How To Design An At-Home Coffee Station To Jumpstart Your Productivity In The Morning
If you enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning, creating a dedicated coffee station is a great way to make this moment a special part of your routine. Pausing to focus on something you enjoy is a form of self-care, which is "anything that you do for yourself that feels nourishing," explains Marni Amsellem, a licensed psychologist in New York (per Everyday Health). The World Health Organization states that making self-care a priority can help protect against disease as well as boost overall wellness. Allowing time for reflection and mindfulness in your daily life is good for your physical and mental health.
The most important part of a self-care routine is to make it intentional, and creating a coffee station is the perfect way to do just that. It's a way to engage all your senses, which is how it becomes a mindful practice. Arrange the station so that it looks appealing, and pause and enjoy the sound and scent of the coffee as it brews. As you appreciate the warm mug in your hands while you take your first sip, these moments can put you in the right mindset for the day. "When we are regularly taking care of ourselves, we are better able to react to the things that go on in our lives," Dr. Amsellem says. "It's something we do to maintain positive well-being." Here are some suggestions for ways to design a coffee station that will help you start your morning in the best way.
Memorable
Enjoying coffee in the morning is a sensory experience, and it should begin with a coffee station that is pleasant to see each morning. Fill your station with items that are uplifting and inspiring, such as pieces of art or photographs of loved ones. Adding photographs in decorative frames is a great way to make your coffee station a special place that encourages reflection and positive feelings about time spent with family and friends. Vintage photographs can be complemented by a vintage style of décor as well. Accompany the silver picture frames with other silver pieces, such as a sugar bowl, a collection of spoons, or an antique two-tiered cake stand that displays an assortment of mugs or cups and saucers.
The art of brewing coffee is a timeless pursuit enjoyed throughout generations and across every culture. A coffee station that reflects the enduring appeal of this art form will inspire you to pause and reflect with gratitude for all that has come before, and all there is to look forward to each day.
Warm and inviting
Creating a coffee bar with a country cottage theme creates a warm and welcoming start to the day. Use a repurposed dresser as the base, and then layer items on top for an added sense of farmhouse hospitality. A wood tray is a perfect spot to arrange any necessary items, such as spoons, sugar packets, or even a collection of pastries to enjoy with your morning brew. A row of hooks above the table is a creative way to organize coffee mugs within easy reach but without taking up counter space.
A simple wood block can serve as an open shelf above the space, providing the perfect spot to store coffee beans in clear glass jars. The shelf can also display decorative items, such as a potted plant or a handsome cutting board. The advantage of an open shelf is how easy it is to redecorate by swapping out dècor, such as a cookbook or a pile of striped linen napkins. Change the items with the seasons or whenever you find new inspiration, and your cottage coffee bar will always be a place of respite each day.
Colorful
Another way to design your coffee station is to use the coffee itself as décor in the display. Individual pods of coffee are often packaged in bright jewel tones. Creating a collection of these colorful pods is artistic and practical. The rich color of each packet represents the rich flavor of the coffee it will produce, and keeping this collection on display will make it easy to decide which flavor best suits your mood each morning. Keep the pods organized in clear acrylic boxes so that colors can be visible as décor and make your early morning search for the right flavor a simple task.
Another way to make your station more colorful is to choose appliances in hues that you enjoy. Many coffeemakers are available in choices such as pink, blue, or sage green. Gold accessories such as a frothing cup or a coffee scoop add sparkle and infuse your coffee station with a sense of sophistication.
Organized
Your morning coffee routine should inspire you to have a productive day, but if all of your materials are scattered across the counter, it can feel chaotic instead. Tame the mess by using a simple stand like a tiered shelf to organize all the items you need. This type of organizational tool is especially helpful in a small space, as it doubles your storage capacity and eliminates clutter across the counter. It keeps all of the items that you need close at hand without having to search for them in the early mornings.
Fill the shelves with practical items as well as decorative ones. This is where a canister of coffee sits beside the one for sugar, and it can also hold a jar of spoons or a bottle of flavored syrup. Add a candle or a small vase of flowers, and add a seasonal decoration or two. Organizing all of the items you need will create a beautiful display that will inspire you to have a peaceful start to a productive day.
Versatile
Why stop at coffee when your station can double as a cocoa bar? After that first morning brew, stop by later for an afternoon treat of hot chocolate. Next to the glass jar of ground coffee, add another jar that's filled with marshmallows. You can also add an arrangement of tea bags, ingredients for spiced cider, and a shaker of cinnamon or nutmeg. Enjoy whichever beverage you choose by selecting a mug from the neat assortment displayed on a row of hooks above the table.
Keep a collection of travel cups and lids on the table so that it's convenient to take your drink to go, whether it's to work, to school, or for a walk outside on a snowy afternoon. When you create a coffee station that offers a variety of choices, you'll feel drawn to it throughout the day. Pause during each visit and enjoy a peaceful moment, knowing that your coffee station has provided you with the refreshment you need.