Tour a Dreamy Cape Cod-Inspired Kitchen

How can you combine the relaxation of a vacation with the bustle of daily life? Well, Blackband Design did just that when the homeowners of a San Juan Capistrano, California cottage were ready to renovate their Cape Cod-inspired kitchen.

Cape Cod Creativity

“Inspired by a vacation home they’d visited, they wanted to give this new home that vacation-home vibe,” explains project designer Ashley Porter. “The key for our clients in hiring us is our capability to take this very heavy, kind of drab interior Tuscan space and create more of a fun, light, bright, Cape Cod inspired feel,” explains Wendy Blackband, owner/designer of Blackband Design.

Rattan bar height chairs lined up at a marble topped island covered in fresh lemons in a bowl and lovely greenery for a pop of color. — **COOK’S PARADISE.** The kitchen is the perfect space for both those cooking and those eating. “We really wanted to maximize seating and get the largest island we could without infringing too much on the family room,” Ashley says.

Making a Statement with Marble

Glistening in white, this kitchen is designed for everyday family life. A massive piece of gorgeous marble stands as the centerpiece of the space. “We went back and forth on the size of the island but chose one that really allowed for extra seating” Ashley says. “The island is a natural white marble that we chose after combing through several different slabs. It’s important to find one that has the right character and veining.”

View down the galley in the heart of the kitchen. White custom cabinets and concrete countertops with stainless steel appliances. — **CENTER SPOTLIGHT.** The choice to use different materials for the perimeter and island surfaces is unique, but it has a wonderful framing effect. “The perimeter is a sleek concrete, whereas the island is a more polished finish,” Ashley says. “The two of them combined create a beautiful aesthetic.”

Rattan bar chairs lined up at a white marble topped island in an open concept kitchen. — **COOK’S PARADISE.** We really wanted to maximize seating and get the largest island we could while allowing plenty of room to prepare meals.

Cape Cod-Inspired Kitchen Countertops

To keep the spotlight on the marble island, Ashley and Wendy opted for a different feel for the perimeter countertops. They used Caesarstone quartz and mixed in a Jeffrey Court marble mosaic backsplash. “The combination adds an elegant finish while similarly being livable and user friendly,” Ashley says.

A custom made sliding barn door, crafted out of wood. — **PROBLEM SOLVED.** A sliding barn door now separates the pantry from the rest of the kitchen. The previous pantry door was a swing door which intruded on the kitchen so the barn door allows the best of both worlds, aesthetically and functionally.

Luxurious & Livable

And that’s precisely the challenge of turning a vacation experience into everyday living. Where a vacation on Cape Cod is designed for luxuriating the days away and postponing the mundane routines of daily life, the home must be a space that serves you and your family first and foremost. “It all came together very perfectly,” Ashley says. “I feel that it turned out the way it was meant to.”

To see the rest of the Cape-Cod-inspired stunner, take the full tour here.

Want more kitchen renovation ideas? Check out this post on a Dreamy Craftsman Cottage Kitchen Renovation.

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