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35 Coffee Bar Ideas to Channel Your Favorite Cafe at Home

Goodbye, groggy mornings.

By Hadley Mendelsohn and Kate McGregor
coffee bar design ideas
Alison Victoria

A morning coffee ritual is both personal and sacred. Whether you use a pour-over set, espresso machine, Aeropress, or family-size pot, your kitchen should have a designated place for your favorite moment of the morning. Good coffee station ideas often include a mug rack, coffee storage, and space for one (or multiple) coffee makers. Think of it like a home coffee bar.

A coffee bar doesn't have to only be a luxury suited to massive chefs' kitchens or hotel suites. Even the smallest spaces can have a coffee station if it's designed with function in mind. Opt for open shelving if you like to keep sentimental mugs on display or closed cabinets if you're secretive about your artisanal coffee stash. No matter your preferred design, keeping your coffee station properly stocked is key. A good selection of sweeteners, creamers, and mug sizes allows you and your guests to take your pick and prepare coffee just to your liking.

To make use of your coffee bar all day long, include a variety of teas or a beverage fridge filled with your favorite afternoon pick-me-ups. Read on for 35 coffee station ideas to maximize your morning routine's potential. They might even cause you to forgo your coffee shop outings altogether.

1

Have Plenty of Prep Space

pastel blue kitchen island with butcher block
Jeff Herr

In this 1940s bungalow, designer Laura Jenkins opted for an open portion of cabinets to house this family's kettle and Chemex. Situated right next to the butcher block counter, there is plenty of room to measure and pour precisely.

2

Group Like Things Together

coffee station ideas
Gridley + Graves

In this low-key coffee station, a French press sits right next to the mugs for easy access. Its close proximity to the sink is ideal for those mornings when every step feels like a marathon.

3

Use Vertical Space

coffee station ideas
DeVol Kitchens

In small kitchens, every shelf counts. So why not add one right over the stove? Now all you need to do to add tea to the kettle is reach up.

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4

Put Essentials on Display

cobalt blue kitchen with gingham sink skirt
Noe DeWitt

Designer Phoebe Howard used color coordination to her advantage in this kitchen, where blue coffee pods that match the palette sit out proudly on the counter.

5

Go for Glass Cabinets

dark wood kitchen cabinets with espresso machine
Adam Kane Macchia

Studio Dearborn founder Sarah Robertson opted for glass cabinets above this kitchen's coffee bar. This way, there's no wondering which door your favorite mug is hiding behind.

6

Upgrade a Former Pantry

home coffee bar
Alison Victoria

Alison Victoria removed the door frame on this small pantry niche and transformed it into a coffee bar with extra storage. The house is long and narrow, so it was important to open it up in as many places as possible, the designer explained. She worked with Hammer Design to create a carved molding archway, incorporating corbels sourced from the Paris flea market to give the angular space a more unique character.

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7

Differentiate With Materials

kitchen design ideas with coffee bar
Eric Piasecki

Designer Gideon Mendelson made this home coffee bar stand out by choosing espresso-inspired surfaces to contrast with the lighter ones on the island. Hooks directly under the top cabinets hold mugs while the counter has ample space for breakfast appliances.

8

Push It Back

coffee bar ideas
DAN CUTRONA PHOTOGRAPHY

Glass and ceramic mugs and an espresso machine are hidden inside a stove-side cabinet in this home. Nicole White opted for a shallower depth so that there's still some countertop in front of the cabinets. That small space makes prep and clean up so much easier.

9

Elevate With Paint

interiors
Emily J Followill

Scotch and coffee, the homeowners' drinks of choice, were exactly what they had on their minds when they hired Melanie Millner to revamp their home. They're cool and sophisticated, but the couple also really wanted their home to be a place where they could relax and enjoy their favorite beverages. Hence this tricked-out coffee bar, located right by the kitchen island. The custom enclosure was built to slide between the wall and the cabinet so that it can look great both open and closed. It's painted in the same paint color as the kitchen, Sea Serpent from Benjamin Moore, for a cohesive look.

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10

Utilize an Adjacent Wall

coffee bar ideas
Erin Little

Heidi Lachapelle revamped this home, where the primary objective was to meld the occupants' contemporary taste with the original farmhouse structure. Because the kitchen is open to the living space, they decided to put the coffee bar just around the bend from the entry. This leaves more room for other cooking essentials in the main kitchen area and also offers a taste of what’s to come when you first come in. “They call it the ‘coffee shrine,’” Lachappelle says. “Our clients have important morning coffee rituals."

