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Having a coffee station in your kitchen or between your dining space and your kitchen can make it much easier to manage your morning routine. If you need to cook a hot breakfast or prepare lunches to get everyone moving forward into their day, having a spot to prepare a cup of coffee or tea that is away from the stove and the traffic area can make your whole day run a bit more smoothly.
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Check the Utilities
Obviously, your coffee station will need access to power and water. If you have an electric tea kettle as well as an electric coffee pot or a pod machine, make sure you have a small strip or brick to plug into. If possible, mount this to free up counter space.
If you have the space and prefer filtered water, you may want to settle your water dispenser on a shelf or even on a sturdy crate tipped on the side. This will make it easy to access the spigot and give you storage inside the crate.
Consider also adding a spot for a water pitcher to refill your kettle and coffeemaker. If your home has a filtration system and you just need water in your coffee area, a large sealed water container can reduce traipsing from coffee station to sink.
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Keep It Simple
A spot with a drawer can make your life a lot easier. If you keep coffee pods or if you prefer to fill your own with rich, ground Kona coffee, keep all the tools for filling the pods in a pretty bowl or small bin that you can transfer to the sink to rinse if necessary.
Pre-made pods can be easier to manage than DIY fillers. Consider adding a shallow pull-out drawer that you can fill with a single or double layer of pods. Line these drawers with small dividers so you can easily check your stock. For example, you can line the bottom of each divided section with the name of what fits in that section so you can easily check stock. The last thing you want to find out is that you're out of your favorite before you have time to order more!
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Keep It Safe
Coffee and tea take hot water, and hot water can be hazardous if you have little ones in your home. If your little ones love hot chocolate from your coffee machine, make sure that their mugs are tucked away to avoid triggering the "I want" response at the wrong time of day. Hanging their cup on the wall may encourage poor choices on their part. Additionally, you may want to store non-coffee pods out of the way to avoid triggering these desires.
Once your child is old enough to manage the machines, consider adding a step stool so they can function easily at a manageable height. A spill of hot water for a child whose face is the counter height can be devastating.
Additionally, adults will need some safety considerations. Handling very hot water first thing in the morning may include some hazards. If your coffee choices include a fresh cup of pour-over or coffee from a French press, add a simple timer to your coffee station to keep everyone cognizant and focused.
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Make It Easy to Clean
Consider putting a tray under your coffee pot, thermos, and pouring space. Cleaning up spilled water, grounds or loose tea leaves from the tray will be much easier, especially if your countertop is light-colored. In a small kitchen, a tray under the coffee station will also define the space.
To keep clutter down, consider going up. For example, you can hang
- mugs by the handle
- small plastic bins for tea bags
- a small shelf for your press or your pour-over filter
Not only will this cut down on clutter in your kitchen, but there are many coffee-making tools that are quite beautiful on a shelf. Function and decor in one piece? Amazing!
Coffee makes the world go round and can be a great way to start your day. If you love having a coffee ritual to start your day, having a coffee station that makes sense to your early morning brain can make mornings a little easier to manage.
Authors Bio.: Maggie Bloom
Maggie graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in communication and writing. In her spare time, she loves to dance, read, and bake. She also enjoys traveling and scouting out new brunch locations.
