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Coffee Shop Interior Design Ideas: Cafe Interior Design & Layout Tips

Coffee Shop Design

Though a major part of it, good coffee and pastries aren’t the only factors that guarantee your cafe’s success. If you plan on opening up a cafe or revamping your existing location, this is important to keep in mind. Designing your cafe or coffee house in a way that makes it stand out is key. Ambiance and decor can make a lasting impression among guests. If your cafe has a unique concept or unconventional decor to offer, people may spread the good word around and visit your cafe more often and you are more likely to attract more customers.

Coffee Shop Interior Design: The Basics

Designing a coffee house requires adequate time and thought. There are several steps involved in the entire process and if they are well executed, your business will be a success. Below are some of the basics to consider:

Modern Coffee House Design
  • Location - This is foremost when it comes to establishing your business. If your cafe or coffee shop is too remote from the mainstream of people passing by, chances of them spotting your place are not very high. Unlike restaurants where diners can leisure for several hours, customers spend an average of half an hour at a cafe and no one is going to travel 20 miles to have coffee at a distant location.
  • Target Audience - Your target audience should be your prime focus. It is therefore essential that your cafe design caters to their needs and desires in every way. Your brand should be attractive to them and guarantee a comfortable and fulfilling customer experience. For example, if you want to connect with college students looking for a fun coffee experience, your decor should be youth-friendly. Perhaps use a theme taken from pop culture. However, if you are looking to create a quiet workspace for working individuals at your cafe, you should have enough charging stations for their laptops and provide quick WiFi. Your decor should be subtle and classy instead of using bright colors.
  • Concept and Theme - You may have a theme in mind. If you haven’t developed a concept yet, there are a myriad of ideas about colors, schemes, lighting and artwork. If you aren’t sure where to start, get in touch with a professional for some direction. A designer can guide you through designing your cafe once you know what your objective is. You can then design a layout plan or make a blueprint for your cafe.
  • Reflecting Your Brand and Mission - A strong brand that is palpable through your employees, service and decor will make your cafe memorable. Your brand encompasses your cafe’s concept, personality, identity, and mission. Your cafe decor and coffee house interior should be consistent with and even enhance your brand.
  • Selecting a Color Theme - Vibrant colors are great choices for the color theme if you are trying to brighten up your cafe or make it look cheery. If you want to go for something less vivid, opt for a combination of white tones with dark hues. The colors you select for your logo and decor can also influence customer behavior.
  • Being Smart with Your Use of Lighting - If and when possible, it’s best to make use of natural lighting, take advantage of organic light and conserve energy. Cool lights are a great option during the day as they illuminate areas of the cafe with tones similar to that of daylight. Warm and soft lighting fixtures are ideal for creating a comfortable atmosphere because they create a more gentle contrast from the darkness. You may want to use warm or cool tones, depending on your coffee shop’s brand.
  • Seating Arrangements and Layout - Now that you have a blueprint, you can decide on your seating arrangement. Do you want to have indoor seating, outdoor seating or both? Do you want to have comfortable chairs and tables or do you prefer the comfort and appeal of booths? Or perhaps a well balanced mix of both? If you provide outdoor seating, how will you make it comfortable in hotter or colder seasons? What view will your customers have? These factors should be kept in mind when you make decisions for your seating layout and floor plan. Make sure the furniture you equip your café with is complimented by the color theme and lighting. The furniture design and built should be more or less uniform with the decor and most importantly, comfortable.

Modern Coffee Shop Design

Modern Cafe Restaurant Design

Modern style decor has been popularized in the first half of the 20th century. There aren’t many intricate design details in a modern style cafe. The core principle of this particular design style puts emphasis on form and function. In other words, every piece of decoration and furniture should be simple and practical.

1.Furniture and Layout

Chairs, tables and booths feature clean lines and a smooth surface. Texture is added to the chairs and booths with vinyl and fabrics. Clean metal accents in the chairs’ frames and tables create a sleek look. Very light or dark wood patterns are used for the floors.

2.Lighting and Ambiance

Bright lights capture every design detail of the interior. The warm tones set the bar high for the ambiance that is intended to be cozy and inviting. It gives the interior an airy feel. A lot of modern style cafes and coffee houses like to install large windows at the front of the building to maximize natural light.

3.Decoration and Color Theme

Smooth white walls with ivory or tan counters accented with matching tables with a marble effect create a clean and modern look. The blend of sophisticated and comfortable elements is noticeable. Clean lines and neutral colors are balanced out with vivid, bold textures and accessories. The overall look is clean and organized. A living wall with a row of plants neatly lined together breathes life into the cafe’s style.

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White Backless Bistro Style Bar Stool

White Backless Bistro Style Bar Stool

Vintage Style Chair

Vintage Style Metal Chair With Black Padded Seat & Back

Laminate Table Top with Self Edge

Laminate Table Top with Self Edge

Classic Style Coffee Shop Design

Classic Style Coffee House Design

A classic style coffee house is described by many as cross-reference between a rustic and a vintage decor. The idea behind a classic coffee house is functionality. providing a neutral space in which people can sit down for a cuppa or just have one to-go with no fuss and no pretenses of grandeur. This design creates an inviting atmosphere while dispensing with unnecessary facade.

