Modern coastal or beach house style is a great way to add an interesting and contemporary look to the kitchen — in fact, it’s the style I chose for my own kitchen! With that in mind, in today’s post I’m sharing some simple tips on how to add a touch of coastal or beach house style to your kitchen in 2025, with images of beautiful coastal kitchen designs, coastal decorating ideas, and more.
Before we renovated our kitchen, I spent months gathering tips, ideas, and inspiration on this topic, and today I’m sharing everything I learned about adding coastal style to the kitchen.
Whether you’re designing a new kitchen or making choices regarding decorating and updating your current space, I hope you’ll find all sorts of ideas and inspiration in this post.
The Cabinet Gallery Utah – Cambridge Home Co. – lantern pendants
First, what does a coastal kitchen look like?
Coastal kitchen style is inherently light, open, and airy. Inspired by the colors of nature, modern coastal kitchens might include open shelving, wooden beams, baskets, natural fiber rugs, woven light fixtures, and a light color scheme.
Although there are many different approaches to coastal style, my favorite is modern coastal kitchen design, which is light, minimal, and fresh, incorporating a mix of relaxed beach house decor and classic, elevated Hamptons style.
For a coastal look in the kitchen, I recommend starting with a background of white walls and/or cabinets. Then add in some natural materials, including woven pieces, light wood elements, and lovely textures via rugs, kitchen linens, decor, light fixtures, and counter stools.
Salt Design Co. – woven chandelier
For coastal interior design inspiration, you might want to take a look at sites like Serena and Lily, Dear Keaton, Arhaus, or Pottery Barn, all of which beautifully convey what modern coastal style is looking like in 2025.
You can learn more about kitchen trends for 2025 in my post, Beautiful Kitchen Trends and Design Ideas for 2025.
And see this year’s most popular design trends in my post, Interior Design Trends for 2025: Beautiful Home Decor Ideas You Will Love.
Is coastal decor going out of style?
Coastal decor is a timeless, classic look that continues to evolve and expand and will continue to grow in popularity in 2025.
Arhaus just released a new coastal furniture collection for outdoor spaces, joining Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn, both of which offer entire contemporary coastal home decor and furniture lines.
Whether you want to create a modern, boho, farmhouse, cottage, east coast, California casual, or traditional coastal look for your kitchen, coastal style is a versatile, timeless design aesthetic that will last far beyond 2025.
See my post Modern Coastal Decorating Ideas for Your Home for more tips and ideas for decorating your home with contemporary coastal style.
Elements of coastal kitchen designs
Whether you prefer a relaxed beach house aesthetic or classic East coast style, there are many ways to achieve a beautiful modern coastal look in your kitchen.
Following are 12 elements you’ll typically find in coastal kitchen designs:
1. Coastal style lighting
Both pendant lights and sconces are a great way to create a focal point and add coastal style to your kitchen.
Most coastal kitchen designs incorporate some type of pendant lighting with fabric or woven shades or in metal finishes — often brass or a mix of glass and brass.
This kitchen features brass and white pendant lights over the kitchen island, bringing a modern coastal touch to the space. We chose the same pendants for our kitchen.
Ali Henrie Design – Hebdon Studios – Rebekah Westover Photography – pendant lights
I love the modern yet timeless quality of the pendant light fixtures in this space, as well as the coffered ceilings and warm marble countertops. From Brandon Architects and Patterson Custom Homes:
pendant lights – similar pendant
This chic coastal kitchen design features a mix of brass and glass pendant lights over the island and a statement chandelier over the dining table. From Kate Marker Interiors:
Beautiful lantern shaped pendant lights and woven counter stools add a striking focal point to this coastal themed kitchen from Studio McGee:
See my post, Modern Kitchen Pendant Lighting Ideas You Will Love, for more modern coastal kitchen lighting ideas.
2. Natural materials
Natural materials are a key element in modern coastal kitchen designs. Things like wood flooring and beams, woven pendant lights, and natural fiber rugs create the warm and inviting atmosphere of a beach house kitchen.
