Kitchen of the Week: A Cape Cod Gets a Beach-Cottage Reboot
Avocado green countertops and dark cupboards get tossed in favor of crisp white cabinetry and pale finishes
As innkeepers, Lois and Evan Evans know all about hospitality. So after buying a 1955 Cape Cod cottage whose interiors hadn’t been updated since the 1970s, they set out on a whole-house renovation, a major focus of which was the kitchen.
AFTER: The couple turned to kitchen designer Robin Decoteau and builder Cape Associates to help with an update that would be efficient and inviting for entertaining, as well as compatible with the home’s beach-cottage style.
The builder removed the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room to create an open, airy layout. The ceilings were raised and clad in shiplap siding and highlighted with new pine beams, reflective of the cottage style of the home. New windows add a vintage look.
Decoteau used a whitewashed palette and traditional cabinetry to push a casual and beachy vibe, while granite countertops add a touch of elegance.
The dining room furnishings came from the couple’s previous home.
Windows: Andersen; cabinetry: Mouser Cabinetry
The builder removed the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room to create an open, airy layout. The ceilings were raised and clad in shiplap siding and highlighted with new pine beams, reflective of the cottage style of the home. New windows add a vintage look.
Decoteau used a whitewashed palette and traditional cabinetry to push a casual and beachy vibe, while granite countertops add a touch of elegance.
The dining room furnishings came from the couple’s previous home.
Windows: Andersen; cabinetry: Mouser Cabinetry
BEFORE: The old U-shape layout allowed a small area for a breakfast table but made the space seem choppy. The washer and dryer (not shown here) were also in the kitchen, hidden by a louvered door. The glass door here led to a mudroom and a full bathroom.
AFTER: Decoteau rearranged the layout to include an island that’s roomy enough for casual meals and for guests to hang around when the owners are prepping party meals.
Placing the main sink and dishwasher in the island instead of the usual under-the-window spot was a decision made by Lois early in the planning stages. “If we have guests over, I can face everyone when I’m rinsing vegetables or washing dishes,” she says. “Otherwise, my back would be turned.”
The door now leads to the relocated laundry room and a new powder room.
The old avocado-hued linoleum flooring had an unexpected bonus: preserving the original oak floors, which were refinished.
Glass pendants: Kathy Kuo Home
Placing the main sink and dishwasher in the island instead of the usual under-the-window spot was a decision made by Lois early in the planning stages. “If we have guests over, I can face everyone when I’m rinsing vegetables or washing dishes,” she says. “Otherwise, my back would be turned.”
The door now leads to the relocated laundry room and a new powder room.
The old avocado-hued linoleum flooring had an unexpected bonus: preserving the original oak floors, which were refinished.
Glass pendants: Kathy Kuo Home
Decoteau planned the layout to include room for the homeowners’ hutch from their previous residence, as well as an old pot-bellied stove, a family heirloom. “The stove has a new gas inset,” Lois says, “and it really adds warmth to the kitchen. We turn it on every morning in the winter.”
Wall clock: Pier 1 Imports
Wall clock: Pier 1 Imports
A television was a must in the new kitchen. “Evan likes to have coffee and watch the news in the morning,” Decoteau says. “We put the TV over the refrigerator so it can be seen from anywhere in the room.”
Refrigerator, cooktop and dishwasher: KitchenAid; exhaust hood: Zephyr
Refrigerator, cooktop and dishwasher: KitchenAid; exhaust hood: Zephyr
A glass-front cabinet allows the homeowners to show off colorful dishes. Bringing the cabinet down to counter level adds more storage.
“Because the ceilings are angled, we added crown molding to the top of the upper cabinets,” Decoteau says, “which casts interesting shadows on the ceiling.”
Stacking the microwave, oven and warming drawer adds efficiency.
Appliances: KitchenAid; cabinetry hardware: Schaub & Company
“Because the ceilings are angled, we added crown molding to the top of the upper cabinets,” Decoteau says, “which casts interesting shadows on the ceiling.”
Stacking the microwave, oven and warming drawer adds efficiency.
Appliances: KitchenAid; cabinetry hardware: Schaub & Company
Another request for the new kitchen was to create a bar zone that included a cooler and a sink.
“We have grown kids and extended family,” Lois says, “so we do the big holidays at our house. We always used to drag in an ice chest from the garage for the drinks, which always bothered me. Here, I wanted a built-in cooler just for drinks and one place to keep the barware.”
Beverage cooler: KitchenAid; sink and faucet: Kohler; wall lamp: Hudson Valley LIghting
“We have grown kids and extended family,” Lois says, “so we do the big holidays at our house. We always used to drag in an ice chest from the garage for the drinks, which always bothered me. Here, I wanted a built-in cooler just for drinks and one place to keep the barware.”
Beverage cooler: KitchenAid; sink and faucet: Kohler; wall lamp: Hudson Valley LIghting
The undermounted sink on the island includes a cutting board and dish drainer.
Sink and faucet: Kohler
Sink and faucet: Kohler
A window seat, designed by Decoteau, provides a comfortable perch as well as extra storage between the pot-belled stove and hutch.
Pillows and throw: HomeGoods
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Pillows and throw: HomeGoods
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See the latest kitchen photos
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Lois and Evan Evans
Location: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Size: 416 square feet (37 square meters)
Designer: Robin Decoteau of Supply New England
BEFORE: Avocado green flooring and countertops plus dark cabinetry were a tad too vintage for the new owners. The doorway next to the refrigerator led to a separate dining room.