Creating a Coffee Bar: Easy Ways To Create a Home Coffee Station

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect my recommendations; I only recommend products I truly love. Thanks for shopping these links to support the content I provide! xoxo Suzette

All photos in this post are by Christa Tippmann Photography

Everything you need to know about creating a coffee bar or a home coffee station in your kitchen

I don’t know why but creating little “pop-up” coffee stations in our house is one of my favorite styling projects. I typically set up shop each year in September- just in time for pumpkin-spice/apple cider season and I keep it going (with a few small decorative updates) all the way through the holiday season.

And if you’re thinking, “I don’t drink coffee!”…. STAY WITH ME! All the ideas and tips in this article can apply to any kind of beverage station you’d like. You can easily swap out hot cocoa or cider pods for coffee or focus on tea packets or even a dirty soda bar (which I’m currently working on for my teen in her hangout area). I’ll call it a coffee station throughout this post but just know you can sub in any drink you like. Make it your own!

Read on for all the details you need to know for setting up, organizing, and maintaining an interactive beverage station in your home.

Getting Started: Planning For Your Home coffee Bar

WHat is a home coffee station?

I recommend organizing a kitchen in “zones” and an at-home coffee station is simply a zone dedicated to preparing coffee and storing the necessarily related supplies.

It can be as big (or small) as you want it to be. It can also be a permanent setup or a seasonal one! The important thing is that you are providing a dedicated space for storing all the things you need to provide your ideal coffee-making experience!

---

Why should I consider creating a coffee bar?

There are a lot of reasons why you should consider setting up an intentional zone in your kitchen for this purpose:

• It makes a repetitive daily task easier (and quicker) when everything you need is in close proximity
• You can quickly gauge when it’s time for a restock when everything is clearly displayed rather than shoved in random cabinets
• If you go the seasonal route, it can be a fun experience that your friends and family can look forward to each year- and remember you for!
• When hosting it allows guests to serve themselves– so you’re free to attend to other responsibilities.

---

things To THink through before creating a coffee bar in Your kitchen

1. Do I want this to be permanent? – This will most likely impact your location. If it’s a fun temporary display for a party or holiday you might be willing to use a good amount of counter space. Or you might consider bringing in a bar cart or folding table to set up your display. If you’re thinking more long term, however, you will likely look for a place that makes sense with your space, available cabinet space, and current routines so that it is functional and not obtrustive.
2. What do I want to include? – First think about your goal- is this a functional area strictly for the basics? Or do you want to include fun extras to make it more of a creative experience?
   • Which beverages would you like to serve? Tea, cocoa, coffee, sodas…
   • Which equipment do I use? Full blown espresso machine or a simple Keurig…totally up to you
   • Will I keep the ingredients in this area?
3. How much do I want to spend?– As with any project, costs can add up quickly. Determine how much money you want to invest in this process up front- it may direct how involved your set-up will be.

---

How much counter space do I need for a home coffee station that feels functional but not cluttered?

With thoughtful organization, you don’t need much space to create a functional, clutter free kitchen coffee bar.

For example, my current seasonal setup is on a small vintage butcher block that measures approximately 24″ x 24″ and it houses everything I need for my kids’ hot cocoa bar. My more permanent setup (yes… I have TWO) is in a cabinet that is about the same size.

I’d say 1-2 feet of counter space is enough.

---

What are some budget-friendly ideas for creating a coffee bar without doing a full kitchen remodel?

My advice if you want to experiment with this project (and stay on a budget) is to start slow and add on slowly over time.

Start with a versatile, high quality appliance (electric tea kettle, espresso machine, etc.) and set out glasses you already have as well as any supplies you will need (coffee, filters, etc.). Try to repurpose any canisters, organizing supplies, baskets or bins you already have to keep costs down, then pick 1-2 add-ons in your price range to improve the decor/organization after you have the basic setup figured out.

This helps you stay intentional with purchases; you’ll know which items you actually need.

---

Where should I place a home coffee station—on the counter, in a cabinet, or on a rolling cart?

There’s no right or wrong here; the perfect kitchen coffee bar setup is completely dependent on your goals and the space you have available.

In general though, my advice would be:

• Countertop– Best for seasonal displays or very limited, basic daily setups
• Cabinet– Great for hiding more items or a more extensive setup used on a daily basis. This option keeps counters clear and uncluttered. If you want more info on this specific project you can check out my article: Organizing a Coffee Station in A Cabinet .
• Cart– This can be a great option for a more temporary coffee station for a party, shower, or holiday gathering. I love mobile carts for this purpose because they can easily be relocated to areas outside the kitchen to help improve traffic flow and allow guests to serve themselves with ease.

Stocking Your Home Coffee Station

What should I include when Creating a Coffee Bar in My Kitchen?