The Cabinet Gallery Utah – Cambridge Home Co. – lantern pendants
Beautiful warm wood cabinetry, natural stone, wooden floors, exposed wooden beams, and coastal-style pendant lights make this lake house kitchen look cohesive and inviting. From Park and Oak Interior Design:
3. Woven counter stools and bar stools
Coastal style counter stools in beautiful woven textures and materials add a touch of the beach to your kitchen, while also providing comfortable seating at the kitchen island.
Studio McGee – counter stools – pendant lighting
Stools with woven seats and backs or options that incorporate other natural materials are a great choice for a coastal kitchen.
The Life Styled Co. – counter stools – similar pendants
We have the counter stools shown below in our kitchen, and I love the contemporary coastal feeling they bring to our home.
counter stools – pendant light
The light and airy coastal-inspired kitchen shown below was designed and styled by Studio McGee and Erin Hansen for Christine Andrew. Here is the source for the beautiful counter stools:
Here’s a great example of modern coastal style in the kitchen, with the gorgeous pendant lighting and woven counter stools taking center stage.
See my post, Kitchen Counter Stool & Bar Stool Ideas for Every Style and Budget, for more kitchen seating ideas.
4. White walls and cabinetry
White walls and cabinets naturally create a light and airy beach house atmosphere in the kitchen.
This elegant coastal kitchen design features crisp white walls and cabinets as well as statement pendant lighting and woven counter stools.
Leah Muller Interiors – Luxesource
White cabinets are the perfect backdrop for other coastal design elements, such as natural materials, light fixtures, window coverings, rugs, and decor.
I love this timeless kitchen design, with its glass and brass coastal pendant lighting, chrome faucet, and seagrass counter stools set against a backdrop of crisp white.
In our kitchen, white walls and cabinets (both in White Dove by Benjamin Moore) bring a touch of coastal style to the heart our home:
5. Coastal kitchen backsplash ideas
Whether you’re designing a California coastal, beach house, or Hamptons style kitchen, the backsplash should complement the overall look of the space.
This California casual style kitchen features a shimmering zellige tile backsplash, a mix of white and warm wood cabinets, and chic curved counter stools.
White subway tile is an affordable and classic backsplash option, while stone slabs in marble or quartz are a popular modern coastal kitchen backsplash material.
Brooke Wagner Design – Brandon Architects – Patterson Custom Homes – similar pendant
Gorgeous pendant lighting, blue counter stools, and a mosaic tile backsplash provide a timeless yet modern look in this beautiful coastal-inspired kitchen design, via Pinterest (please advise if you know the source):
This chic kitchen design features a brass finish on the pendant lights, chrome on the faucet and pot filler, and black cabinet pulls. The patterned tile backsplash ties everything together beautifully.
A unique Moroccan patterned tile design is the perfect backdrop for the upper cabinets in this modern kitchen design from Pure Salt Interiors:
For more kitchen backsplash ideas, see my post Beautiful Kitchen Backsplash Ideas for Every Style & Budget.
6. Large kitchen islands
A large kitchen island often serves as the centerpiece of modern coastal kitchen designs because it provides plenty of space for food preparation and entertaining.
This large kitchen island features abundant seating and extra work and storage space.
Pure Salt Interiors – pendant lights – counter stools
This beautiful modern coastal kitchen from Andrea McQueen Design features statement brass pendant lights and a stunning blue kitchen island (in Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore).
See my post, Beautiful Kitchen Island Ideas to Inspire Your Renovation, for more coastal kitchen island ideas.
7. Open shelving
Open shelving is a popular trend in modern coastal kitchen designs. Open shelving allows you to display your favorite dishes and accent pieces while also creating an open and airy feeling.
Pure Salt Interiors – similar pendants – similar pendants
I love this modern kitchen design with open wood shelving and a mix of light and dark cabinetry. The woven counter stools and wood beams add a contemporary coastal feel to this space.
This beautiful coastal kitchen features modern black and white pendant lights, stylish woven counter stools, and the perfect shade of blue (Benjamin Moore James River Gray) on the island and open shelving.
