely!
How did you decide to use marble for countertops and soapstone for the island? I have seen it more often reversed (with marble on island snd soapstone in countertops.). How do each hold up to daily use?
Blessings to you and your family.
Absolutely love this post. Thank you for sharing. I would like to ask if you might tell me the length from the front to the back of the house. I am secretly hoping my plans for a renovation might be able to include some of your ideas depending on the amount of feet we are currently working with. Love the plate rack display idea!! Thanks so much.
Thank you! It’s about 40 feet front to back!
Such a beautiful renovation! I love the new layout, and wonder, did you work w an architect or designer? Or did you arrive at the new design yourself? Regardless, it’s so much more inviting and homey. I love your sense of design!
Thank you Patti! So kind. We designed our kitchen and dining room ourselves, without an architect or designer!
This is so beautiful and cozy looking. It looks so well thought out and put together. Could you share the size of your kitchen. Also are your lower cabinets 24 inches deep?
Thank you
Love the cozy look! The house has a warm personality I just love,Great job!
Aw thank you Diana, that is so sweet of you to say.
Well done.
Hi there this is a cozy adorable space I was wondering how large of an area is the kitchen space I’m planning now for my kitchen and like this so much not sure I have enough space 😵💫
Thank you! It’s about 10 foot 3 inches x 15 feet and the connected dining space is about 10 foot 6 inches x 15!
Can you tell me what ceiling paint color and finish you used on the V-groove tongue & groove. Looks a bit shiny, which I love.
Sure! The paint is Sherwin Williams classic light buff and it’s in a satin finish!
LOVE! I will be renovating an island home this summer, though opposite coasts (Maine). It is to be our forever home now that our kids are older. One feature I love that you don’t talk about is your ceilings. How tall are they? I’m wondering if I can do similar with 8′ ceilings. Many thanks!
Great question! How fun to be renovating a Maine home! Our ceilings are 9 feet so you could definitely do it. In our last home we had under eight feet and did something similar!
Thank you! Appreciate the info!
Just found your blog … it’s 9pm and dark out … but I want to go driving around to find a little cottage to fix up with all this inspiration!!! Love your style!!! Can’t wait for the newsletter …
Yay! So glad you’re here. That sounds like fun. Thanks so much!