Inside a Small Coastal Kitchen That Rewrites the Rules – Here’s Why the Designers Used an Unexpected Buttery Hue to Go Against Outdated Color Clichés

Horseshoe layout kitchen with yellow Shaker cabinets, brass hardware, red and white checkerboard backsplash, farmhouse sink, and built-in banquette seating.

There’s a common instinct to tone colors down in small kitchens, and to default to predictable blue-and-white nautical tropes in coastal kitchens – yet this palette-pushing design shows why neither approach is necessary.

In this period home just steps from Portobello Beach in Edinburgh, British designer Ailsa MacConnell, founder of Studio Mac, proves that confident color choices and clever layout decisions can transform a deceptively small kitchen into the warm heart of a family home. Designed for a young family who love to cook, the brief was clear: make it practical, sociable, and cozy for children – while ensuring the space flows seamlessly into the adjacent living room.