skip to main content

Paint Home Decorating Kitchens

Please help renovated dated beach house kitchen/living room!!

last year

I would appreciate help from the Houzz community! We just purchased a small beach house that needs work but we need to be economical in our renovation. The room in question is 17x22 feet and has the living area and kitchen. The cabinets are so old and worn but it will be too costly to replace them. I have been looking for beachy paint colors and I think we’d like to use SW 6218 Tradewinds or SW 6211 Rainwashed in the space. We want to keep the Woodstove, don’t mind changing the brick fire paneling behind it, but need to do something with the cabinets, walls and flooring!! We would like to take the extended counter away from the kitchen cabinets, place a table in the kitchen space and extend the countertop (quartz?) below the existing kitchen cabinets (we cannot extend the lower cabinets because there is an electric heater below the existing table). Would you driftwood the cabinets? Paint white? We do not want to touch the ceiling primarily because of cost. In addition, my husbands 2 favorite features are the Woodstove and the ceiling so I’d like to work around changing those and update at the same time. Any ideas? I am leaning towards the tradewinds color walls but don’t know where to go from there. I know wall color should really be last but I didn’t know where else to start!!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

cat_ky
last year
I would leave the ceiling, and the cabinets and all the trim, just like it is. It adds a lot to the room. I would paint the walls. I like both your samples above, but, I like tradewinds, the best. Right now, it doesnt look very much like a house on the beach, it looks more like a city house. I would try to make it a bit more beachy. Congratulations on your new beach house. I like what I see.
tartanmeup
last year
Start with a plan you can implement in phases. Maybe you have an inspiration picture to help guide you? You just moved so give yourself permission to take a breath and enjoy your space (and the beach!) long enough to know what works and what doesn't for you. Looking at your pictures, I wouldn't be fazed by the ceiling. It looks fabulous, imo. Unless the ceiling is darker than it appears and makes the space feel oppressive, I'd start with cohesive flooring throughout after making sure the floor plan is optimized. No point in redoing floors if the layout might be changed. I mention this because your fridge doesn't seem to be in the kitchen.

Budget drives everything and most of us don't have money to burn which is why reno decisions need to be rooted in function.

If the cabinets are truly worn, is it worth the time and expense to paint them? Stock cabinets might offer an affordable and more functional option. (If there's an Ikea nearby, would be worth a visit. Supply issues though.) You mention quartz counters. Are they essential? There might be other counter options that might be more budget-friendly yet quite viable for you. Depends on your lifestyle, this house, its market, etc.

For the wall colour, I wouldn't be overly tempted by blues. I'd want a soft white to contrast with the wood ceiling. Something brighter than the current creamy colour I see on my screen. (Screens aren't accurate in rendering colours so this is just my opinion based on what I see. It might look totally different irl.) If not a white, I'd consider soft greens. Or one of those light blue-greens. On my screen, Tradewinds is too bright and "pure". Rainwashed is closer to the mix I mean.
Related Discussions
Finally! 'Moving in' to our renovated beach house... almost!
Q
Comments (5)
You're right, golddust, they have done an amazing job. Here are pictures from about 10 days ago. Since then, they have worked like crazy to get the house to where it is now. The floor guy laid and finished hardwood floors for the entire house in 4 days. The only one who dropped the ball was the electrician. All my kids woke up with colds today. It's going to be an interesting few days... Here is a link that might be useful: earlier pics
...See More
Need Beach House Living Room Furniture Advice
Q
Comments (15)
well, I would suggest whatever sofa you get to lay down a throw if she is going to sit bare skin on it. White is difficult to keep clean unless you keep some sort of throw on the cushions. If you got a slip covered type, you could wash them as needed. any gray sofa would also work. light gray, dark, if you could swing a velvet material, that always looks good. Or a nice material, tweed-type, like this one: If you bring in a large area rug, you can cover most of the tile floor, only letting a bit of it peed through. do a large sisal and then layer another rug on top of it for some added color or pattern you could do white or pale walls, and a dark gray sofa. this will still go w/your tile. bring in wood elements or natural fiber elements. and plants. and since it's Fla, you can get away w/bold colors. keep the wall white, a large sisal type of rug, white sofa, and bring in colors w/plants, pots and accessories like they've done here I like these paint colors....Pale Oak for walls,, White Dove or any other bright white for ceilings and trimthis is BM Lacey Pearl. I like this grayish white tone. if you bring in a slip cover sofa like this, have her lay on a throw. do neutral pillows, wood/metal coffee table, poufs, fiddle leaf fig trees, a neutral rug like this will cover the tile. you're only showing a tiny piece of your tile so it's hard to visualize what will work in this room. best way is to clear out everything, paint and go from there.
...See More
I need help renovating this 1970's living room!
Q
Comments (28)
I agree that the ceilings are beautiful, unique, and cozy. You could really incorporate them into a very interesting modern farmhouse look. However, A. I really feel for your husband who is 6 feet tall, and B. I think the beams contribute to the congested feeling of this space. The beams, the columns, the trim, the multiple levels of tray ceilings, and lighting fixtures trapped between the lanes of beams make this space feel jumbled and confined. There are many things you can do to make this space feel more streamlined, open, and airy without removing columns. (Though I would still explore what is inside those columns and why they were added to this house. It looks like the recessed and tray ceilings were there before the columns because the columns so strangely protrude out into the recessed areas. 1. Remove the beams Check to be sure they are not structural. Yes, they are beautiful, but they really confine the space and narrow the lighting. They would be great in another house but not in this one. If you must keep them, paint them the same color as the ceiling and walls to help them disappear. Again, they are beautiful, but not in a room with a low ceiling, 4 brick columns and a tall guy. 2. Consider recessed lighting. These round light fixtures are awkward to look at and bring the height of the ceiling down when you want it to feel more vast and open. 3. Remove and reduce as much ceiling trim as possible. There is way too much trim happening here: odd trim spanning opening to dining room. The trim at column tops are over the top, and trim around the columns at the front door overlaps oddly with the tray ceiling. There may be some areas where trim cannot be moved. In those areas reduce it's appearance: Replace with a trim that has fewer ridges, a lower profile that protrudes less from the wall, and paint it the same white as the walls and ceiling. 4. Consider switching layout How do you all spend your time together? Do you eat at the table a lot or more so at a counter? When you eat at the table is it dark out? Do you spend time together in a formal living room setting? Do you need an area to play with toys? Does much TV watching happen nearby when someone is in the kitchen? I don't understand the layout here or your usage needs, but for the sake of your husband's height and potentially maximizing light, can you make the current dining room be more of a living room / family room space and put the dining room where the current sofas are? If the dining room with all of those open windows is not being heavily utilized during daytime hours, then you are not utilizing the sunniest part of this first floor.
...See More
HELP! Beach House - Living Room with Front Door Entry in the Middle
Q
Comments (12)
Chess-yeah that's me - yes, that is exactly right! the owners dad built it about 70 years ago. Jamie Ludwig - I posted some additional photos that did not seem to upload before Saypoint - Was thinking I can't do seating on either side of the door because on one side you have fireplace and the other side is the entryway to the other room. We tried the sofa facing the fireplace but it did not seem to work well as it felt like you walked into the sofa when you came in. Also tried the sofa in front of the tv with the back to the door but then again felt like you walked right into the sofa and it was too close to the TV.
...See More
daisychain Zn3b
last year
last modified: last year
Congratulations on your new vacation home!

