Image credit: Schmidt
To many people, coffee – or as we like to call it, ‘liquid gold’ – isn’t just a drink, it’s a way of life.
No wonder then, that our easy and convenient coffee station ideas feel like both a savvy investment move and a huge treat to ourselves. It’s not that we are trying to put our friendly neighbourhood barista out of business. Not at all. It’s more that we want to bring all the joys that we get from our favourite coffee shop to our own homes.
Interior designer Emma Hancox of Studio EVH thinks a coffee station can be a real sensory indulgence.
She says: “A coffee station is not just a corner in your kitchen, it's a sacred space that fuels our morning ritual and sets the tone for the day ahead.
“It's where we find comfort, warmth, and a familiar routine, making it an essential part of our daily routine. In a world that constantly demands our attention, the coffee station offers a moment of pause, a chance to slow down and savour the simple pleasures in life.”
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Fine machinery for your most refined roasts
If you currently have a perfectly formed but small kitchen design, the chances are that every inch of precious floor- and wall-mounted real estate is spoken for.
To squeeze in any coffee station idea, you are potentially going to have to break a cardinal small kitchen no-clutter rule and store your coffee machine on your worktop. We say this is cause for celebration. Why? Because your coffee machine will be on display and therefore needs to be a work of art.
That leaves you fully justified in buying the high-quality – and strikingly handsome – coffee machine that you have been coveting. An heirloom coffee machine to be envied for generations, as it were. There are no shortage of Italian manufacturers that have perfected the fine art of premium coffee machine design. But, it is fair to say their offerings are strictly for the hardcore coffee aficionado who who holds their morning cuppa ritual as sacred.
Take a look at Harrods and the fabled La Marzocco for the crème de la crème.
Want to learn more about how to choose the right coffee maker for you? Read our advice on which coffee machine to buy.
The machine may be on display, but your secret capsule stash needn’t be
Regardless of whether you have a small or large kitchen, you might decide that your coffee station needs need backup storage – or you might simply not be keen to make your coffee pods an accent in your kitchen.
A drawer dedicated to your morning coffee paraphernalia is one of those coffee station ideas that once discovered, is difficult to live without. Take inspiration from kitchen designers Magnet and dedicate a drawer in your kitchen to storing all of your coffee-making paraphernalia.
Alternatively, there are some stores on Etsy, such as Organize My Drawers, where you can order custom-made organisers for your regular kitchen drawers with slots for all your coffee-making kit.
All that’s missing is the barista
It’s a lazy Saturday. You make yourself a latte, sit yourself down at your very own customised coffee counter, pull out your iPad, navigate to the Saga magazine homepage and take a nice, steaming sip of your favourite brew. All is well with the world.
That is how it feels to have your very own at home sit-in coffee nook, kitted out with comfy bar stools and a dedicated wall-mounted cabinet with all your coffee-making essentials within arm’s reach. What we particularly like about this set up is that it speaks to the sociability that has made coffee drinking in cafes so popular.
In this project by Studio EVH, the dual-stool styling makes for a chatty and friendly corner – a place to bond over a shared love of Kenyan dark roast. Add a few chocolate chip muffins and an almond croissant or two and you’re in business.
Love coffee and streamlined design?
A kitchen with tasteful joinery thoughtfully dedicated to the day’s first coffee moment exudes luxury. Add folding doors that seamlessly disappear when the station is not in use to hide any unintended clutter and you have a winning coffee station idea.
Custom joinery gives you the opportunity to play with patterns, wood grain, colours and textures. This offers another layer of sensory experience to your coffee-drinking experience. What’s more, you have control over switch and cable placement.
Hide these elements away and you’ll end up with a clean and seamless design. This is a marked advantage over an afterthought home coffee station.
Retro freestanding furniture pieces make for characterful coffee stations
Space permitting, adding a piece of freestanding furniture to your kitchen and styling it as a coffee station is unexpected and fun. And if that furniture is inspired by days gone by and has a bit of nostalgic flair to it? All the better.
Is it just us, or does this credenza by Homary styled as an at-home coffee station seriously hint that a good Victoria sponge might be on the offing alongside our espresso?
It can also be an extremely affordable options. You could even pick up a sideboard at your local charity furniture shop or flea market, and take on an upcycling project.
Regardless, it is a rather excellent excuse for getting playful with the coffee-machine choice. To complete the look, only a retro-styled appliance will do. Try Next, Smeg and Amazon for vintage- inspired options.
It brings a whole new meaning to ‘coffee to go’
Imagine this. You have guests and the topic of coffee comes up. You quickly nip to the kitchen and return to the sitting room with a trolley laden with caffeine goodness.
You park up next to a socket and the coffee-making becomes a group activity. That is the kind of coffee station idea that others will want to imitate, because the best coffee experiences are shared.
Another advantage to the travelling coffee station is that options tend to be compact – good news for small kitchens where a built-in design isn’t an option. Wayfair and Graham & Green sell some good affordable options. Or if you are handy, why not put your DIY skills the test and build your own coffee station trolley on castors?
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