Julie Howard for Timber Trails Development Company
Choosing natural materials such as wood for your open shelving helps create a beachy kitchen aesthetic.
When we renovated our kitchen, we removed two upper cabinets and installed open shelving, which we use every single day. I love the additional light the removal of the cabinets allowed into this space:
8. A coastal color palette
When it comes to choosing a color palette for a modern coastal kitchen, incorporating hues of the sea, sand, and sky — such as crisp whites, deep blues, and neutral tones — will tie everything together beautifully.
Brooke Wagner – Brandon Architects – Patterson Custom Homes
Dark blue cabinets look gorgeous with brass faucets and cabinet pulls, as shown in this beautiful deep blue kitchen from Anne Rae Design. See more blue kitchen cabinet ideas in my post, Beautiful Blue Kitchen Ideas.
Here’s another view of this beautiful kitchen from Andrea McQueen Design. That gorgeous combo of blue, white and brass gets me every time! Here’s a source for the beautiful pendant lights.
Light wood cabinets or islands are often paired with black hardware for a more modern feel, but brass and chrome look amazing, too, as you can see in beautiful space below, featuring brass pendant lights for a coastal feel.
James May Homes and CKF Cabinetry
9. Beach house style decor
Adding beach-inspired decor to your kitchen can help you create a fresh look in your space. However, since modern beach house style is generally carefree and relaxed, it’s easy to go overboard.
For an elevated coastal look, avoid the overuse of coastal decor like signs, rope accents, anchors, nautical themes, and sea creature motifs.
This beach house kitchen design from Pure Salt Interiors gets it just right, with a neutral color palette and pared-back decor that reflects the relaxed, natural feeling of the beach, without overdoing it:
This lovely California coastal kitchen design, from Caroline Kilmartin, has a wonderful, modern beach house aesthetic, and is a long-time favorite of mine:
See my posts, What is Coastal Grandmother Style? (and why I’m loving this trend) and Chic Modern Beach House Decorating Ideas for more beach house decorating ideas for the kitchen.
10. An open, airy feeling
Creating open spaces is an important element in modern coastal kitchen design. If you’re planning a kitchen remodel, you might consider removing unnecessary walls to create a more open and airy feeling.
Woven pendant lights, natural woods, and an abundance of white perfectly convey beach house style in this open-concept kitchen and dining area.
The Grove Byron Bay
High ceilings also create an open and airy atmosphere in modern coastal kitchens.
Adding architectural details such as crown molding or coffered ceiling treatments brings interest, depth, and character to kitchen designs with high ceilings.
A wonderful example of modern coastal decorating, the kitchen below features a coffered ceiling, striped counter stools, and a gray-blue kitchen island (in Sherwin Williams Smoky Candle).
AGK Design Studio and Home Bunch, via Pinterest
11. Shiplap walls and ceilings
Incorporating a shiplap paneled wall treatment in a coastal or Hamptons style kitchen can add a touch of beachy coastal charm and warmth to a space.
To achieve a classic look, shiplap can be painted white and installed in a horizontal pattern. Or, consider installing shiplap vertically for a more modern look.
Using shiplap as a feature wall and backsplash adds visual interest and helps create a focal point in this beautiful kitchen from Work Your Closet.
In addition, incorporating shiplap style paneling on the ceiling brings a cozy, intimate feeling to a coastal kitchen.
This chic California casual style kitchen design features woven pendants, a rustic wood beam and paneled ceiling, and a shimmering zellige tile backsplash.
This stylish coastal farmhouse kitchen design incorporates a shiplap ceiling treatment, a mix of wood and white cabinetry, zellige tile backsplash, woven counter stools, and fluted pendant lights, for a modern yet timeless feeling.
12. Abundant natural light
Large windows and glass doors are another important element in modern coastal kitchen design. They allow natural light to flood into your kitchen, creating an open and airy atmosphere.
This sunny kitchen design features black framed windows, a chrome faucet, and brass pendant lights.
This beautiful coastal style kitchen features a large window over the sink and show-stopping pendant lights in a bronze finish, paired with stylish woven counter stools.
