6 Ways Designers Have Brought a Cosy Café Feel to a Kitchen
Add a dash of warmth and personality to your kitchen by embracing these café design tips
What appeals to you most about your favourite local café? Is it the warm lighting, cosy seating and bright, welcoming atmosphere? Perhaps it’s the artwork and décor, or the beautiful mugs (and decent coffee, of course)?
Many of these features also apply to good kitchen design and, increasingly, homeowners are looking to bring a flavour of this into their homes. According to the 2024 Houzz UK Kitchen Trends Report, 21% of homeowners renovating kitchens added or updated a coffee/tea station as part of their renovation. If you plan to do the same, here are 6 ideas for bringing a little café charm to your kitchen.
Many of these features also apply to good kitchen design and, increasingly, homeowners are looking to bring a flavour of this into their homes. According to the 2024 Houzz UK Kitchen Trends Report, 21% of homeowners renovating kitchens added or updated a coffee/tea station as part of their renovation. If you plan to do the same, here are 6 ideas for bringing a little café charm to your kitchen.
2. Have a dedicated tea and coffee station
If you want to carve out a café corner in your kitchen, you’ll need to clear some space to prepare your tea or coffee with the sense of ceremony it deserves.
Claiming a corner to display your favourite cups, cafetière or teapot will help to turn a simple everyday task into a pleasing ritual. This cosy corner designed by Fern House London does it perfectly: calm, restful and inviting.
Find a kitchen designer easily on Houzz.
If you want to carve out a café corner in your kitchen, you’ll need to clear some space to prepare your tea or coffee with the sense of ceremony it deserves.
Claiming a corner to display your favourite cups, cafetière or teapot will help to turn a simple everyday task into a pleasing ritual. This cosy corner designed by Fern House London does it perfectly: calm, restful and inviting.
Find a kitchen designer easily on Houzz.
3. Create a perch for one
If you love the idea of creating a little table for one in your kitchen where you can relax and have a quiet drink, this design by Kitchen Architecture shows how it’s done.
The central island in this kitchen could easily have been cast in one solid material, but by adding a small contrasting section at the end, the designer has zoned this as a dedicated space for sitting and enjoying a drink.
The warmth of the wood is tactile and inviting compared to the cool practicality of the marble and clearly marks the spot as somewhere to rest for a moment. The low pendant directly above has been positioned to cast a cosy pool of light.
If you love the idea of creating a little table for one in your kitchen where you can relax and have a quiet drink, this design by Kitchen Architecture shows how it’s done.
The central island in this kitchen could easily have been cast in one solid material, but by adding a small contrasting section at the end, the designer has zoned this as a dedicated space for sitting and enjoying a drink.
The warmth of the wood is tactile and inviting compared to the cool practicality of the marble and clearly marks the spot as somewhere to rest for a moment. The low pendant directly above has been positioned to cast a cosy pool of light.
4. Fashion a cosy corner nook
The owner of this kitchen-diner wanted a space that felt inviting for when friends came over, so Sacha Berger of Honeybee Interiors designed this practical banquette dining area in the corner to create a café feel.
Soft velvet upholstery with hidden storage below surrounds a circular table, which can be extended for guests, while a gallery wall of artwork brings an eclectic café vibe.
Sacha used Houzz Pro’s 3D Floor Planner to map out the space before work began, to help the client visualise how it would look.
Take a full tour of this home.
The owner of this kitchen-diner wanted a space that felt inviting for when friends came over, so Sacha Berger of Honeybee Interiors designed this practical banquette dining area in the corner to create a café feel.
Soft velvet upholstery with hidden storage below surrounds a circular table, which can be extended for guests, while a gallery wall of artwork brings an eclectic café vibe.
Sacha used Houzz Pro’s 3D Floor Planner to map out the space before work began, to help the client visualise how it would look.
Take a full tour of this home.
5. Mark out a seating area with lighting
Good lighting is a crucial element of both commercial and residential design. When used cleverly, it can help to zone an open-plan space and create pockets of cosiness.
The bespoke seating area in this kitchen-diner by Imperfect Interiors combines three layers of light: natural from skylights and windows, practical wall lights, and low pendants for atmosphere.
Hanging a pendant low over a table in this way to create an inviting pool of light is a trick often used in commercial design that translates really neatly into homes.
More: How to Start a Kitchen Renovation
Good lighting is a crucial element of both commercial and residential design. When used cleverly, it can help to zone an open-plan space and create pockets of cosiness.
The bespoke seating area in this kitchen-diner by Imperfect Interiors combines three layers of light: natural from skylights and windows, practical wall lights, and low pendants for atmosphere.
Hanging a pendant low over a table in this way to create an inviting pool of light is a trick often used in commercial design that translates really neatly into homes.
More: How to Start a Kitchen Renovation
6. Add books and plants
This cosy kitchen-diner feels like somewhere you could happily spend an hour or two reading, chatting and relaxing with a hot drink.
As well as plenty of greenery adding a touch of biophilia, piles of colourful books on the open shelves ask to be read, squishy cushions invite you to lounge, and a mix of table lamps and pendant lights feels warm and inviting.
Treading the line between cosy and cluttered can be tricky, but a well-designed space like this one by deVOL Kitchens will have just enough personality to feel inviting while still allowing for practical food and drink preparation.
Tell us…
Have you been inspired by café style? Share your thoughts and ideas in the Comments.
This cosy kitchen-diner feels like somewhere you could happily spend an hour or two reading, chatting and relaxing with a hot drink.
As well as plenty of greenery adding a touch of biophilia, piles of colourful books on the open shelves ask to be read, squishy cushions invite you to lounge, and a mix of table lamps and pendant lights feels warm and inviting.
Treading the line between cosy and cluttered can be tricky, but a well-designed space like this one by deVOL Kitchens will have just enough personality to feel inviting while still allowing for practical food and drink preparation.
Tell us…
Have you been inspired by café style? Share your thoughts and ideas in the Comments.
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Everything about this design by Sustainable Kitchens feels warm, bright and inviting. The colours, artwork and textures all combine to create the kind of welcoming space that instantly draws people in.
The bar stools, painted steel beam and plywood cabinetry have a softly industrial flavour that gives a nod to café design. Similarly, the bold artwork above the coffee station, the bright colours, and the open shelving for crockery have much in common with commercial design. But these elements have been softened and adapted for a residential space, creating a bright and unique kitchen that invites you in.