Blue and White Kitchen

By sticking to a crisp palette and pared-down furnishings, Alex Bates, the creative director of West Elm, gave her family's tiny beach cottage getaway on Fire Island, New York, big presence.

In the kitchen, Alex Bates paired contemporary West Elm chairs with a weathered farm table that belonged to the home's previous owners. The oyster plates were a gift from Bates's mother-in-law.

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