6 Charming Interior Fitout Ideas for Small Neighborhood Coffee Shops
Neighborhood coffee shops make communities closer and cozier. These make great meeting places for friends, a quiet retreat after work, and even a fun destination for brunch for the family. After all, a lot of cafés or coffee shops do not just offer different blends of coffee; many of them serve full meals (especially over the weekends) and a lovely ambience.
Therefore, if you are thinking of setting up your own café, you cannot only focus on the coffee. For the business to become a beloved fixture in the neighborhood, you need to think about the “overall experience” of your customers.
Think about the different reasons that can draw them to the establishment. These commonly include their desire to relax and see something different from what they are often exposed to. With these in mind, you will understand how crucial it is to carefully design the interior of your coffee shop, particularly if you’re dealing with space constraints.
There are many fitout and design solutions for small cafés. These are not just meant to increase the functionality of space but also to make it more visually appealing. Need some ideas? Here are six charming fitout and design ideas for a small coffee shop that you can use.
1. “Hole in the wall” seating
If you have thick walls that hold storage, why not install recessed seats to save space and also create a streamlined appearance to your coffee shop? Such a seating solution does not only have a sophisticated appearance, but it also makes for cozy booths for the customers.
Plus, if you can use even more additional storage for your quaint café, you can have small drawers or cubby-like shelves installed under the seats.
2. Planter bars or counters
Counters or bars with built-in planters are charming fit-out solutions for cafés that serve fresh food like salads and sandwiches. The planters hold both decorative and edible plants that the service crew has easy access to while preparing orders. At the same time, those sitting at the bar are treated to the lovely sight of fresh greens as they enjoy a cup of joe or a leisurely brunch.
3. Storage partitions
Partitions clearly define spaces and provide much-needed privacy. However, they can be designed to meet storage and display requirements for the coffee shop as well. They may initially be mere cubbies that separate two spaces, but they can also serve another purpose, like holding everything from decorative wares to menus and other business essentials.
Thick and “block” partitions, meanwhile, can be made hollow inside to hold touch-latch drawers where condiments and other supplies are kept.
4. Transformable room dividers
These are popular fitout solutions for small business establishments. Dividers or doors can be moved around to change the look of the space according to the operations’ needs. They open up or enclose spaces according to the demands of operations.
With the thoughtful installation of these transformable room dividers, your café can have more rooms or one big room, and you can make adjustments to the space in order to control the amount of natural illumination and ventilation within the building.
5. Different floor levels
In small spaces, having different floor levels can do so much in enhancing the look of the place as well as increasing the functionality of certain areas. Aesthetically, they create a fascinating texture to the place, especially if you use different floor materials such as wood, cork, tiles, or finished concrete enhanced with decorative paint.
Functionally, different floor levels provide additional seating and informal tables. Thus, they change the way people interact with each other — some can sit on proper chairs, while others can sit on steps and even the floor (make sure to use waterproofing paint on these light traffic areas for safety and protection). They also create a stage for intimate, acoustic performances or poetry reading (which cafés are preferred venues for).
All in all, these floor levels help create a friendlier and more dynamic atmosphere for the establishment.
6. Vertical garden wall
With going green being all the rage, it’s no wonder a vertical garden wall has become a much-admired feature in a lot of coffee shops. People are sure to enjoy the concept of bringing nature in, and it does so much in improving the indoor climate for small cafés.
Additionally, a vertical garden allows for the establishment to grow some of its own ingredients. Various herbs added to soups, salads, and sandwiches can thrive indoors and need minimal sunlight; the service crew just needs to pluck them from the garden wall.
The “grow your own” concept displayed by this fitout idea sits well with a lot of customers, making it a strong marketing tactic for the business.
So, there you have it – six wonderful fitout ideas for small coffee shops that are worth thinking about for the construction of your own café. They can create a smooth flow for your operations and demonstrate your shop’s unique beauty and utility standards as well as business values, especially when catering to today’s demanding customers.
