- Design Inspo
The Top Five Home Coffee Carts & How To Style Them
Ask many office workers what they may miss most about communal workspaces during this year of WFH, they might just say the coffee breaks, often centered around a coffee cart. More than just a place to fuel your performance, it’s a place to come together to connect and chat with co-workers, or grab a coffee on the go. So, what to do if you are missing at least some of the rituals associated with that daily office coffee break? Get yourself an at-home coffee cart, of course!
The History of Coffee Carts
To explain, the concept of the at-home coffee cart is rooted in the tradition of tea carts. Generally, these were delicate wheeled tables with extending leaves that dated back to the 1600s and 1700s England and were most commonly found in upper-class society homes. In fact, by the 1800s, as tea was more readily available and affordable, the upper-middle-class began hosting afternoon tea parties which increased the tea cart’s popularity. Even in the 20th century, they remained popular until the 1980s and were made in American Colonial and Cape Cod revival styles. As the popularity of butcher block and étargère-style pieces have made their way into kitchens, naturally these concepts lent themselves to creating an updated version of the tea cart, the home coffee cart.
While a coffee cart is related to the bar cart - there are some differentiating factors to consider. First, ideally, a coffee cart should be slightly larger than a bar cart. Coffee carts require more equipment such as a coffee or espresso machine and possibly a coffee grinder. It’s also important to remember that placement is key as a coffee cart tends to require easy access to electricity. Hence this differs them from the traditional bar cart.
How to Style & Use A Coffee Cart
Moreover, coffee carts can be artfully placed in different rooms. It would be a huge luxury to place these in a master suite or guest suite. Especially if the cart has wheels and can also be used at a dinner party for guests to use after a seated dinner. In contrast to the home, these coffee carts can also make an elegant alternative to a traditional office coffee station.
Of course, one has to consider what is being served with coffee. Obviously, many people like milk (whether cow or nut-based) and those need refrigeration. Thus, the ability to house a small fridge also dictates how extravagant these home coffee carts can be styled.
Likewise, a coffee cart needs to be tiered with shelves to display all that goes along with coffee. Notably, it’s important to show a coffee cup assortment, whether by type - mug, espresso, or traditional American cups - or by style. For instance, you may have an eclectic mix of cups collected over time. Furthermore, you need to display sweeteners, creamers, spoons, and napkins. Correspondingly, the home design market offers such elevated design in these useful appliances and dishes that deserve to be shown off. Additionally, extra supplies can be stored on lower shelves along with small plates for a little treat to go along with a sweet on the side. It’s important to remember that today’s coffee cart may also be used to store tea and its supplies.
Top Five Coffee Cart Styles
With all this in mind, it’s important to choose a coffee cart that matches your aesthetic. Below, Nest Casa lays out five keys styles to fit any decor taste. Accessories included.
The Modern Coffee Cart
Obviously, the Chariot style coffee cart by GamFratesi from Artemest gets its name due to its resemblance to a Roman chariot. Fittingly, what better place to house your daily arsenal of caffeine to propel you toward conquering your day? Moreover, this cart has a winning warrior pedigree, having been the recipient of the Interior Innovation Award in 2013.
Editors’ Picks: The Best Modern Coffee Cart Accessories
Designed by Alfredo Haberli in 2003, this Arnolfo di Cambio’s Cuadriga coffee set of a tray and four espresso cups imparts an everlasting sense of sophistication for the modernist coffee lover.
A little bit of Paris resides in this coffee cup and saucer from Hermes inspired by the mosaic floor of the 24 Faubourg Saint Honore store in Paris.
Likewise, the Pinetti Dioniso white round tray is made for the coffee purist who literally elevates coffee to a higher place with round handles and can also serve as a cup resting place when the try is stationary.
In view of its reasonable cost, 80 USD, this Stamper french press coffee maker packs a lot of style and function into a hyper-sleek vessel, while maintaining time and temperature that is key with this brewing method.
