Coffee Shop Interior Design Ideas to Brighten Your Space

Nowadays, cafes and coffee shops are more than just places you stop by for a quick brew – these stores are often pivotal parts of the community, providing somewhere people can go to work, relax and meet with friends.

Getting your coffee shop lighting and overall design right is perhaps just as important as your menu itself. A well-executed interior and inviting ambience will ensure you can attract more people, encourage them to stay and incentivise them to return to your store.

The best coffee shop lighting should help create a cosy atmosphere while also showcasing your business’s personality – here are some eye-catching coffee shop ideas that’ll entice patrons to choose your store over your competition.

1. Rustic Industrial Coffee Shop Design

If you’re still deciding on a basic concept for your space, you can’t go far wrong with some industrial inspiration. Industrial designs are exceedingly popular for modern coffee shops as they’re effortlessly stylish and can be easily achieved on sparser budgets.

The major features of the classic industrial look, like metal highlights and exposed details, also combine to create a memorable and characterful space. Further accentuating rustic traits helps add warmth to exposed designs. Plenty of wood details, natural textiles and plants add cosy layers to the space.

Opt for handcrafted metal lights with pewter, brass or copper finishes for instant industrial vibes – the size and number of lights will influence the impact of this industrial statement. Mixed metal lights like those shown below can be particularly effective at pulling together a rustic, industrial design.

2. Statement Industrial Pendant Lights

Incorporating large industrial ceiling pendant lights is perhaps the easiest way to make an eye-catching statement. Giant metal dome, cone and flat-top lights or exposed bulb pendants are especially popular options as they become stunning design features in their own right.

When combined with Edison-style light bulbs, they contribute to a subdued, relaxing atmosphere. A warmer, cosy atmosphere means people will be more likely to stay for longer and enjoy their time and chance to unwind.

Combine different pendant styles to give your coffee shop an intentionally-unique feel.

3. Cosy Ambience & a Sense of Hygge

The Scandinavian concept of hygge is popular in our homes, so why not transfer a bit of that magic to your cafe? Hygge is all about creating moments of comfort and cosiness in everyday life and is perfect for little coffee shops that don’t have much room to play with and, therefore, already have a cosier, more intimate feel.

This will likely take shape in the form of a light and bright colour palette with plenty of natural materials like warm-toned woods and plants as decor, not forgetting the perfect ambient glow.

Using copper or brass lighting will complement these notions of warmth wonderfully and will contribute to a snug atmosphere, whether you use pendants for a bit of easy elegance or subtle wall lights to create smaller moments of illumination.

4. Custom Coffee Shop Decor

Get creative with your decor – this is your chance to let your coffee shop’s personality and mission shine through. Go for eclectic artwork or unique wall features that says something about how you want customers to feel.

Styling shelves with interesting or quirky pieces or commissioning bespoke art or signs are great ways to make your store stand out.

Investing in custom coffee lighting can also help further shine a spotlight on your design and showcase the things you care about. Wall lights with interesting shades or swan-neck silhouettes that are as stylish as they are functional are ideal for smaller coffee shops that can’t incorporate too many extra details.

5. Hanging Plants as a Feature

Plants are a lively addition to any kind of interior, no matter its function or style. To make a real feature of your plants, use them in unexpected places. Hanging plants from the ceiling is an excellent way to incorporate some natural beauty without taking up any precious table or floor real estate – another bonus for cafes with limited space.

Greenery and plants can have a calming quality to put your customers at instant ease and make the space feel refreshing. Pairing hanging plants with delicate pendant lights will add a bright accent to your plant details without overwhelming them, something that’s beautifully illustrated in the examples below.

Single-wire pendants with exposed bulbs or ethereal glass shades work especially well for this concept.

6. Instagram-Worthy Coffee Shops

These days, no one is a stranger to aesthetic shots of impressive coffee and cake shared on social media, so why not embrace this trend for sharing the things we love but creating spots or features that make for a great photo?

This might include things like using vibrant, bubbly colour palettes, feature walls with neon signs or even living plant walls. These features help entice the avid Instagram user to snap away, while also adding to the overall ambience and character of the space.

Big, attention-grabbing lights will do the job here, especially if their finish contrasts with your colour theme. Not only will gleaming pendants and wall lights make for a glorious backdrop, but they’ll also illuminate your shop enough to make those pictures shine!

7. Modern Coffee Shop Lights & Design

If you want to exude sophistication and class, a minimal design that embraces clean lines and simplicity is the way to go. Keep your colour palette simple, using a combination of light and dark neutrals that create a striking contrast – elegant black and white designs are classic for a reason.

Matt black lights are the go-to choice for modern coffee shop design. Their powerful presence can make for a dramatic look or a sleek minimal option, depending on the size and shape of the shade.

A modern, minimalist design leaves no room for clutter or unnecessary visual noise, ensuring you can make the most of the space you do have. A uniform row of pendants over a bar area or counter will look spectacular, especially if it is one of the few grand features in your interior.

8. Highlight Cosy Seating Areas

What would a visit to your local coffee house be without the ability to curl up in a comfortable chair with good company and a steaming mug?

Providing several different kinds of seating options will benefit your overall design and help create that sense of home away from home. Use comforting textures and incorporate cushions or other textiles for additional bursts of colour and cosiness.

You can also use lighting to enhance the cosy factor, highlighting your different seating options with a warming pendant or space-saving wall light and bathing patrons in a welcoming glow that’ll encourage them to sit back and relax.

Lighting is an integral part of coffee shop interior design, and the decisions you make in this respect can often shape how you develop the rest of your store’s design.

Our lights have been used in countless coffee shops and cafes over the years, helping crystallise design visions and imbue spaces with an unforgettable atmosphere. If your business needs a stylish boost, our lights might just be the missing puzzle piece.

Contact our sales team for a quote, or if you can’t find the perfect light for your space, discover our bespoke lighting services.

Header image supplied by: Andy Haslam Photography