A beautiful wall of windows, mixed with white kitchen cabinets, black countertops, and brass light fixtures, enhance this lovely Hamptons style kitchen from Jen Langston:
13. Mixed metal finishes
Here’s a bonus tip regarding choosing metal finishes for your kitchen. Almost every metal finish can work well in a modern coastal kitchen design — especially if you’re keeping the rest of the color scheme fairly light and neutral.
The Cabinet Gallery Utah – Cambridge Home Co.
If you want to mix metals in a coastal kitchen, I recommend mixing cool metals with warm metals to create a nice, eye-pleasing balance.
The Cabinet Gallery Utah – Cambridge Home Co.
Warm metals include brass, gold, copper, and oil-rubbed bronze. Cool metals include chrome, polished nickel, and brushed nickel.
This light-filled kitchen incorporates a mix of brass and polished nickel metal finishes. We chose the same pendant lighting and counter stools for our coastal kitchen.
Bullard Design Studio – Lindsay Salazar Photography – counter stools – pendants
Black is considered either a cool-toned metal or a neutral and makes a great third metal to balance out your mix, as shown in this boho coastal kitchen:
See my post, A Simple Guide to Mixing Metals in the Kitchen, for more on choosing metal finishes for your kitchen.
I’m sure it’s clear by now I love a coastal kitchen! In my opinion, adding a touch of modern coastal design to the kitchen results in a stylish, timeless space.
Whether you opt for lots of natural elements, glass and brass light fixtures, light woods, or just an abundance of fresh white, there are countless ways to bring a touch of modern coastal decor to your kitchen. Modern coastal design is all about bringing the natural beauty of the beach and ocean into your home.
For more kitchen decorating ideas, see this post: Beautiful Kitchen Design Ideas to Inspire Your Next Renovation.
Where to Shop for Coastal Kitchen Decor and Fixtures
Below are a few of my favorite places to shop for coastal style kitchen fixtures, counter stools, and beach house decor in 2025. See my post, Modern Kitchen Pendant Lighting Ideas You Will Love, for sources for modern coastal kitchen lighting.
Serena & Lily
Dear Keaton
Wayfair
Williams Sonoma
McGee & Co.
Pottery Barn
Rejuvenation
Home Depot
Amazon
And here’s a selection of kitchen counter stools, lighting, backsplash tile ideas, faucets, and door and drawer pulls.
Kitchen Counter Stool Ideas
Kitchen Lighting Ideas
Coastal Kitchen Backsplash Tile Ideas
Kitchen Faucet Ideas
Cabinet Pulls and Knobs
For more modern coastal kitchen design ideas, beach house interior design, kitchen trends, and modern coastal decor, here are a few favorite related posts from the blog:
Beautiful Kitchen Trends and Design Ideas for 2025
Modern Beach House Decorating Ideas for Your Home
A Simple Guide to Mixing Metals in the Kitchen
Modern Kitchen Pendant Lighting Ideas You Will Love
Kitchen Counter Stools: Beautiful Ideas for Every Style and Budget
Small Kitchen, Big Style: 40 Design Ideas for 2025
Chic California Casual Style Decorating Ideas for Your Home
Modern Coastal Decorating Ideas for Your Home
Modern Coastal Living Room Ideas for 2025
Beautiful Coastal Bathroom Ideas and Trends for 2025
Modern Coastal Bedroom Decorating Ideas and Trends for 2025
Modern Coastal Entryway Ideas and Trends for 2025
Modern Coastal Dining Room Ideas and Trends for 2025
Interior Design Trends for 2025: Beautiful Home Decor Ideas to Try Now
Color of the Year 2025 + Top Home Color Trends
What is Coastal Grandmother Style? (and why I’m loving this trend)
How to Get the Restoration Hardware Look in Your Home
My Favorite Nancy Meyers Interiors (and how to bring her style to your home)
I hope you found this post informative and helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions about modern coastal or beach house decor in the kitchen. Have a wonderful day! xo Jane
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