Making My House a Home— Part 6: Revealing My Kitchen to Cafe-Style Escape

​You know, there’s something beautiful about turning your daily routines into rituals—making the ordinary feel like a small act of self-care. That’s what this final setup of my kitchen is all about: revealing my cafe-style kitchen that holds both function and feeling. A space that brews comfort, connection, and creativity.

With my Eclectic Japandi take on cafecore, I wanted the kitchen to reflect my love for minimalism and warmth, while still offering small luxuries that feel personal and a cozy place to work.

The Coffee Bar: A Daily Ritual for Slow Mornings

Now, I’m not a caffeine guy, but I’ve always admired the ceremony of espresso-making—the care, the sound, the pace. For a long time, my kitchen routine consisted of a pod coffee maker—convenient, sure, but missing a little bit of the soul I was craving. I’ve always dreamed of an espresso machine. I love the steam, the aroma, and the feeling that you’re crafting something for yourself. That’s what home should feel like: personal, intentional, slow when it needs to be.

So I upgraded to the Breville Duo Temp Pro ☕️ Espresso Machine—a compact yet powerful machine that fits perfectly on my limited counter space and beginner experience. It doesn’t shout for attention, but it performs with quiet confidence. It’s not the flashiest machine out there, but it delivers what matters: consistency, quality, and a kind of simple beauty that fits right into my apartment design.

To pair with the Breville, I added the Timemore C3 🫘 manual coffee grinder. Let me tell you, this thing feels good in your hand. It turns grinding beans into a meditative part of the process—something about the tactile experience just makes it feel right.

As for the espresso itself, I opted for the swiss water process decaf Espresso Roast from San Francisco Bay, a local brand that supports my Bay Area roots and keeps things smooth and flavorful. I pair it with Barista Blend Oat Milk from Califia Farms, not only because it’s dairy-free (shout out to my allergy crew), but because it steams beautifully and tastes just right.

So now, my mornings start with a quiet ritual at my coffee bar—a  cup of warmth, a touch of routine, and a reminder that the way we begin our day matters.

Organized for Living: Gifts from Simple Human That Elevate the Everyday

A cozy café-style kitchen isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about efficiency, cleanliness, and smooth flow. That’s where Simplehuman came in, generously gifting me a few game-changing pieces that have seriously elevated my space.

First up, the Paper Towel Holder with Spray 🧻. It’s sleek and has a pull-out spray bottle I’ve filled with their cleaning solution tablet. It’s simple, but I use it every single day—and that’s what makes it special.

Then there’s the Liquid Soap Sensor with caddy 🧼, which solved two problems at once: no more sponge floating in the sink, and no more hunting for soap. It’s touch less, clean, and extremely luxurious.

But the crown jewel? The Cleanstation 🦠—a UV phone sanitizer that runs a full cycle in 30 seconds. My kitchen is a multifunctional space, and this little device helps me manage cleanliness without even thinking about it. It’s the kind of practical detail that still feels a bit like magic.

The towel holder and soap dispenser are a matching matte black, adding a little dramatic flair that balances beautifully with some of the minimalist touches of my kitchen.

Café Wall Art as the Exclamation Point

No space is complete without a statement—something that brings it all together and reflects your soul. For my kitchen, that statement came in the form of two café-style art posters I found on Etsy.

Above my bar table, I chose Espresso Wall Print 🖼️ of a coffee cup on a bright orange background.  I then edited the poster to print a 30x30 inch poster. You already know how I use pops of orange in my apartment—just a touch to warm the space and keep it playful. This piece draws the eye and lifts the energy of the entire room.

​Over the sink, I swapped out an older piece for something that better aligned with the café theme and the Japandi palette—soft, intentional, with just enough graphic edge to hold its own.

The Latte & Onigiri in Window in Ukiyoe 🖼️ adds a sense of play and lightness. Even though it’s a small area, this image a distant mountain over a forest somehow makes the whole space feel bigger. It plays with perspective in a way that’s subtle but effective—it’s a window into somewhere calming.

In Conclusion – A Kitchen with Soul

This is the final chapter in my kitchen setup, and I can honestly say—it’s exactly what I imagined. Every choice, from the espresso machine to the wall art, is a reflection of who I am and how I want to live. It’s eclectic, grounded, a little playful, and very intentional.

Turning this kitchen into a café-style sanctuary didn’t mean making it fancy—it meant making it feel right. And now, every time I step in, whether it’s to brew a decaf espresso or sanitize my phone, I feel that unmistakable sense of home.