Who doesn’t love the sound of waves crashing against the deck, magnificent views of sunrise and sunset from the balcony, and briny sea air but living near water comes at a cost. That cost is the regular damage control caused by ocean water’s corrosive nature, seasonal floods, constant sand inside the house, and not to mention the summer crowds.
Especially the kitchen, where regular maintenance is mandatory as saltwater accelerates the growth of mold in cabinets and chances of rust in faucets. Therefore, routine maintenance and renovation is a necessity while living near water.
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1. Assess The Situation
Before you go ahead and gut the whole place out, it is essential to analyze your property’s condition critically. We suggest hiring a team of experts for this initial assessment as an amateur can easily ignore the underlying problems, which is often freely offered by some remodeling companies.
If you live in Connecticut, you can contact this team of kitchen remodelers in Old Saybrook to make this job easier for you. Only after contractors have visited your kitchen and pointed out the potential repairs you can decide to pursue their team or carry out the remodeling project yourself.
2. Huge Windows
If you are willing to pay the cost of living near water, you might also avail of full use of its magical beauty. One of the ways you can do this is to install huge windows, not just in your kitchen but throughout the house as well.
If possible, install a huge glass window above the sink or your working station to enjoy the ocean’s scenic beauty. French windows are ideal in this scenario, as they don’t have a structural element that can obstruct your views.
3. Beachy Tones
When it comes to a beach house’s color palette, stick to the cool and earthy tones. Since a beach property has wide widows, having blue and white hues will create a smooth transition. The standard practice is to paint the wall with neutral colors such as white and contrast it with tiles in coastal tones such as seafoam green and powder blue. Remember that you are trying to recreate the same refreshing atmosphere as outdoors.
3. BBQ Deck
Smoky, sizzling bbq by the calm ocean on a breezy summer evening is probably the biggest perk of living near the water. If you are giving your kitchen a makeover, don’t forget to build the deck that connects to the kitchen for bbq parties.
This might seem like a luxury when remodeling since grills are expensive, but it will make double the joy of living in the coastal area. Luckily, if you cannot afford one at the time, you can always order these afterpay grills. You can pay for them afterward in easy installments.
4. Avoid Wood Floors
No doubt, wooden floors look impeccable with the white and creamy tones of a coastal kitchen, but they are also prone to damage when exposed to the coastal atmosphere. The salt in the water favors growth of bacteria or fungus, causes the wood to change the color, and the wood fiber tends to fall apart because of salt accumulation.
In addition to this, sand and wooden floors are not a good match either. Therefore, the best option is to choose ceramic and marble tiles in white or grey tones. Although if you are really keen on wooden flooring, then you can opt for imitation wood tiles.
5. Weather Proof Paint
As previously mentioned, the salty ocean water can severely affect your house’s structural components, especially the walls. Under normal circumstances, a layer of paint is used to protect against any atmospheric damage to the walls. Still, since the saline water from the sea carries an electric charge, it can penetrate through the regular paint. Consequently, the salt builds up on the walls causing the paint to chip off or break and has a corrosive effect on the concrete. You can avoid all this by investing in a weather-resistant color or spread a protective layer of sealant.
Living close to the sea comes with its challenges but nothing compares to the charm of laid-back and quiet beachy lifestyle. Moreover, you can always take preventive measures to avoid potential damages.