1.Furniture and Layout

Many classic style coffee houses like to assume a minimalist design. It can easily be adapted with simple furniture like padded booths, wood tables and chairs. They offer robust and attractive seating that is great for classic designed spaces. The seating layout and arrangement makes the space comfortable and functional.

2.Lighting and Ambiance

The right lighting can generate positive energy throughout the entire cafe. The warmth of exposed beams is enhanced by the cream titled floors which bounce light around the space. This arrangement makes sure that light flows throughout the entire coffee house in a way that is not too blinding. They pair perfectly well with the ambiance to create a welcoming and open space.

3.Decoration and Color Theme

Curtains, exposed steel pipes on the ceiling, wall decor and other unique decorative pieces can help pull together a classic and timeless theme. Raw wood with stone or metal highlight rugged beauty. Color palette for this design style uses neutral colors like cream, brown, green or tan that allows people to relax while enjoying a good cup of coffee.

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Industrial Series Metal and Wood Chair

Industrial Series Metal and Wood Chair

Solid Wood Plank Table Tops

Premium Solid Wood Plank Table Tops

Round Table Base

Round Metal Table Base

Urban Cafe Design

Urban Style Cafe Restaurant Design

An industrial themed cafe takes inspiration from factories, warehouses and other industrial spaces. Urban design is an extension of the industrial style. It blends industrial, contemporary and modern design elements together to create a unique style. Having a more comfortable look than an industrial style, urban decor embraces loft environments and warehouse conversions as a foundation for its design. Lending a cosmopolitan vibe, urban interior commercial design often varies from earthy to eclectic. It makes the most of small spaces to create a functional and practical area for dining.

1.Furniture and Layout

Furniture with sleek lines, clean finishes and geometric designs are one of the many components that characterize an urban style cafe. They also tend to be softer and more comfortable. Chairs and tables made from natural materials with warm tones and comfortably padded booths create a warm and inviting space. Statement furniture pieces in luxurious fabrics in brighter colors give the urban interior a more eclectic look.

2.Lighting and Ambiance

A warm and cozy cafe interior is good but not when it makes your cafe look too small. Clever use of colors, but especially light, can make your space look bigger. Hanging and wall mounted lights are a great way to distribute enough light in a way that doesn’t take up too much room. Lighting fixtures made from metal go perfectly with an urban interior.

3.Decoration and Color Theme

Key architectural features of an industrial urban style cafe include exposed beams, wall art, unfinished surfaces and materials such as brick, weathered wood, iron reinforcements, and concrete. Wood and stone flooring create the perfect foundation of an industrial-inspired urban cafe interior. Metal and wood accents tie the entire decor together. Large artwork, distinctive window curtains, furniture and vintage ornaments add visual interest and texture to an urban style cafe. Color palette for this cafe style relies on white, tan, gray, black and maroon. It also combines colors that are reminiscent of nature.

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Jasper Metal Restaurant Chair

Jasper Metal Restaurant Chair

Industrial Series Restaurant Table

Industrial Series Restaurant Table with Square Base

Industrial Series Restaurant Table

Industrial Series Restaurant Table with X Prong Base

Mid Century Cafe Design

Mid Century Cafe Restaurant Design

A mid-century design embodies materials created by innovative technology while still celebrating traditional elements. Though the actual timeline is unknown, the style represents an era from the 1930’s to the 1960’s. This design style rose in popularity in the USA in the middle of the 20th century. A mid-century coffee shop, or any dining venue, is recognizable for its clean lines, retro style and a fusion of organic and man-made materials. Other elements include muted tones, geometric shapes and integrating indoor and outdoor motifs. It has minimal ornamentation and an exploration of contrasting materials as well as design characteristics.

1.Furniture and Layout

Wood and metal combination is commonly used for designing furniture in this style. To highlight the design Nordic or vintage style chairs are an iconic choice as they symbolize chic sophistication and charm. Paired with a laminated or solid wood table top, the furniture layout and design give off a strong vibe that compliments the room’s moody hues and slightly feminine curves.

2.Lighting and Ambiance

The retro-tinged vibe is accentuated by unique ambient lighting fixtures. In the Cafe shown, the beautifully designed mid-century chandelier suspended over the table with cool tones sets the mood to a relaxing one. It personifies all the details in the interior. Dimmed lights and classic, luxurious decoration pieces fill the room accenting its vibe. Windows situated at the front of the cafe graciously welcome in natural light while making the room appear more spacious.

3.Decoration and Color Theme

Some of the characteristics commonly found in a mid-century cafe design include minimalist style furniture, mixture of materials and aesthetics combined with large windows and natural earthy tones with pops of color. Depending on the project, mid-century style cafes don’t particularly have an abundance of accessories. The design ultimately concentrates on harmonizing furnishings and decorative objects together for depth and subtle nuances.

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Vintage Style Metal Chair in Brown Vinyl

Vintage Style Metal Chair in Brown Vinyl

Premium Solid Wood Plank Table

Premium Solid Wood Plank Table

Standard Waiting Bench

Standard Waiting Bench