The Not-too-colorful - Colorful Kitchen

Hits of beachy blues bring a calm but cheerful vibe to this contemporary kitchen on Cape Cod.

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After more than two decades of renting summer homes up and down the Eastern seaboard, Katie and Jeff Alitz were itching for a coastal escape of their own—one that could accommodate lobster boils, pizza night, and big holiday gatherings. So when they found a lot on Cape Cod with a water view, they jumped at the chance to build a vacation home for their family of four. The couple was especially keen on having a made-to-order kitchen that checked off all their design wants: ample counter space, a separate pantry, and a color palette reminiscent of the nearby beach. “We’re lucky enough that we can see the ocean from our house, and we used that as inspiration for the kitchen’s colors,” says Katie. With the help of Fletcher Cameron Kitchens in New Haven, CT, she and Jeff conceived an open space featuring wood-planked walls, shiplap, blond wood, and watery shades of blue. After years of random rental kitchens, Katie is reveling in her new space. Her favorite feature: the peninsula that’s long enough to seat the whole family at once—perfect for lazy weekend meals. “We use every inch of surface area in this kitchen,” Katie says. “Nothing is left untouched.”