17 Designer-Approved Modern Coffee Bar Ideas We're Loving a LATTE
Ah, coffee. Call it java, call it joe, call it dirt, or call it mud: At the end of the day (or, should we say, at the start of the day!), this beverage is one most people can’t live without. We can all argue on and on about ideal coffee orders—and the right answer is dirty chai latte with oat milk, per this editor—but one universal truth everyone can settle on is the fact that consuming your daily coffee ration in a chic way, from the comforts of home, is objectively a win.
How exactly does one achieve this? Enter: a personal coffee bar, which can be integrated into your existing kitchen setup for a look that will inspire you to rise and grind. That’s right, bar carts have had their moment in the Pinterest spotlight, and now coffee has entered the chat.
Creating a from-scratch coffee bar that’s equal parts modern, functional, and personalized to your tastes is quite a tall order, so allow the following designer advice and ideas to inspire you. Trust us: They’re absolutely brew-tiful.
Tiny but Mighty Coffee Bar
Jessica Davis, founder of the women-led ELLE DECOR A-List firm Atelier Davis, tells us she “love[s] to use warm wood and a really unique stone for the counter surface” of coffee bars. Based on this picture, it’s not hard to see why. The pocket-size niche also proves the theory that bigger and bolder is not always better when it comes to creating the perfect spot for your daily coffee-chugging routine.
Actually low on space? Per Davis, use what you can. “In a tiny space I like to use a small vintage furniture piece for a coffee bar. Maybe a little dresser with drawers...or even a vintage bar cart,” she says.
Backlit Coffee Bar
This collab between wine and coffee makes for a perfect day-to-night transition, without ever leaving the kitchen. Especially worthy of a mention are the coffee bar’s marble backsplash and backlit shelves. The latter adds an undeniable element of moody sexiness to the whole tableau; in conjunction with the rich aroma of coffee beans, the whole thing becomes simply irresistible.
Incognito Coffee Bar
In this sleek and chic kitchen by Liz Potarazu of the Maryland-based design firm LP & Co, the coffee bar is in “incognito mode,” surrounded by floating shelves that display art objects versus kitchen essentials. Per Potarazu herself, “Creating a space for a coffee machine and its accessories within your kitchen cabinetry, complete with pocket doors or a lift-top door, provides you with all the function of a coffee bar without showing any of the mess that can go into it.” When paired with open shelving, it makes “a beautiful yet functional space for your morning routine.” We absolutely couldn’t agree more.
Coffee Bar Meets Sink
Especially in small quarters, you have to make do with limited opportunities for expansion when it comes to creating your dream coffee bar. This one, which works in unison with the sink, has a kind of old-school charm to it: all vintage lamps and trinkets and warm wood panelling. It's your excuse to mix-and-match decor elements you already have at hand—displaying them proudly next to the main event (the actual coffee maker!).
Space-Saving Coffee Bar
This coffee bar setup is not only space-saving but also budget-friendly. All it takes to replicate the look is a simple storage cart—which you can tuck into the corner of even the smallest apartment kitchenette—and all the fixin’s you need to make your coffee experience worth it each time. Not a fan of anxiety-inducing caffeine? Use this storage solution for your tea habit too by tastefully displaying loose-leaf tins or accessories like matcha whisks.
Multifunctional Coffee Bar
Imagine making your fancy-shmancy coffee here and then taking it a literal two steps over to sip while answering some work emails. With this kitchen-slash-office setup, courtesy of D.C.-based architecture and design company Third Street Architecture, you can. That undercounter fridge and those charming pendant lights? Priceless additions to any modern coffee bar design.
Retro Cabinet Coffee Bar
Ran out of counter space? Hit the antique mall this weekend and scavenge for a vintage cabinet that can accommodate everything from your coffee maker to glassware (for those iced lattes, duh!). There’s something so markedly retro about this coffee bar look, and it surely doesn’t take much to achieve similar results in your own abode.
Coffee Bar with Tile Backsplash
Making a statement in your kitchen via bold tile backsplashes is nothing new, but this particular coffee bar is an anti-statement in a way: subtle and demure as it is. “For this project we used zellige [tiles] for the backsplash, quartz slab for the countertops, and white oak and brass hardware—bringing warmth to a purposely seamless design,” says Pascale de Fouchier of Pascale de Fouchier Interiors. Mugs, vases, and other objects that match the tiles’ hue make the whole look even more picture-perfect.
