You're definitely thinking along the right lines here. From my experience renovating near the coast, regular stainless usually holds up pretty well indoors, especially if you're not directly exposing it to the elements. I renovated a beach cottage a few years back and went with marine-grade for exterior hinges and fasteners, but inside I stuck with standard stainless for handles and fixtures. Honestly, they've held up great so far—no rust or corrosion yet.
That said, salty air does have a sneaky way of getting everywhere eventually, especially if windows are open often or there's high humidity. But realistically, indoor fixtures aren't usually as vulnerable as outdoor hardware. If you're worried, maybe prioritize marine-grade for areas closest to doors or windows that get opened frequently.
Balancing cost and practicality is always tricky, but it sounds like you're already making thoughtful choices. Trust your instincts—you're on the right track.
Good points about stainless vs marine-grade. I've mostly stuck with standard stainless indoors too, but I did notice some minor corrosion around bathroom fixtures after a couple years—probably from humidity and salty air creeping in. Makes me wonder if ventilation upgrades or dehumidifiers might help protect indoor hardware better long-term. Has anyone tried adding extra ventilation or humidity control in coastal renovations, and did it noticeably help with corrosion? Curious if it's worth the extra cost...
I've actually been down this road myself—coastal humidity is no joke. A few years back, I noticed my bathroom fixtures starting to look like they'd spent a weekend at sea, even though they were supposedly "rust-resistant." I ended up installing a better exhaust fan and a small dehumidifier in the bathroom. Honestly, it made a noticeable difference. Fixtures stayed cleaner longer, and the mirror didn't fog up as much (bonus points for shaving visibility!).
That said, ventilation alone won't magically turn standard stainless into marine-grade durability. If you're really close to the ocean, salty air is relentless. But good airflow and humidity control definitely slow down corrosion and help your hardware age gracefully. It's not exactly cheap upfront, but compared to replacing fixtures every few years or constantly scrubbing rust stains...I'd say it's worth considering.
You're spot on about humidity control making a difference. When I renovated a client's beach house last year, we went through similar issues. Upgrading ventilation and adding moisture barriers helped a ton, but we also opted for marine-grade fixtures in key spots like bathrooms and kitchens. It bumped the budget slightly, but honestly, it saved headaches down the road. Coastal living is amazing, but yeah...the ocean air can be brutal on interiors. Sounds like you're already on the right track though!
Yeah, marine-grade fixtures are a good call, but honestly, I'd also recommend setting aside a bit extra for regular maintenance. I renovated a beach rental a few years back, thought I'd covered everything, but still ended up dealing with corrosion issues sooner than expected. Coastal air just doesn't quit... budgeting an extra 10-15% upfront for unexpected repairs or replacements can save you from scrambling later. Learned that the hard way, haha.
