Coastal kitchen designs are seeing big upgrades in 2026 and beyond, according to Bryan and Wendy Reiss, the husband-and-wife team who own Distinctive Design LLC. Bryan, who is a certified master kitchen and bath designer accredited with the National Kitchen & Bath Association and an award-winning industry author, is passionate about capturing the client’s vision and turning it into reality.
In her role as vice president of Distinctive Design LLC, Wendy focuses on client management, project estimation and design support, partnering with clients to ensure they have the best possible experience from the first meeting to the final walkthrough.
FUNCTIONAL BEAUTY
With their combined experience, the power couple is transforming interiors with next-level amenities and design techniques that prioritize beauty as well as functionality. Their process begins by asking clients a series of questions – often so many that Bryan said, “Sometimes I feel like I’m interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing me. It’s helpful for us to understand all of the details, such as is their property a rental, vacation or forever home? Do they have children and/or pets? How do they like to entertain?”
Bryan continued, “Once we’ve discerned what the client would like to achieve, we design around their needs, desires and lifestyle so that we can go above and beyond their expectations.”
The next step, he said, is to inventory the clients’ belongings in their existing home and decide what will stay throughout the project and what needs to be purged. As parting with certain pieces can be difficult, the firm offers guidance during that process.
DREAMS TO DESIGNS
After learning what the client’s vision is for their home and lifestyle, Bryan designs rooms that take into account the way families interact day-to-day, as well as how they host their friends. For many, that means incorporating more functionality and organization, especially in their kitchens. He said, “People are moving away from open shelving and cluttered countertops and towards a more streamlined look that incorporates storage areas for small appliances that can also be designated stations for routines such as making tea or juicing.”
Using this strategy, Bryan transformed a corner of a client’s kitchen into a hidden coffee bar that houses an industrial-sized cappuccino maker, cups and saucers in a space that is also convenient for preparing refreshments for guests.
In each of Bryan’s customized kitchen plans, every utensil and accessory has a home that is tucked away from sight. As such, closed-door wooden cabinetry is trending over glass-front shelving, he said.
Adding that white oak is the primary species he uses in his kitchen designs, Bryan said that paint color trends are leaning towards warm, natural tones such as light brown, greige or beige. “For our coastal demographic, clients are moving away from bright colors and towards a more calming palette that offers a Zen spa-like approach.”
Popular choices in hardware are lighter metals, brass and matte black. It’s okay to mix metals, wood, paint, stain and other finishes in the same room, Bryan said. For example, a copper hood will complement an inlaid brick backsplash, painted wooden cabinetry and nickel hardware.
In addition to incorporating storage for all of the day-to-day kitchen necessities, Bryan suggested paneling large appliances as an alternative design element and said he uses this technique in roughly 99% of his projects. Alternatively, choosing an enameled appliance such as an Aga or La Cornue range is a creative way to add a splash of color, such as hunter green, midnight blue or mustard yellow, to an otherwise monochromatic kitchen.
TOUCHES AND TECHNIQUES
When it comes to a kitchen layout, Bryan said multiple islands are popular in larger homes. For countertops, he recommended selecting quartz for its properties of granite and look of marble. He added, “Quartz is surging in the market because it doesn’t stain or etch.”
Also on trend, according to Wendy, are backsplashes that are in a larger format tile or the same slab material that matches walls with countertops for a clean, sleek design.
For lighting, hanging decorative pendant lights or chandeliers over an island is a timeless look. Recess lighting is still popular, too, but in a smaller 3-4-inch size rather than the traditional 6 inches, Bryan said.
Wendy added that right now LED lighting is de rigueur, with under cabinet options as well as interior lighting wired with switches for cabinets, drawers and pantries.
While a butler’s pantry is still popular for extra storage, sculleries are all the rage for the foreseeable future. The difference between the two spaces, Wendy said, is that a butler’s pantry can serve as a bar with a small sink, extra countertop for plating dishes and storage for linens and silverware while a scullery is a secondary kitchen with appliances for cooking, baking and washing dishes, thus thwarting a mess while entertaining.
HOST WITH CONFIDENCE
When it comes to hosting, Bryan continued, adult beverages deserve a special room of their own. Think wine rooms, wine centers, speakeasies and hidden bars and unique, smaller spaces for showcasing bourbon and whiskey or other liquor collections. In such a case, open shelving or glass-front cabinets elevate the experience from a visual and functional perspective.
Children and pets also require a place to call their own, according to Bryan. He said he’s seeing more mudrooms and locker rooms with storage for kids, as well as heating and bathing stations for dogs. “As families are looking to create a home that is unique to their lifestyle, we are always considering how we can go the extra mile to meet all of clients’ needs, while making sure each room is functional as well as beautiful,” he said. “And since home is going to be the place where great memories are made, we want to make our clients’ dreams the reality in which they live.”
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