This might vary depending on your personal needs but here are some general suggestions:

• Appliances (coffee maker, tea kettle, grinder, frother, etc.)
• Favorite Ingredients (coffee grounds, tea bags)
• Mugs/To-Go Cups
• Supplies (filters, strainers, stirrers)
• Extras (coffee syrups in pretty bottles, sprinkles or powders)
• Organizers (tea box, risers, storage drawers)
• Cleanup Supplies (a bar rag or a pretty stack of napkins, for example)
• Seasonal Decor (small vase with seasonal flowers, decorative accents)

You can click any item within the image below to link to my favorites from each category.

---

What appliances Do You Recommend for creating a coffee bar?

I spent a lot of time researching coffee and tea appliances before I made a big purchase recently. Based on what I found, these are some of the most popular coffee and tea making appliances in a range of price points. Again, you can click any item within the image below to link to my favorites from each category.

Staying Organized When Creating A Coffee bar

What organizing items do I need WHen I’m creating a HOme Coffee Bar?

To keep your kitchen coffee bar organized, these are are a few tools that will help:

1. Risers – Consider using a riser of some sort at the back of your setup to elevate items such as cups, syrups or coffee pods. You can use a metal riser or even a cake plate (I use these often!) to expand your surface area and give your display some height and dimension.
2. Containers – Keep like items upright and grouped neatly using appropriate containers. This might mean small acrylic bins, baskets, vases or specialty storage solutions (as pictured below).
3. Accessibility Aids – Things like pullout drawers make things easy to access when stacked and turntables can help you make it easier to access items at the back of your coffee station.

To make it easy, here are some of my affordable organizing favorites in one place- simply click an item in the image below to shop instantly!

How do I set up a home coffee station that includes options for tea and cocoa lovers too?

The photo below shows a setup that includes supplies for a variety of beverage types. The riser at the back of the cabinet organizes teas and syrups while the coffee and tea appliances take front and center.

If you’re trying to include lots of options you might need a slightly bigger space for your setup. Also, you might consider storing only a small amount of each item (a few of each tea bag, for example) and keeping your backstock hidden somewhere near by for more frequent restocks.

What storage solutions work best for a home coffee station during the holidays when guests are visiting?

As I mentioned earlier, a cart or out of the way setup is great for temporary holiday setups.

I also like to keep a small coffee maker (like the Keurig mini shown below) that can be set up in a guest room or a hallway outside of the guest rooms.

You don’t need to include much – just a few bottles of water, some pretty mugs, and a small assortment of KCups. Voila! A hotel style self-serve coffee bar that is convenient for your guests if they are early risers and don’t want to wake up the rest of the household.

What’s the best way to organize mugs, pods, and accessories when creating a coffee bar at home?

Aside from the specialty organizers I linked above, here are a few more quick tips for creating a coffee bar that stays organized:

• Group like with like (all pods go in one place, tea bags in another)
• Use clear containers for pretty items you WANT to display; opt for pretty opaque baskets or wood boxes to store less aesthetic items (just remember to label)
• Choose a vertical mug rack to keep mugs neat and tidy, or stack them on a tray or lazy susan

Decorating Your Home Coffee Bar

should I accessorize my home coffee station?

Absolutely! This isn’t a time to go overboard, but it’s your chance to add a few meaningful touches that accentuate your home decor and pay homage to the current season.

Some of my favorite ways to (subtly) accessorize a coffee station include:

• Adding a seasonal towel or cloth napkin for color and texture; you can line a basket with one or drape one on the corner for easy cleanup
• Add a vase or pitcher with seasonal florals. This could be a bud vase with a bloom or two from your garden or perhaps a larger urn with fresh clippings of seasonal greenery at the back of your display.
• Pick up festive seasonal to-go cups (I often grab them at Marshall’s or HomeGoods) for a fun touch and swap out your mugs seasonally if you are a collector.
• Lean a piece of artwork against the back wall of your display for height and a hint of personality.

Maintaining Your At-Home Coffee Station

If you find that you LOVE your new setup (and I bet you will!), you will need to do some regular upkeep to keep it looking fresh and organized throughout the year.

Once a week– Restock any ingredients that are running low and do a quick wipe down

Once a month– Give appliances, surfaces, and containers a more thorough wipedown. Replace fresh greenery as needed.

Once a season– Swap out decor as needed and reevaluate what is working and what isn’t – update the location and layout of your coffee station as needed. Deep clean/descale your appliances.

And that’s about it!

I hope that you found this deep dive into creating a coffee bar at home thorough and informative and that I have enouraged you to consider implementing this fun (and useful!) element into your kitchen decor.

Did I miss anything? If so, please let me know!

If you find this article around the holidays, you might also like my related post about our annual family hot cocoa bar setup.

Thank you for stopping by the blog today. Hope to see you back again soon.

xoxo,