Are you planning on casual stool seating on the island? It's unfortunate it's back is not finished as beautifully as your cabinetry--shoe scuffs would not show on the wood.

Yes - I should have mentioned that. Thank you! I'm open to giving that side of the island a design with temporary peel and stick - it would wipe down easily and hide some of the everyday scuffs until we decide how we will proceed with the kitchen.

I appreciate that - my contractor suggested a light gray with the discussion of potentially replacing the current countertop.. I shouldn't have mentioned gray in the comment.

I would suggest that you take a look at the Barclay Butera Laguna and Malibu collections made by Lexington furniture. They are simple, classic designs with a coastal feel.

This is the Barclay Butera Malibu dining set. I would NOT paint your kitchen cabinets.

Get your coastal woven in, get a beachy wood table, but add small black accents to coordinate with your dining room light fixture and to relate to the darker wood of your kitchen cabinets. Now is not the time to paint your kitchen cabinets. Live there for a while. Figure out if you want a new floor or counters in the kitchen too. For now, go beachy with some grounded black touches and a few accent pieces - vases, bowls, decorative objects that are darker wood to related to the cabinets.

Great table with a tad bit of black

Coastal chairs with a tiny bit of black

I'm not suggesting any of these looks for you, but just to give you an idea of how darker wood or a touch of grey-black can really ground a coastal vibe.

Beach Style Dining Room · More Info

What paint color are you using on your walls?

I spend a lot of time at our counter. In order for sitting there to be comfortable it appears you need a deeper overhang. That shrinks your room for a table.

I like your idea of using peel and stick tiles on the back of the island. I think that would be an excellent way of adding a dark element to tie in the dark cabinets while you’re deciding how to proceed. These sideboards look lovely and are not too pricey. The tiles are from Wayfair, and the consoles are from Target.