Coffee Shop–Like Coffee Bar
You’ve probably heard the legend that if you skip out on your $7 daily flat white, you could eventually become a millionaire (validity of that statement very much pending). If you do, indeed, choose to embark on this get-rich-quick experiment, having a coffee bar that basically replicates coffee shop interiors will make it easy. Here, the look is made complete via a peg letter board and a sign that takes us back to mid-aughts Tumblr. Embrace the nostalgia, and don’t forget to add fresh florals, like this orchid, for good measure!
Coffee Bar in Unique Location
Think coffee bars are only reserved for kitchens? Think again. This one, created by Dana Schwartz, who runs an eponymous design firm, is actually in the middle of a hallway of guest bedrooms (because going all the way to the kitchen for your daily dose of energy is too much work).
“The wallpaper and the paneled appliance cabinetry mimics the wood tones of the hallway,” Schwartz tells ELLE DECOR. “Instead of doing closed cabinetry above the bar, we opted for floating brass shelves to modernize and add a touch of glam to the warm tones. We also included refrigerator drawers in the bar for ease of use and storage.”
Color-Coordinated Coffee Bar
While mismatched tchotchkes littering your kitchen counters or coffee bar have readily apparent charm to them, sometimes going the matchy-matchy route is preferable. Most gadgets in this space, kettle and espresso machine included, are eggshell colored and glossy. This aesthetic, in turn, goes seamlessly hand in hand with the cabinets. Perfection.
Appliance-Laden Coffee Bar
This coffee bar visual, as part of a kitchen’s renovation in Great Falls, Virginia, shows that having a lot of appliances doesn’t necessarily detract from the suaveness of the space...as long as you properly embed them. “The drawer inserts and pull-out shelves were custom designed to perfectly fit [the clients’] coffee makers, toaster oven, mugs, and all other needed items,” says Kate Donahue, architect and team leader at Four Brothers Design + Build, the company behind this design. The nook’s white oak interior finish marvelously contrasts with all that stainless steel.
Bedroom-Based Coffee Bar
Coffee bars in bedrooms? Anything is possible! In this cozy project by Carrie Moore Interior Design, the luxury of coffee in bed—every single day—is made all the more accessible. “When the doors open, a built-in, fully automatic coffee maker is revealed,” Moore describes. “The small space also has a sink, panel-ready drawer dishwasher, panel-ready refrigerator drawer, and storage cabinets for...coffee accoutrements.” In other words, enough bells and whistles to fully justify your bed rot.
As far as what Moore thinks is essential to have in any coffee bar: “bean storage, a grinder, a coffee/espresso maker of choice (whether it’s a simplistic pour-over carafe, top-of-the-line espresso maker, or a fully automatic maker), a milk frother, a place to discard used grounds, and mugs!” Brb, adding all of that to cart.
Chic and Feminine Coffee Bar
This coffee bar situation—crafted by Gabriela Eisenhart, principal designer at Silo Studios—is kind of glam, let’s be real. The cabinetry colors and pink teapot make a perfect match, especially in the context of that white subway tile backsplash. For those who don’t know how exactly to proceed with their own coffee bar endeavors, Eisenhart has some precious advice: “Treat the coffee bar like you would the kitchen design, but avoid overcomplicating it since coffee machines already have a strong visual presence. Choose a clean, natural stone for the countertop and an easy-to-wipe backsplash.” Check, check, and check.
White Oak Coffee Bar
White oak finishes seem to be the common thread that runs through many coffee bar ideas in this roundup, and we’re not mad about that. After all, just look how subtly elegant the wood is in this arrangement by MV Architects. Go a step further and echo the surface’s hue in nearby decor elements, like the dining chairs. A kitchen this nice will have you setting all your future alarms to 6 a.m.
Mirrored Coffee Bar
We know, we know: This isn’t technically a coffee bar. But use your imagination for a sec and pretend the top-shelf liquor lining those shelves is actually a selection of the finest roasts. We pulled this visual—from Timothy Haynes and Kevin Roberts’s reno of a London townhouse—to illustrate the beauty of using mirrors and silvery mosaics to create a coffee nook. All your guests will be jealous.
High Culture Coffee Bar
Morning coffee, but make it highbrow. In this wet bar, from a Studio Piet Boon–designed home in Amsterdam, the red sculptures by Lars Zech and Lieve Rutte, from left to right, are just the cherry on top that was needed. The mirrored backsplash and Gaggenau wine cooler also contribute to elevating the scene. You can use the cooler, by the way, to store nut milks instead of alcohol!
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