Our Guide to Home Coffee Bars

What’s your idea of the perfect way to begin the day?

If a coffee (or two) is an undeniable essential to help you tackle the tasks ahead, you’re not alone!

Whether you prefer the simplicity of an espresso or the full-bodied comfort of a flat white, having the ability to make a quality coffee in your own kitchen can completely elevate your morning routine.

Now comes the question, “How do you make a coffee bar at home?”. Fortunately, no matter how much space you have or the style of your home’s design, there’s a coffee bar station to suit everyone.

We explore all of the options in our guide to home coffee bars below.

The easiest way to set up a coffee bar at home is to take advantage of your kitchen countertop. With no renovations or additional furniture required, you can create a cost-effective coffee bar bench by simply clearing a space that isn’t yet being used to its full potential.

To help define the boundaries of your caffeine station, place a decorative tray on the benchtop as a designated area for your coffee beans, tea, syrups, and sugar. When buying a coffee machine, be conscious of selecting a style that cohesively ties in with your surrounding kitchen design. A stainless steel machine is a sophisticated choice for a modern coffee bar, perfectly paired with stainless steel tapware or brushed nickel fixtures.

A coffee bar cart or coffee bar trolley offers another affordable avenue for creating your own mini cafe at home while also being conveniently portable. You can park it against any wall that features a power outlet and adorn the shelves with all of the items you need to craft your ideal brew. 

A sleek, gold coffee cart next to a bouclé chair would achieve the sophisticated aesthetic of minimalistic design, while a timber trolley would work cohesively in a coastal home.

Place coffee beans and a variety of teas in matching canisters for a unified look, and a few fun extras into glass jars — marshmallows, cocoa, and biscuits are the perfect place to start! This also helps you see when you’re beginning to run low on supplies at a quick glance.

In addition to being one of our favourite coffee bar ideas for small spaces, a cart allows you to make the most of morning and night by doubling as a small home bar.

If you’d like to leverage your existing space without cluttering the kitchen bench, try creating a coffee bar nook inside a kitchen cabinet. Place your most frequently used items on the bottom shelves, and keep everything organised by labelling your coffee pods, sugars, and teas in matching containers. Open the cabinet door to whip up your favourite beverage, and close it once you’re done to maintain a tidy space. 

In a coffee bar cabinet, keep in mind that you will need access to a power outlet for your coffee machine, so you may need to drill a hole in the wall of the cabinet to accommodate a cord or have an outlet installed inside.

A butler’s pantry affords the home with enhanced functionality, providing an out-of-sight space for food preparation, dirty dishes, and extra storage. Its versatility also extends to establishing a built-in coffee bar.

The open shelves frequently found in a butler’s pantry are an ideal place to display your coffee mugs, glasses, and even an antique tea set while your coffee machine sits proudly beneath. This is one of the most appealing coffee bar ideas for minimalists, as it keeps your collection tucked away from the main kitchen area.

A kitchen with ample space allows you to unleash complete creativity with your coffee bar setup.

Place a side table or bookshelf against a wall as a solid foundation for customising your coffee bar design. You can select a piece of furniture that perfectly accommodates your coffee bar accessories, depending on how visible or hidden you’d like them to appear. Opt for open cube shelves if you’d prefer to see all of the elements of your coffee bar, or choose a buffet with doors and drawers to tuck everything away.

This type of setup offers you the most flexible space for experimenting with coffee bar decor ideas — in addition to adding your machine and essential coffee and tea bar supplies, you can also place indoor plants and flowers on the shelves and a gallery wall above for an eclectic, artsy feel.

Or, inspire an authentic cafe experience by mounting a chalkboard above your side table to create a home coffee bar menu. Write a list of the beverages you have on offer, and even add a motivating message for the day.

If you’re willing to make a serious investment in your coffee-making setup, consider designing a purpose-built breakfast station. Seamlessly integrated into the wall for a streamlined appearance, this type of coffee bar can be completely opened up for unobscured access. Create a nook for your microwave, with a benchtop above to prep breakfast. Add a few recipe books plus a blender to whip up your favourite smoothies, and you’re ready to start each day properly fuelled.

No matter how simple or elaborate your vision for your home coffee bar may be, there is a perfect solution for any home. The humble coffee bar cart would slide effortlessly into the living space of an apartment, while a large family home may accommodate a deluxe bookshelf setup for recreating a cafe atmosphere right at home.