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The Coastal Granddaughter Kitchen Decor You Need On A Budget

When I imagine coastal granddaughter, I think of blue and white linen, minimalist jewelry, and knit sweaters. I think of the perfect beach cottage with a big kitchen and ocean view, nestled on a quiet street in Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket. The coastal granddaughter aesthetic has overtaken Gen Z’s social media, and now everyone is itching to adopt the laidback lifestyle this summer. What goes hand in hand with the coastal granddaughter look is the ability to bake flaky, golden morning pastries, meticulously decorate cakes for Fourth of July, and create picture-perfect backyard dinners featuring fresh fish and spritzes. While the actual lifestyle may only be a dream to most of us, there are plenty of easy ways to reinvent your space for summer using coastal granddaughter kitchen decor on a reasonable budget. 

Vases for Fresh Flower Bouquets

One of the most notable features of East Coast beach towns is hydrangeas, which line people’s front yards and add a pop of color to Gray Wall Board houses. Many coastal granddaughters add these natural beauties to their table arrangements, forming gorgeous bouquets in vases for their dinner parties. You can find awesome pieces at Target for $15-25, and since the coastal aesthetic features a lot of texture, vases like this or this will be sure to make your table stand out. The other good news is that flowers don’t have to be fancy either, so pick up one or two cheap bouquets from Trader Joe’s and organize them into a budget-friendly arrangement.

Glassware

Coastal granddaughter screams classy American chic, and there are so many affordable ways to incorporate blue, white, and pops of red into your own kitchen, starting with plates and glassware. While you may be influenced to purchase Anthropologie’s coastal table accessories, this is a reminder that you can find equally cute versions at more budget-friendly retailers. For cocktails, World Market has these adorable crab glasses and Crate and Barrel sells ribbed ones for $6. As for plates, you can’t pass up this melamine set from Belk or these starfish salad dishes from Marshalls.

Table Runners

The best part of dinner party photoshoots is the thoughtful detail in the way the host sets the table, and coastal granddaughters definitely know how to tie in the beachy vibes with an accent table runner. Finding a blue and white patterned table runner is simple, and while they price at almost $60 at fancier stores, Target and Amazon have budget-friendly options for less than $30. I’m obsessed with this daisy-patterned table runner from Target and this striped coastal one from Amazon.

Placemats

coastal granddaughter decor
Walmart

In addition to the table runner, it’s not a coastal granddaughter dinner setting without the placemats. To accent the blue and white, it’s important to include some sort of texture that has dimension, which typically is something woven in this aesthetic. Woven placemats are such a good staple for summer dinner parties, and this 10-pack on Amazon is only $30. Walmart also sells them separately for less than $1, but you can stock up and buy the number of guests coming to your next coastal-themed gathering.

Wall Prints

Coastal granddaughter kitchens often feature gorgeous ocean views, but living somewhere landlocked doesn’t mean you can’t bring the Nantucket or Cape Cod beaches to you. Hanging cute and affordable artwork is a great way to feature aesthetic pieces in your own kitchen or home, most often featuring blue and white versions of seafood puns, beach items, or other summer favorites. You can find designs on Pinterest and make your own prints, or shop small on sites like Etsy. I found this coastal watercolor set of 3 and this digital download pack of 7 that will make the perfect addition to your DIY coastal kitchen, both priced at $15 or less. 

Dish Towels

To add blue and white accents to your kitchen appliances and cabinets, I’d recommend picking up some budget-friendly dish towels to switch out during summer. Check out Home Goods or TJ Maxx for these sorts of products because they’re almost always cuter and cheaper than the viral, expensive products from Anthropologie or other similar stores. This set of 4 dish towels from TJ Maxx screams Nantucket kitchen and these Monaco ones from Marshalls are also so adorable. The colors and designs are a perfect way to bring out the coastal look in your own kitchen without spending a fortune on overpriced decor.

Molly Isabella is a new member of Spoon University’s NWS and third year at the University of Virginia. She plans to graduate in May 2026 with a BA in Computer Science and a minor in Data Science.

Molly recently completed a semester abroad in Siena, Italy, where she got her first taste of article writing as a Student Blogger for CET Academic Programs. While there, she crafted compelling stories about her experiences of Italian culture, food, and travel. Molly also actively shares content on her growing food blog @mealswithmolls on Instagram, which focuses on promoting a balanced lifestyle to college students and other twentysomethings. Aside from writing, Molly has been a CS teaching assistant for three semesters and also serves as the director of social media and marketing for UVA's chapter of Kappa Delta.

Outside of academics and professional endeavors, Molly is a huge foodie and loves to try new restaurants and fun recipes. She has a passion for traveling, reading, and exercising, all preferably done with friends. Molly believes that ice cream is the best dessert ever invented, and her favorite takeout any sort of rice or salad bowl (always with feta cheese).