Stamford, Conn.–based interior designer Denise Enright wanted to create a coastal-inspired kitchen that would look beachy and nautical without relying on seashells, sailors’ knots, and overused shades of seafoam green. Instead, dark blue cabinetry, satin brass details, and a driftwood-finished counter come together in a sophisticated maritime look, “without screaming in your face,” Enright jokes.
Project Details
Location: East Matanuck, R.I.
Designer: Denise Enright Interior Design, Stamford, Conn.
Builder: Sweenor Builders, Wakefield, R.I.
House Size: 3,200 square feet
Kitchen Size: 186 square feet
Construction Cost: Withheld
The East Matanuck, R.I., beach house puts a modern twist on the 19th-century, New England seaside shingle style. Many of Enright’s design choices were made not only with regard to the home’s beach setting but also its open floor plan, with fluidity between first-floor kitchen, dining, and living spaces. “When your kitchen is basically in your living space, you have to kick it up a notch,” Enright explains. “You can see one from the other very clearly, so you have to make sure they balance each other.”
While the living and dining rooms are relatively neutral, the maritime-inspired cabinets lining the perimeter of the kitchen add vivid color that is somewhere between a navy and a seaglass. Enright’s choice of backsplash with various shades of blue seamlessly ties together the blue-green shades used throughout the first floor.
Courtesy Denise Enright Interior Design
The kitchen’s color palette also pairs well with the gray-stained oak hardwood floors that are evocative of driftwood found nearby. While perimeter countertops are a neutral white quartz, the central island features a handmade, driftwood countertop that’s sealed for food prep. The island provides a design focal point while also promoting socialization, Enright points out.
Opposite the window and large kitchen sink on one side is a bar area with a bar sink and a sleek, seven-bottle wine refrigerator. Drawer refrigerators in the island offer additional drink storage.
Enright knew early on in the design process that the kitchen’s appliances and faucets would be stainless steel, but she was determined to incorporate satin brass to complement the nautical aesthetic. A custom-crafted vent hood making use of both metals “became the center of the kitchen” in Enright’s design, allowing her to include satin brass cabinet hardware and globe lighting fixtures.
Enright initially planned cabinets to extend the full length of the back wall, and later realized that the window placement didn’t give her enough depth for a corner cabinet. The floating shelf pottery display backed by the tile backsplash is an innovative, practical solution.
Products
Cabinets: Diamond Cabinets
Cooktop/Stove: GE Profile
Countertops: Caesarstone
Dishwasher, Refrigerator: Bosch
Faucets: American Standard
Hardware: Emtek
Lighting Fixtures: House of Antique Hardware
Refrigerator Drawers: Marvel
Vent Hood: The Tin Shop
Windows: Andersen
Wine Cooler: Vinotemp
