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Coastal colors, what stain for dining set? Open floor plan

14 years ago

I'm hoping to get a second opinion from some of you designing experts. We need suggestions for selecting the dining set tone/tones.

We have an open floor plan: kitchen w/ island (cabinets are a medium-stain maple, white counters, light laminate flooring) that opens to the dining area (same laminate flooring) and the living room (tan carpeting). I would like to be able to add some coastal color accessories (tourquoise, aqua, cobalt, greens). We're looking at dining sets and have some options:

I found some attractive expresso stained stairs (are a rich chocolate brown), very comfortable, and someone at the store suggested this would be a good compliment for the coastal colors and also would provide good contrast.

Or white chairs? white table?

If the expresso chairs, then the co. will either stain 1) the table to match (all expresso) OR 2) the top of the table could be stained to match the medium-stained kitchen cabinets (w/ expresso legs) OR 3) the table legs could be stained/painted white to stand out and compliment the coordinate with the kitchen counter, and the table top could be expresso. Have any of you regretted having a 2-toned table? Is it limiting to how you decorate? What is more timeless? Would the expresso set look too heavy?

I sure appreciate your suggestions. Many thanks.

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Comments (6)

User
14 years ago
Coastal is all about light and airy, the colors your inspired to use for your accessories are cooler airy colors as well. White furniture will blend in beautifully and is considered more coastal. IMHO, the darker expresso colors though very pretty as well read more modern, hip and urban. Not coastal at all.
sis3
14 years ago
You may have seen this "Coastal, Breezy" thread. I posted the link on another thread recently but I'll post it again here. It may give you some inspiration, kitchen4us.
The thread includes lots of photos of beautiful coastal style rooms (many using dark wood though lukki! I think the coastal look in these rooms is achieved by using certain styles of furniture, for example Island style, and British Colonial).

Here is a link that might be useful: Coastal, Breezy, Plantation, West Indies thread
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User
14 years ago
Well those rooms are lovely, but I did note the majority of the woods used are not expresso. Personally, I was raised "coastally" and I still feel dark woods like as in the expresso the original poster stated (not pecan or driftwood) say "urban" not coastal.
kitchen4us
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks everyone for your input, I sure appreciate it. I agree with Lukkiirish that the coastal feel is light and airy. Even though my accessory colors may go with an expresso stain, it is not the coastal feel. Sis3, great link to the West Indies, Plantation thread. I think my style is a bit more beach coastal, if that makes any sense. Thanks again.
sis3
14 years ago
I understand completely. You had mentioned that you liked the dark wood dining furniture and that might have been incorporated successfully if your style had been tropical/exotic coastal as in some of the photos, rather than painted furniture/driftwood/'Something's Gotta Give' coastal. Perhaps tropical coastal was what the person in the store had in mind.
So many of us love living on the coast and are drawn to coastal style in some form.
bella_victoria
14 years ago
I'm not an expert but I do live on the coast. IMHO, there's more than one way to accomplish the coastal look and feel and still have it be appropriate.

I personally prefer touches of darker furniture and/or accents to add some contrast and grounding to all the 'floatiness' of the typical whites and light blues.

As far as espresso furniture goes it seems to be a more recent trend, which may explain why it wasn't common years ago in coastal decor, but I'm definitely seeing it used as an evolving, updated version of coastal decor in the PNW.

I personally have an espresso dining table and chairs...I'll be adding short, white slipcovers to the chairs for our 'summer' look, and I think it looks great with white slip-covered sofas and white kitchen in our great room. We have a few other elements that tie in the contrast and it all just works.

The photo and link below give at least a rough idea of what some darker elements can do for the coastal look for those who prefer it...

From Coastal Living:

Here is a link that might be useful: Morgan Harrison Home--5 or 6 photos in all

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