11

Give It a Prime Window-Side Spot

hyperfocal 0
Jared Kuzia Photography

Designer Amanda Greaves carved out a pantry behind the kitchen for extra storage and to keep breakfast items. The coffee supplies are conveniently located right by the window to elevate the morning ritual. “We turned the horizontal beams of the structure into shelves by inserting rods as rails,” she says. “Given the rustic nature of the building, the clients wanted a durable, simple, and natural material," and to get function out of every nook and cranny.

12

Invest In High-Quality Equipment

coffee bar ideas
coffee bar ideas

This nook in a kitchen by Molly Britt and Eric Olsen is optimized to run like a charming little cafe. The Britts are self-avowed latte lovers, so a dedicated coffee station was a must, and one of the biggest splurges was an Italian Faema machine. The best of the best function-wise, the espresso machine is also as beautiful as a piece of art. The kitchen is both polished and welcoming thanks to custom but unpretentious millwork, like the herringbone floors. Putting it in its own designated area also means that people can cook and make coffee without being right under each other's feet, and a custom water bottle filler is conveniently placed by the door.

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13

Work Around Awkward Angles

reath design, westwood residence photographed by laure joliet 2019
Laure Joliet

A coffee bar and booze bar become one in this kitchen by Reath Design, proving you can stock your little coffee station for morning, noon, and night. Nestled right next to a casual built-in dining nook, the designers made the best of sloped ceilings with custom shelves for glassware, mugs, and booze, and then kept the remaining counters clear without skimping on storage by hanging a curtain to hide essentials below the sink.

14

Make It Easy for Guests to Access

small home bar
Breegan Jane

Breegan Jane set up a mini bar area with a True glass door under-counter refrigerator to make hosting easier. When throwing parties or entertaining a few guests, she encourages them to pick and choose their own drinks. The glass enclosure makes it easier for them to help themselves and really make themselves at home, so it's a win-win for everybody.

15

Streamline Morning Routines

home coffee bar ideas
Laure Joliet

All the breakfast appliances and coffee equipment are tucked behind custom cabinetry in a walk-in pantry designed by Regan Baker. The appliance garage is conveniently right by the station so that breakfast can be prioritized even on busy mornings.

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16

Elevate Daily Habits With Luxe Materials

fancy home coffee bar ideas
George Ross

This fancy pants kitchen is not messing around when it comes to making a high-quality morning cup of java. Designer Birgitte Pearce selected gorgeous surface materials to elevate the everyday routine. From the warm shade of red paint to the glossy espresso tiles, beige grasscloth wallpaper on the ceiling, brass hardware, and refurbished period details, this home coffee bar is beyond special.

17

Plop It on a Bar Cart

bar cart with coffee drinks
Mike Van Tassell

Beth Diana Smith used art to animate this dining room corner above a bar cart. Because the kitchen didn't have the space to house drinkware, bar goods, coffee essentials, and appliances, they decided to wheel all those things into the room where they'd be enjoying the drinks anyhow. "They don't like a lot of color at one time, but the wife likes funky elements," says Smith. Using art she had originally sourced in 2017 during the clients' living room renovation, Smith accented the walls with a combination of bold Etsy finds and eye-catching originals.

18

Match With the Breakfast Nook

home in santa fe, new mexico designed by french french interiors
Lauren Pressey

Designed by French & French Interiors, this adobe home in Santa Fe called for plenty of florals and pottery, including in the kitchen. They knew they wanted to have a dining table in the kitchen for casual meals, as "it just brings people together," the designer says. Orienting it in the corner near was also strategic. Cozied up to the counter section that corrals all the teapots and plates makes it a great spot for visiting over a nice cup of coffee or tea. Exposed shelves provide a way to add even more whimsical floral motifs and vibrant patterns.

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19

Minimize Heavy Lifting

home coffee bar ideas
Stacy Zarin Goldberg

A farmhouse chic kitchen proves that laid-back interiors can jive with high-tech appliances given the right treatment. Even better, Alison Giese built the cabinets so that the heavier and more fragile items that get a lot of use (like an espresso machine) are easily accessible and easily hidden. If the cabinet shelf is actually just an extension of the counter, you won't have to lift and move the machine, and you can cover it up with the enclosure when needed.

20

Clear Out a Corner

home coffee bar
Joy Street Studio

Joy Street Studio designer Kelly Finley put beverages and select tableware on the floating shelves in this corner and then stored the tea and coffee goods in the drawers so that the entire section is dedicated to one specific use case.

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