People often imagine that design begins with picking pretty colors, but it actually starts much earlier, in the quiet stage where you’re simply trying to understand a space: what it wants to be, what it can be, and what the people using it truly need.
This café project — which began as an old office full of leftover furniture and awkward proportions — became a perfect example of how the design process unfolds step by step. Nothing about it was dramatic, but each stage taught me something, and every obstacle nudged the design in its final direction.
1. Understanding the Purpose
Before I make any sketches, I usually sit down and listen. With this project, it quickly became clear that the room needed to function as an after-church café, but also transform into a meeting space when needed. That dual purpose shaped everything that came later.
The client had dreamed of a kitchen, but there was no plumbing in the room and adding it wasn’t possible. Instead of pushing for a full kitchen, we shifted toward a serving space — more storage, more counter area, a fridge, an island. This was possible because the building already had a small kitchen next door, which could handle food prep, especially when the new serving kitchen provided storage for dishes and serveware. That small acceptance became the foundation for the whole layout.
A big part of design is listening for what’s actually possible instead of forcing what isn’t.
So the layout needed to fit:
• a serving kitchen with an island (so people could walk around and help themselves)
• as much seating as possible
• a separate area that could be closed for private meetings or opened for extra café space
• and at least two additional entry points.
Here is office/meeting room before:
2. Finding the Perfect Layout
Once I understood the purpose, the next step was figuring out how people would move through the space. This is where it often feels like you’re wrestling with invisible furniture. And with this room, nothing wanted to settle into place at first. Every path someone might walk cut through a seating area. Corners were too tight. The old office doors broke up the walls in strange places. It felt like a puzzle you’re trying to solve without seeing the box cover.
This is normal. In fact, I’ve learned to expect it.
I went through several rough layouts before stepping away for a day. When I returned, things made more sense. Creativity needs time; you can’t force it.
Then finally, there was a layout that made sense: the seating wanted to line the long wall. The meeting area worked best tucked near the high windows, where adding a small divider would make it feel separate without blocking light. And the serving kitchen belonged on the only uninterrupted wall strong enough to visually anchor heavier cabinetry.
Sometimes the space tells you what it needs — but only after you stop trying to fight it.
3. Working Around the Architectural Flaws
Early in the process, I noticed something that really bothered me: the high windows left a huge empty stretch of wall beneath them. It made the entire room feel unfinished, no matter how many nice pieces I placed in the layout.
This is often the moment when a design project becomes real. Before choosing colors or styles, you have to solve the structural feeling of the room.
In this case, the solution came in the form of a high-back banquette. Not flashy. Not dramatic. Just the right shape to visually fill the wall and give purpose to a previously awkward proportion. Once that was in place, the entire back of the room finally felt grounded. It looked as if the windows were meant to be high on the wall all along.
Work with what you have — and try to turn the obstacles in your favor.
4. Choosing Materials
Many people think material selection is “picking what you like,” but in commercial projects, the building tells you what fits. This building was renovated a decade ago in warm woods and deep tones, and anything too trendy would have felt disconnected.
This is the part of design where restraint becomes a tool.
The café didn’t need to look “new.” It needed to look right. I wanted to elevate the room while using the same color scheme and materials already present elsewhere, so the new design would feel fresh but not out of place.
That’s how the oak, black, soft green, and brass accents naturally appeared — not as a trend, but as a continuation of what was already there.
I brought color into the room through textiles: the banquette seating, rug, and decorative pillows. In the kitchen, I wanted a neutral palette that wasn’t boring, so I chose soft black for the perimeter cabinets and warm oak for the island. The countertop needed to be white so the kitchen wouldn’t feel too heavy. We skipped upper cabinets entirely to keep the space open and airy.
The floors, tabletops, and chairs were all oak. This could have made everything blend together too much, so I chose chairs with black faux leather seats and tables with black legs to break up the wood. I used so much oak because large spaces without many soft fabrics can feel cold and sterile. Wood is an excellent way to add warmth without compromising practicality.
5. Working Within Durability, Budget & Practicality
Every project has limits. This one had a tight timeline and a careful budget. When those realities show up, the design process becomes a series of small decisions that balance beauty with practicality.
For example, commercial furniture has to survive constant use. I spent a surprising amount of time testing chairs — not for looks, but for wobble, comfort, and durability. The ones we chose weren’t the cheapest, but they were the ones that would last.
We reused the old café tables, even though they were scratched and too low. This is where troubleshooting came into play. Together with the joinery maker, we found a solution to make the tables taller. He made oak extensions for the legs, and raising them — plus refinishing the tops — saved a meaningful amount of money while still giving us a cohesive look.
This is where I had to decide what was worth spending or splurging on. We ended up splurging on:
• the waterfall countertop with beige veining — it cost more than plain white, but the visual impact was worth it
• the chairs — because they get constant use and needed to be durable and easy to clean
• the flooring — commercial floors must last
We chose textured vinyl that looked like white oak, wasn’t slippery, and could handle moisture — something laminate or real wood wouldn’t tolerate.
6. Think About Lighting
When adding lighting to this space, I knew it needed to add warmth and elevate the room. I needed to apply all the lighting principles properly to make this space work. At first, it was a bit of a struggle because, unlike in a home, we couldn’t use table lamps or floor lamps to create that mid-layer of light — there simply wasn’t room for furniture pieces whose only purpose was to hold a lamp.
So I thought carefully about every place where we could add mid-level lighting without taking up space. We added LED strips behind the banquette seating, under the kitchen shelving, and wall lamps in several spots. The ceiling lights were swapped for warm LED spotlights to add warmth and create shadows. I knew the tables and the island needed strong lighting. The room also needed a bit of drama, so I chose a large chandelier over the island — one of the focal points of the space. To bring in some mid-century character and texture through fabric shades, I added two pendants over the banquette seating as well.
The room became warm and welcoming — exactly what the café needed to be.
Good lighting is quiet, but its impact is enormous.
For a more detailed breakdown of the lighting principles I rely on, take a look at my lighting guide.
7. Handling Delays and Imperfect Timing
Design rarely goes perfectly, and this project was no exception. The custom glass wall, which was supposed to visually separate the meeting area, was delayed. The café still needed to open, so we improvised with a small divider and fresh flowers.
Was it ideal? No.
Was it enough to make the space feel finished? Yes.
A big part of design is learning not to panic when something is late or imperfect. Often the temporary solution teaches you something you wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
8. Final Touch: Decorating
This final stage is always my favorite. Once the big decisions are installed, the room finally gets its personality. Plants, soft light, a few accessories, a rug in the meeting corner — enough detail to make it warm and inviting but still functional for a commercial environment.
I never add too many accessories in public spaces because people need to move through them daily, and everything has to be durable. But a few substantial pieces, greenery, and warm light make all the difference.
This is when the space finally feels alive.
If you want to learn more about the design process and how to apply it in your own home, read this next.