The Classic Coffee Cart
What Ralph Lauren means to fashion - timeless high style - is an ethos that is also infused into the Ralph Lauren Home collection, which is certainly evident in the One Fifth Drinks Trolley. Of course, it may have been conceived with liquor in mind but this black lacquered and silver two-tier trolley makes the perfect place to house a classic coffee cart.
Editors’ Picks: The Best Classic Coffee Cart Accessories
Founded in 1735 by the Marquis Carlo Ginori who led the introduction of the Oriental trend for ‘white gold’, aka porcelain, to Italy. Then and now, the house has fused modernity with timelessness in its designs as is perfectly demonstrated in this Oriente Italiano Vermiglio coffee mug.
Correspondingly, this matching sugar bowl from the Oriente Italiano Vermiglio collection could make a sweets lover out of even the most restricted dieter.
Almost identically made to resemble a swan, this English-style silver coffee pot from Greggio, detailed with an elegant rosewood handle, looks almost too pretty to hold coffee with its heirloom quality design. But thankfully, it makes for a sweet place to pour your morning cup of coffee.
La Double J - the effervescent lifestyle brand founded in Milan by American expat, J.J. Martin, has taken her vintage-inspired prints and lively combos and applied them to a vibrant collection of home goods. Case in point? These buoyant Ombrellini dessert plates made in collaboration with Italian ceramic experts Bitossi Home.
The Art Deco Metal Coffee Cart
Inspired by a 1930s french trolley bar cart, this metal stand can easily pivot from cocktails to coffee. Its amply- spaced glass middle gives way to side compartments that compactly hold small jars or bottles with accoutrements such as creamer or liquid sugar.
Editors’ Picks: The Best Art Deco Coffee Cart Accessories
Trimmed in gold this Il Viaggio di Nettuno mug rendered in coral red, by Ginori 1735, recalls the depiction of Greco-Roman mythology figures in Art Deco designs- in this case, Neptune, Roman god of the sea.
Furthering the sea theme is the espresso and saucers set from the same Il Viaggio di Nettuno collection from Ginori 1735.
A coffee cart, especially one not placed near an electrical source, can benefit from a self-warming thermal carafe as seen here in the Giobagnara leather-trimmed, insulated thermal pitcher.
The perfect place to hold sugar cubes or sweetener packets comes from this spinning 3-part dish from Go Home that is as useful as it is conversational with its covered rope trim pedestal.
The Mid-Century Vintage Coffee Cart
The quintessential interpretation of a Mid-Century modern bar cart comes through in this style available on 1stDibs. Made in the 1950s from Italian mahogany and brass, this cool cart obviously brings to mind the set of Mad Men, though this time it’s caffeine they’ll be seeking here.
Editors’ Picks: The Best Mid-Century Vintage Coffee Cart Accessories
A graphic Art-Deco-inspired pattern plays upon the Hermes H in this cup and saucer from the French luxury Maison.
In a similar vein, the Hermes coffee creamer strikes a bold Deco-inspired pattern as enticing as a great cup of coffee.
Clean and simple, the Pinetti Onda tray neatly holds all your coffee needs that tend to be mobile - like cups for serving or cleaning in one place.
Having glasses and a nearby water source or carafe is also ideal for today’s home coffee carts. These Idra Torse glasses, for example, make for the perfect accessory.
The Palm Beach Style Coffee Cart
Recalling the French-infused principality of Monaco, this rattan bar-slash-coffee cart is also right at home in a Palm Beach-inspired home. Made with three-tiers, it has ample space to store all kinds of coffee needs.
Editors’ Picks: The Best Palm Beach Style Coffee Cart Accessories
This Hermés green teacup and saucer called, “A Walk in the Garden”, ensures the lush Palm Beach greenery is represented on a well-stocked coffee cart.
Similarly, this Idra Ritorto green glass adds a burst of color so authentic it resembles a wrapped palm leaf.
The Pinetti leather ensconced thermal carafe serves hot and cold drinks at desired temperatures, while looking ultra-chic in these beachy-sand color inspired leather covers.
Nespresso, but make it rattan, please. Ultimately one of the most unique of all coffee makers, this customized Nespresso machine from Giobagnara is covered in handwoven leather and rattan.
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