Creating the perfect home coffee bar

Let’s face it, working from home has lots of perks but a custom coffee bar has traditionally not been one of them… until today! Creating a home coffee bar is quick, fun, and easy. In this blog, we share our tips for creating a stylish, efficient, complete at-home coffee station.

A dedicated space

Creating a home coffee set-up is easy, fun, takes surprisingly little space. The first thing to consider when scoping out potential locations for your coffee bar is how you brew — do you need electricity to brew or froth; if so, consider how many sockets you will need. If you brew on your stovetop, you likely want your bar to be close to your stove, or, if that is undesirable, to be in spot where you can put a hotplate. If you like to brew in multiple places, a cart on wheels is another great option. Mobile coffee carts, like drink carts, are perfect for entertaining, for those who brew with a variety of heat sources, and for those who don’t have space for a fixed coffee bar. Some carts even have fold down ledges or tray tables.

Once you’ve identified the perfect spot for your coffee bar, the next thing to consider is how much space you’ll really need. If you primarily brew with a pour-over, odds are you don’t need much counter space, just enough for a kettle, a scale, and your carafe. If you regularly use multiple brewing devices, such as a drip machine and an espresso machine, you’ll need significantly more space. In addition to counter space, you’ll also need space to store coffee, cups, additional equipment, a small compost or trash bin, and cleaning supplies. If you use milk or a dairy alternative, consider adding a small mini-fridge into your coffee bar design.

Once you have your coffee bar foundation, the final structural consideration is material and color. Coffee spills. Coffee stains. These are two realities even the best baristas have to acknowledge. To ensure your coffee bar stays stain-free, use a dark or wood-colored countertop and washable backsplash. If you are prone to spills, you may also want to consider washable cabinet doors.

Brew tools and accouterments

Once you have your space, it is time to gather your grinder, brewing equipment, toys, and toppings. If you love milky espresso-based drinks, hand and electric milk frothers are great, inexpensive investments as are coffee flavoring syrups, coffee toppings (e.g., cinnamon, cocoa, and vanilla), timers, spoons, and latte art stencils. If you purchase multiple coffees at a single time, consider buying coffee storage containers. Not only do coffee storage containers provide a clean, chic, uniform look, they also extend the life of your coffee by preventing air and light from reaching the grounds / beans. For drip coffee drinkers, you may also want to invest in some stackable baskets to hold your filters.

No coffee stains here!

The final element essential to a good home coffee bar: cleaning supplies. Cleaning rags (preferably dark), paper towels, and counter and floor sweepers are highly recommended. If you enjoy cleaning your equipment, pipe cleaners are wonderful for releasing loose grinds or debris in grinders, and soap and water works wonders on all washable equipment (we do not recommend using white vinegar in coffee equipment. If you use a descaler, use one recommended by the brewing machine manufacture.).

Add some flair

As a bonus tip, we suggest you bring some theatrics to your coffee bar. You are the barista. All fellow drinkers will have their eyes on you as you work your coffee magic; you get the privilege of driving their coffee adventure. Personalized coffee aprons, quirky spoons, drink menus, chalkboards with a drink of the day, recipe cards, fun mugs, and a pastry basket can transform an ordinary at-home coffee into a café-worthy experience.