A Nantucket cottage kitchen sports a playful color palette

Sage green and pops of coral combine with earthy elements that take cues from the surroundings.

The designer behind this Nantucket kitchen makeover avoid blue and went with a more playful palette.Jane Beiles

When Robin Patton’s clients initially hired her to design this cottage on Nantucket, they thought it would be where their grown children and guests would stay. The couple was so charmed by the results, however, that they plan to take it for themselves. “It’s pretty, comfortable, and every room has an ocean view,” says the designer and owner of Patton Interiors. (Patton, like her clients, spends summers on the island; the rest of the year, she’s in Nashville.) The kitchen, which includes dining and seating areas, lives like a family room, Patton notes. And, with full-size appliances and plenty of storage, it’s outfitted with everything the couple needs. The atypical color palette ups the appeal. “Everybody on Nantucket uses blue, so we went with green with coral accents,” Patton says.

1. The cabinetry, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Whirlybird, takes cues from the Phillip Jeffries grass cloth Patton chose for the surrounding walls. “You don’t want the eye bouncing all over the place in a smaller area, so we avoided contrast,” the designer says.
2. Zellige tiles by Tiles of Ezra have lots of variation and texture, imbuing an informal earthiness while being easy on the eye. “The color doesn’t fight with anything in the room,” Patton points out.
3. The curvaceous silhouettes of the Mitzi woven rattan wicker pendants are inspired by the movement of rippling water. “I like interior elements to relate to the surroundings,” Patton says.
4. The countertop is honed Carrara marble. The surface is easy to clean with a sponge and mild dish soap, Patton says. The simple island slab is just three-quarters of an inch thick.
5. Floral café curtains made from block-printed washable cotton by John Derian add softness and coordinate with full-length curtains elsewhere in the space. A farmhouse sink and unlacquered brass hardware round out the kitchen’s lived-in feel.
6. Handwoven rattan stools by Soane Britain add an unexpected pop of coral. The scalloped seats are upholstered with an indoor-outdoor fabric with plum and coral flowers by Lisa Fine Textiles.