You're subscribed!
Cape Cod Kitchen Design
If you're planning a kitchen remodel and you prefer a casually elegant design, you may want to explore the wide range of Cape Cod kitchen design ideas available.
Coastal-Inspired Kitchens and Dining Rooms
See All Photos
Welcoming and classic at the same time, Cape Cod-style kitchens are inspired by those found in the vacation or summer homes found in traditionally tony Cape Cod. Light and bright painted wood cabinets, beadboard on walls, airy layouts, nautical themes, and overall comfortable and guest-friendly feel are all hallmarks of Cape Cod-style kitchen designs.
Storage is always an essential element of any space that's going to be used for cooking, eating and cleaning, and that's no different for Cape Cod-style kitchens. Cabinets provide the greatest opportunity for storage in a Cape Cod kitchen, but banks of imposing cabinets can create a stuffy feel, which is the opposite of the desired, more casual effect. One trick that can help is to combine closed cabinets with open shelving, or to leave the doors off of some banks of cabinets—or to employ both tactics for a truly open cabinet scheme. Another benefit of this approach is that your favorite kitchen wares can be prominently on display for guests, as well as easily reachable for you and any other cooks in the kitchen.
Color schemes are also hugely important in Cape Cod kitchen designs. Whites, beiges, light yellows, blues and greens are all common colors, since Cape Cod kitchens tend to be bright, welcoming spaces. By contrast, floors, countertops and furniture may feature darker hues, often via the use of dark wood for floors and furniture, and granite or stone for countertops. Walls may feature traditional white beadboard wood, as seen in traditional Cape Cod cottage designs.
Furniture in Cape Cod kitchens is often casually comfortable, but constructed from high-quality woods. The wood may be left in its natural state, painted in light colors to reflect the overall bright design, or stained to bring out deeper, darker hues. Seatbacks, cushions and tablecloths may feature ocean scenes, sailing images or nautical designs, reflecting the seaside heritage of Cape Cod.
Backsplashes, tile work and wallpaper offer a similar opportunity to add visual interest and to reflect the historical heritage of Cape Cod. Nautical or ocean-inspired tile backsplash designs might be featured by seaside-dwelling homeowners—or even those land-lubbers who simply want to be reminded of the sea each morning as they rise to meet the day.
