Coffee shops around the world have a few specific things in common; they’re cozy, inviting, and a hub of social activity.
Aside from those traits, the sky's the limit when it comes to how you set your café apart with clever coffee shop interior design.
With coffee shops opening up everywhere – from major cities to much smaller towns – the growth of coffee shops in the United States is around 7% year over year. Therefore, the need to make your location unique and attract repeat customers is more important than ever.
So, how can aspiring coffee shop owners create environments that can challenge much larger corporations, appeal to customers, and be worth the trip to town rather than a trip to the grocery store?
1. Accentuate Local Touches and Flavor
One trait that multi-location coffee shop designs have is that many of them look the same. Due to corporate branding, you’d know if you walked into a Starbucks in New York City or in Burke, Texas. When planning out your coffee shop design, take the opportunity to set your location apart by adding local flair or items that are unique to your part of the world. Jane on Fillmore in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco accomplishes this in part with their room-length mirror that was 'tagged' by local artist Geso. Other out of the box ideas include custom murals by more local artists, playing local music, and even serving food items and syrups that are locally produced.
2. Remember that Lighting Matters
Living in Boston, I see a lot of coffee shops that make use of exposed piping and brick walls. While some may think that this style is a little too hipster, there are practical benefits to this aesthetic. Many coffee shops historically use exposed bulbs, which emit a soft yellow light. That light reflects off brick and wood surfaces to fill the area with more warm light. At later times of the day (especially evening), warmer lights are easier for our eyes to adjust to, as opposed to brighter or cooler lights, like florescent lights. You notice this more in coffee shops that are open later into the evening, versus those that are open during the day. Consider when you expect to have the highest traffic, and plan your lighting accordingly. Cooler lights and lighter walls help to illuminate areas during the day (especially as lighter colors reflect sunlight easier), while warmer colors make reading and lounging easier during the evening. Check out the below examples of Toby's Estate and I Feel Espresso Bar for inspiration.
3. Keep it (Mobile) Friendly
Walking down the street, one thing you're bound to notice is how many people are on their phones. I'm certainly guilty of this as well. I even start to panic when my phone is at less than 10% battery when I'm not close to a charger. When drafting up your café design, one way to keep your tech-savvy customers in your location is to include USB outlets. Having a few USB ready outlets in your location can encourage patrons to stick around longer while they charge their phones (and maybe get another cup of coffee while they're at it). Many of these outlets are inexpensive and easy to install, giving you a low-cost way to make your coffee shop a little more tech friendly.
What Are Your Coffee Shop Interior Design Tips?
The coffee shop is a staple of towns across America, and while not everyone has the resources of the bigger coffee companies, making yours stand out isn't an impossible task. By taking stock of what resources you have from your local area, considering the ambiance of your location, and with a little hard work, you can bring something new to the table without breaking the bank. What are some of your coffee shop interior design tips? Share in the comments below!
This article is compliments of Toast.
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