I had a project where an old office space needed to be transformed into an after-church cafe space, where people could eat and talk. Like in many cases budgets are tight and deadline was yesterday.
First of all, like for every project, I needed to make sure that I got the brief right. What was the room’s intent? What did it need to accomplish?
After meeting with the client, we found out that the main purpose was to use the space for after-church coffee. The dual purpose was that the furniture could be rearranged to maximize seating. Also, if I could fit it in, there should be a dedicated area where it would be optional to close the doors and use it as a meeting space. So there should be part of the room that could be opened up or closed, based on the need.
The budget was also not big. There were several things that we were able to use and did not need to buy, for example, cafe tables.
The kitchen area at the beginning was supposed to be for cooking and storing dishes, because they wanted to stop using paper plates and start using real dishes. After some consultations with builders, it turned out that putting in plumbing was not an option with this kind of budget and scale of renovations. This room has a small functioning kitchen behind the wall anyway, so we decided to build a serving kitchen, which meant that there would be a place for dishes and serveware. It has a fridge for drinks and milk near the coffee station and a big island for serving the food.
I knew that the design and colors should blend in with the whole design of the house but needed to be a little bit more up to date because the last renovations were at least 10 years prior.
Here are some before photos.
Let’s get to work
The first thing for me is always finding a functional floor plan. I needed to maximize the space and seating, fit in the closed area and serving kitchen, and I also needed to be aware of all the doors that they wanted to add.
I knew that the design and colors should blend in with the whole design of the house but needed to be a little bit more up to date because the last renovations were at least 10 years prior.
So I measured everything and created a basic 3D version in my ArchiCAD program. There it was so easy to add furniture and move it around, so I could see and feel how the space was going to work.
This is not an easy job, and sometimes it can take a lot of time to find the right layout. Sometimes it’s best to put the task aside for a while and come back to it with a fresh set of eyes – this is how the best ideas and versions usually come. Creativity is not something you can force; it needs time to play out and for your mind to wander.
So here are some basic 3D renders that I came up with. Here are the glass wall solutions that I proposed to separate the two different areas and give the room some grandness and airiness.
Things Get real
After the initial design proposal was done and approved, I started to find specific furniture and began creating detailed drawings for the kitchen and other built-in furniture (in this case, it was banquet seating).
I knew that I wanted to keep the room neutral but not boring, warm but not too brown. So I decided to use moss green as an accent color, because green was used in other parts of the building also, so it tied in nicely. I wanted to use warm mid-tone wood colors for floors, part of the kitchen, and furniture to balance the black metal-framed dividing wall.
For me, the most nerve-wracking stage is when I hand over the furniture plans and drawings to the manufacturer and can only hope for the best. Until I see the final result, the stress is high — I feel the weight of responsibility, knowing the client has trusted me with both their vision and their money, and I absolutely don’t want to disappoint. Thankfully, every piece so far has turned out at least as good as I imagined — and often even better.
In this case, I also loved the outcome. The kitchen ended up being two-toned: the island was warm oak and the cabinets on the perimeter were painted dark navy, almost black. I softened the black cabinet doors with brushed brass handles, which gave the kitchen some bling. To get a more open and airy feeling, I chose a white worktop with beige veining to tie in with other materials. But the best feature in the kitchen is the light fixture over the island that gives it height and drama.
Key things to consider
Speaking of light, the difference between ordinary and extraordinary spaces is usually lighting. Before, there were only common light fixtures in the ceiling, and they had quite cool color bulbs. This was not really inviting nor cozy. I knew I needed to pay special attention to lighting. So I changed the ceiling lights for warm spotlights, added LED strips under floating shelves, wall lights that cast shadows on walls and act like art, and finally a light strip behind the couch. These accent lights give so much to the room. So do not skip on lighting. If you want to learn more about how to use lights in a room or how to choose light fixtures, read my other posts by clicking on the title.
From the beginning, I knew that the wall with the high windows needed fixing. The solution was to place a bench with an extra high back alongside this wall to minimize the bare wall under the windows, so that your eye has something else to see than white wall. By doing that, we made the gap between the floor and windows seem less obvious.
The fabric for the bench was selected to withstand wear and tear and also needed to be easy to clean. The chairs were also selected to withstand a lot of wear, so they have solid oak legs and faux leather seats.
Expect to do some problem-solving
I also mentioned that we got the tables for free. They were used in another cafe before and were really worn out and scratched. Also, we discovered that the height of the tables was too low for normal chairs (they were meant to be used with armchairs that were lower). So we needed to come up with a solution that would make the tables work. We ended up adding wooden details to elongate the legs of the tables to make them more suitable for our chairs. We also sanded and oiled the surface to match the floor and natural oak in the kitchen.
The area that was supposed to be behind the divider wall was designed to act as an extension to the eating area, to maximize the space. At the same time, it needed to be suitable for meetings. So I ended up placing two couches on opposite walls and swivel armchairs in the middle, so that you could use the space for different purposes. I also added a comfy rug to separate the two areas and create a more cozy environment.
It turned out that the dividing wall was taking much longer than expected to finish, so we had to open the café before it arrived. That meant I needed to think fast and make some last-minute decisions. I didn’t like the way the long banquette and the low couch sat right beside each other with nothing to separate them. So, we found a makeshift wall of sorts, placed it against the banquette, added some flowers we had lying around, and created at least a small division between the areas. It was far from ideal or beautiful, but definitely better than nothing.
The Final touches
To make the space feel cozy and not cafeteria-like, I needed to add warmth and texture through color and materials. These kinds of spaces can feel cold and uninviting due to the function of the room: surfaces need to be easy to clean, and usually you should avoid textiles because they are harder to clean in heavy-use public spaces. On this occasion, I added textiles and interest through lampshades. I used upholstered bench and sofas and a rug for the dedicated areas.
Finishing touches are like jewelry you put on. Do not skip that step. Even when your budget doesn’t stretch very far, a few hundred dollars is usually all you need to add some vases, plants, cushions, or artwork. They don’t need to be expensive to get the job done. But without them, the look of the room would feel unfinished and cold.
What This Project Taught Me
As you can see, sometimes the initial plans do not get executed fully. Design can change depending on timeline, available furnishings and materials, budget changes, preferences, and so on. It’s good to keep in mind that the best solutions and well-designed rooms take time, and when you’re in a hurry, sometimes the design will take a hit.
The key to successful commercial design is remembering that these spaces need to feel welcoming and residential while still being practical for heavy use. Every choice should serve multiple purposes, and flexibility should be built in from the start, not added as an afterthought.
If possible, try to design a room so that it looks good at every stage. Furniture or other key elements are often delayed, so you want your room to feel complete even in the meantime. This is especially important when you’re designing your own home and living in it during the process. Remember, a home should constantly evolve — it’s never truly finished. It should grow with you and your lifestyle. Embrace every stage and stop waiting to enjoy your home “someday.”