It’s Kylee here with another update from our Seattle townhouse. The last time I showed this corner, our coffee station was temporarily set up on a wine rack — a practical solution for those first hectic days after moving in when coffee is essential. It worked well and added a bit of charm, but the wall it sat against is large and we wanted something more substantial that could also add storage. We had been considering display cabinets, but recently my grandparents moved and generously passed along a John Boos kitchen cart that fit the space perfectly. It was an ideal, no-cost solution that gave us extra storage and a dedicated spot for our coffee setup. (Our old wine rack found a new home — more on that in a future update.)
To keep the counter clear, I added a floating shelf from IKEA above the cart to hold our bulk pantry jars. We don’t buy a lot of packaged foods and we don’t have a traditional pantry, so storing bulk items in jars is our go-to. Having them on the counter was starting to feel cluttered and used up valuable prep space, so the wall shelf made a big difference. Some of the less-used jars live in a cabinet or the basket on the bottom of the cart, while the rest rotate regularly — it’s an ever-changing, pretty mix of colors and textures. The utensil bar we use to hang mugs is also from IKEA, and it helps keep things handy and organized.
My favorite part of the morning is coming downstairs to make coffee at our little cart. On weekdays we usually use a Nespresso for speed and convenience, but weekends are for the Bialetti or a French press when there’s time to savor the ritual. We may eventually replace the cart with a larger display cabinet to store more dishes and serveware, but for now the cart is exactly what we need: functional, attractive, and centered on our morning routine.
I could list dozens of must-have items for the perfect coffee station — my mom has a helpful post with ideas — but our approach is simple and decidedly purist. We like our coffee black and strong, sometimes with a splash of milk, and on rare occasions a little vanilla sweetens a later cup. The first morning brew is serious and unsweetened. Living in Seattle has definitely influenced our tastes: we may be coffee snobs in our own way, picky about espresso-to-milk ratios for lattes, yet oddly not attached to big-name chains. We haven’t branched out into specialty brewers like the Chemex or AeroPress just yet, but the cart gives us an organized, cozy spot to enjoy whatever method we choose.