Visiting a coffee shop isn’t just about the food and drink. In fact, since London’s first one opened in 1652, coffee houses have been places of meeting, of conversation and of ideas. Interiors and coffee shop furniture therefore play a huge part in how we experience cafes, chosen purposefully to guide you through the space – whether that is to ‘grab and go’ or to stay and unwind.

 Most cafes have 4 delineated areas, each with a distinct feel and experience.

The Counter Space

The coffee counter is almost always the focal point of a cafe, channelling customers to make their orders immediately when entering. Designed to be a quick and efficient process, the relationship between customer and menu here is the most important, which is often why menus are bold and graphic and baristas areas are slightly elevated. The only piece of coffee shop furniture you want in this space is some bar stools, if anything at all, just to give those regulars somewhere to perch.

The most advisable bar stools for this area design wise would be either the button stool or the chunky stool, due to their contemporary design but also there 'no backs' which makes them an incredibly sociable high stool. 

The Window Coffee Bar

Coffee bars are often high, almost standing level, with wooden stools placed near to a window – all purposeful choices to make you not want to linger. The experience here is casual and quick, where customers are connected with both the café and the outside world.

High stools and bars in windows are perfect for smaller spaces and espresso bars. However, it’s also less relaxing and dissuades conversation. Consider comfort when choosing your coffee shop furniture for this area, we would recommend the button high stool or chunky high stool for this.

The Table Area

Customers seeking a more social or longer café experience choose tables. More of a restaurant feel, this area invites conversation, working or group meetings. Long communal tables encourage people to meet, whereas individual tables are more private. We have a wide variety of dining tables to suit all of these briefs, from our Chunky Rectangle table or Classic Rectangle table for that more social feel or our smaller pedestal tables such as the Luffield or Boston to create a more private coffee experience. Both options work extremely well dependant on the space you have and the vibe you want.

The Sofas

Sofas in a coffee shop are often nestled away in the back or in a corner, done purposefully for seclusion and privacy and designed to make customers relax. Comfort is key here, with living room furniture used to create that cosy feeling of ‘home away from home’ – and hopefully entice customers to stay, drink and eat.

The perfect partner for a sofa area are coffee height tables, again, smaller if you want something private or longer for something more sociable. The best bet would be to go for a square coffee height table to have enough space for coffee and cake but without making the are feel too communal.

Another option with our new Booth seating would be to have an area with single booths or double booths, with some dining tables to create that private area as an alternative to sofas, dependant on the atmosphere you are wanting to create.

Coffee Shop furniture, whether you choose high stools, long tables for low sofas, your furniture choices – and your interior design as a whole – will tell a story. Make sure they tell the right story for your business.