We just redid our kitchen/living area at our small lake house. We also did it on a tiny budget. Our biggest savings was getting cabinets used that someone else didn't want. You have an easy straight run of cabs there. If I were you, I'd haunt Craig's List, facebook marketplace, Habitat's Restore, etc. and see what you can find. I could have done ours 3x over with great cabs I found online. I remember kicking myself for not waiting a bit as someone was advertising an almost new set of cabs from a basement kitchen they were removing for $500! Solid wood drawers and everything. As it is, I was able to get a decent set of maple lowers with large drawers (drawers rock!) and white uppers for about $600 total. Don't put new counters on those old cabs. At least replace the lowers.

I def. agree about removing that weird peninsula thingy. Have you thought about adding cabs where the white stand alone cabinet is now?

I'm not clear about whether you are changing the flooring?

In terms of paint, I always have a general idea of paint colour in my head when I start a reno whether I know it or not. If you haven't already, start a pinterest page and gather images of similar spaces you love and then you'll get an idea of the direction you want to go.

I agree with your husband about the ceiling. It will be the centre piece of your room. However, the paint colours you are considering are not going to do it any favours. The blues are too cool and are going to make the space feel smaller and lower the ceiling. Personally, I'd do everything a warm, neutral white (Steam by Ben Moore?).

Before you do anything with the wood stove bricks, check and see what you need for safety. Our new wood stove could be closer to combustible sidewalls than our old one, but each stove has its own specs.

ETA: Is the furniture in the picture staying?
maddielee
last year
Be careful about blue paint. especially if you have views of blue water and blue sky.

I just did a quick search (google images) of ’Beach house wood ceiling interiors’. The white walls look amazing,

Enjoy your new place.

Related Stories

MOST POPULAR 8 Ranch House Renovations Make More Room for Living

By Annie Thornton

See how homeowners have updated vintage homes to preserve their charm and make them function beautifully in today’s world

LIVING ROOMS Room of the Day: Living Room Update for an 1800s New England House

By Annie Thornton

Major renovation gives owners the open, contemporary feel they love

HOUZZ TV Bright, Breezy Living Room Caps a Hectic Renovation

By Mitchell Parker

After hitting a creative wall while remodeling, a Chicago couple turns to a design pro for help

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: 38 Years of Renovations Help Artists Live Their Dream

By Esther Hershcovich

Twin art studios. Space for every book and model ship. After four decades of remodeling, this farmhouse has two happy homeowners

COASTAL STYLE Kitchen of the Week: Beach-House Beauty With a Practical Style

By Natalie Wain

A seaside kitchen in Cornwall, England, has a relaxed, nautical feel but is sturdy enough for rental traffic

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Compact Beach House With Room to Grow

Recently retired homeowners are thrilled by the transformation of their small shack into a stylish beach house for extended family

COASTAL STYLE Room of the Day: Kitchen Cooks Up Some California Beach Style

By Kim Ratcliff

Open shelves, coastal hues and ocean accents make this cozy room a pleasant place to prepare the catch of the day

REMODELING GUIDES 8 Lessons on Renovating a House from Someone Who's Living It

By Restoring our 1890 Victorian

So you think DIY remodeling is going to be fun? Here is one homeowner's list of what you may be getting yourself into

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen of the Week: Renovation Fills a Room With Meaning

By Becky Harris

This kitchen’s vintage-modern mix includes the creative homeowners’ favorite collections, flowers and travel memories

BATHROOM MAKEOVERS Room of the Day: See the Bathroom That Helped a House Sell in a Day

By Annie Thornton

Sophisticated but sensitive bathroom upgrades help a century-old house move fast on the market

More Discussions

Paint color dilemma

14

Door colour suggestions for a beige house

7

Please help me pick paint.

76

Zinser Peel stop paint

6

exterior paint color help!

3