Who doesn’t love a great coffee house? The comfy, cool vibe works equally well for getting work done as it does for laughing with a lover or consoling a friend.  I love it so much I’m starting to incorporate the style into my staging designs and after I share a few tricks with you, you’ll be able to create a coffee house vibe in your own home.

On my gravestone it will read “Here lies Cassee, oh how she loved coffee houses” It’s true. Since living in Seattle, Washington, the hallowed ground of coffee (home of the original Starbucks before it was, oh ya know Starbucks) I have been in love with coffee houses. I don’t mean to sound pretentious with that whole coffee “House” thing v. coffee “shop” but there really is a difference especially stylistically. 

As fall rolls in and the weather starts to turn I duck into and feel so welcomed by an eclectic, quirky, thought-provoking, comfortable and oddly plush coffee house. Think velvet couches, mismatched furniture, found objects, un-tethered creativity and all are welcome kind of place. I’m always so inspired in a coffee house. I want to play chess and discuss Socrates. 

It’s really easier than you think to create a coffee house vibe.

Some design options for you to consider

  • Add a chalkboard wall to your kitchen. It’s a great focal point that puts the fun in function.
  • If you have space, you can add shelving or a special cabinet for all your coffee, mugs and fixings
  • Themed artwork: something unique or made locally is ideal. If you are a DIY type try stencling!
  • A pub height table and chairs or a funky non-kitchen type piece like a loveseat or chair
  • Commercial or industrial shelving or accent pieces

The coffee house vibe is about having fun and the art of the mix. Use that chair you inherited from your grandma’s place that has a loud pattern or that couch that no one wants from habitat for humanity and mix it with your new stuff. Plush fabrics always work fantastic like velvets. Greens and purples also add a grand effect “so serious it’s funny” statement. Ironic signage is also really cool. I found an old glass window with Record Cutting shop. Diner chairs and tables of course.

Go for your own coffee house vibe. It’s fun, it’s funky, and it’s gorgeous.