HOW TO CREATE A CUTE COFFEE BAR IN ANY SPACE

Have you often scrolled through Instagram or Pinterest, dreaming of one of those beautiful coffee bars, imagining yourself preparing a latte and choosing from an array of cute mugs? Does your caffeine dream end with the realization that you simply don’t have the space to create such a luxury? I had thought that for some time too, but when I started thinking about my home differently, I realized that there were actually several areas where I could create a cute coffee bar. 

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Choose a location

Countertop

One of the obvious spots to create a cute coffee bar is on a kitchen countertop. This has the advantage of being close to the water supply and cream/milk supply. If you have a moderate to large kitchen you likely have a portion of the countertop that could be made available for a coffee bar.  Some of the cutest coffee bars are found on countertops that are separated from the main counter. If it’s an area that has open shelving above to display mugs and decor, even better! 

Space requirements

A minimum of about 2 feet of countertop is recommended to create a cute coffee bar. This will allow space for a coffeemaker, small mug collection, and assorted coffees and teas. I decided to put my coffee bar in our dining room to allow for more display space, but I do have a mini tea station on our kitchen counter. It’s essentially a teamaker, which is the best invention ever, a countertop mug rack, and a basket of assorted teas.

Tabletop

Consider purchasing or repurposing a table if your counter space is very limited or you want an entirely separate area for coffee. I think the cutest coffee bars are a combination of a table and open shelving or a mug rack, so observe your spaces carefully to see if there’s potential for upwards storage. If you can utilize wall space with shelving or a mug rack then you won’t need such a large table surface for your coffee bar.

Before purchasing your table, find a space for your coffee bar. It could be in the kitchen eating area, or even in your dining room or area between the kitchen and main living space. You will need a minimum of about 2 feet wide and 16 inches deep. Of course, it could be as large as you like! Consider the distance from the kitchen and whether or not there is a cozy place to sit near the coffee bar once you’ve got your hot drink in hand.

Consider unconventional locations

I decided to put my coffee bar in a corner of our dining room, but I easily could have located it on our console table behind our dining room table. This would have been a larger space with more options for display, but I liked the idea of a cozy cute coffee bar. To see how I installed these open shelves, click here.

My Coffee Bar

I created my coffee bar in a tiny corner behind a door in a space that was previously empty. I thought the only thing that could possibly fit there was a plant, as the space is only 36” wide and 17” deep. However, I found the perfectly sized table in my own home!

The table

I repurposed an old table and gave it a quick makeover with a couple coats of Annie Sloan chalk paint in Paris Grey. Next, I distressed it lightly with sandpaper to give it a farmhouse feel. Finally, I gave it a coat of wax to protect it from water and coffee.

Add décor items

Once the table was complete, I wanted to get my coffee bar up and running immediately, so I grabbed a cute mug and canister, repurposed an old frame and printed off a cute coffee saying from a digital file I downloaded on the spot. Since it was close to Easter, I added a ceramic bunny for a touch of whimsy. Half an hour later, I had my first coffee bar.

Mug storage

I enjoyed this little coffee bar so much, but I wanted to have additional space to store my growing collection of Rae Dunn coffee mugs. To accomplish this, I purchased a cute wall mug rack and it really completed the space. I ended up relocating my framed coffee saying to another part of our home to make space for the mug rack.  At the same time, I added board and batten to our entire living room and dining room, including the coffee bar area.  This added plenty of character to this space. To see my board and batten tutorial, click here.

Not bad for a tiny unused corner of our home. Why not consider some of those unused spaces in your own home?

My coffee bar necessities

• Small table or portion of kitchen countertop

• Good quality coffee maker

• Coffee (of course!)

• Coffee mugs

• Cute signs

• A space to display fresh flowers or plates

• A shelf for coffee canisters

• Cloth or paper napkin storage

This is one of my favourite areas in our home to style for the seasons. I like adding fresh flowers, seasonal décor items, and some unexpected items like vintage bottles or books. In fact I style this space each month, and one of these days I’ll share a post that shows my coffee bar throughout the year. A coffee bar is a fun space to get creative with. I hope you’re inspired to create a cute coffee bar of your own.