Beverage Bar Basics: Holiday Edition
Tis' the season for cozy nights & warm beverages -- tis' the Hygge way! And nothing is more Hygge for the holiday season than a warm beverage -- whether you're a hot cocoa drinker, coffee lover, or tea enthusiast.
As I finally pulled together my very first holiday-inspired "coffee corner" I decided to share with you some of my tried & true tips for creating your very own at home cafe.
Artwork
I set the tone for my beverage bar with artwork. I wanted to be sure to mark my corner of the kitchen. Although I do appreciate a good cup of tea and/or hot chocolate at night, my preferred hot beverage is coffee, so I went with coffee inspired decor -- one hanging above the station & one on the station itself.
P.S. The print can totes represent any hot beverage if coffee isn't your jam.
Beverage Maker
Naturally, you need something to actually MAKE your hot beverage in, but depending on your lifestyle, you could very well be making it on the stovetop. If this isn't you though, whatever device you use -- and there's A LOT -- be sure it has a place in your station. This also means factoring in the location of any outlets before committing to where your station will be.
Shop My Fav 15 Makers
Visible Storage
Knowing that I had a tight corner, I opted for a "Lazy Susan" style of storage. I wanted my storage to be completely functional & accessible -- nothing that I'd have to fight with.
My Keurig used to sit on a K-Cup storage drawer, but it made the whole space feel cluttered & visually clunky. Swapping it out (it's in the pantry, btw) for the carousel style storage, allows for a cleaner, yet still functional look.
Drinkware
While I have a cabinet dedicated to mugs & glasses, I wanted my absolute fav mugs for hot beverages to be immediately accessible. And who am I kidding -- they're pretty! But being that they're glass mugs, visually, the area can still look open & airy, versus cluttered & overwhelming.
While I love my novelty mugs, I like to keep my counters looking & feeling as clear as possible. For the holiday season, I break out my snowman mug, but once the season is over, I'll be swapping it out or just changing the top altogether & keeping the area lighter.
Utensils
There are just some things I cannot get through my coffee making experience without (okay, maybe I could, but then it wouldn't be an "experience"). There are my straws for stirring & drinking, my tongs for picking up sugar cubes & marshmallows, and my milk frother. The latter is especially crucial for me because I don't like hot chocolate simple made with water (yuck!) so in this way, I can get some frothy milk in my cocoa so make all right with the world.
P.S. Dear Keurig...can you create a model that accommodates milk somehow? Thanks!
Condiments
Being that I am not someone who requires much in my coffee (unless it's a power coffee day!) I'm usually good to go with sugar & creamer. For my cocoa, it's marshmallows & frothed milk. While my pantry is the home for my full stash, I like to see my sugar cubes & marshmallow. For the holiday season, the added touch of cinnamon sticks rounds out the look. While I could use diff types of jars/containers, I opted to use the gold dipped cups from my subscription box -- adds a personal & glam touch, while still being functional.
Holiday Touches
This being my first holiday coffee corner, I was all too excited to find simple, affordable touches to not only decorate the station, but also the kitchen!
I'd been envisioning what I wanted to do for a while, but also knew that I didn't want to break the bank to make an impact. In addition to the mug & peppermint spoons -- very simple, subtle touches -- I wanted to take advantage of the upper cabinets, specifically the surface area they provided. These mini stockings were exactly what the space needed to feel festive but not overpowering.
