There’s something so comforting about grabbing a cuppa in your favourite neighbourhood café. It’s not just the food or beverage, but the hospitality and welcoming decor that set it apart, making it our go-to place. Little wonder that the trend ‘café core’ is brewing up a decor storm. Recreating a café-like ambience might just be the mini overhaul your space needs. Here are pro tips that will come in handy.
Pick the Right Spot
The first step begins with identifying a spot for the setup. “Small, ignored nooks in your home are great spots that can be converted into thoughtful spaces. Adding a cosy chair or a built-in bench, throwing in some cushions, soft lighting and greenery can transform those tiny, overlooked pockets that often go unused, yet brim with potential,” says Natasha Kumar, co-founder and principal architect at Studio Tilt.
While corners are ideal to lounge with a book and sip in style, Deepanshu Arneja and Surbhi Singhal, co-founders and principal architects at SIAN Architects, suggest the casual, in-between zones at home for this setup. “What we love about cafés is how you’re seated in one spot, while life unfolds around you. There’s a sense of stillness but also motion. It’s a setting full of subtle interactions. To bring this energy into a home, pick a circulation space that allows you to observe and just be, while activity continues around you,” they say. In one of their designed homes, they converted an alcove into a reading-cum-coffee spot that acted as a vantage point from where one could see the courtyard beyond and the movement in the adjacent passage. “These in-between zones align beautifully with the spirit of café core,” they add.
Set the Aesthetics
If your idea is to create a café-esque vibe in a larger space, Minnie Bhatt, founder of Minnie Bhatt Design, recommends using the right decor and furnishings. “Start by softening the overall visual tone. Think warm, earthy colours, wooden accents, textured textiles and vintage touches. Replacing stark furniture with curved or tactile pieces, adding open shelving with books, or simply introducing a small bistro table and chair set can subtly shift the vibe. Pick fabrics like washed linen, velvet, or cotton, and layer rugs, throws, and cushions to build warmth,” she says.
Bhatt emphasises on adding pieces such as handcrafted ceramics, floor lamps and rattan planters. “Artwork, knick-knacks or a compact record player, a French press on display, and a handwritten menu board can add a playful, thematic café element,” she shares.
Light It Up
Whether you wish to linger in this spot alone or with friends, the right lighting also plays a part in creating the ambience. Suggests Kumar, “Both natural and artificial lighting are crucial here—the space needs to be well lit during daytime and softly lit in evenings to give the best of both worlds. Control the light by using sheer day curtains and soft, ambient lighting on dimmers in the evenings.”
So are you ready to bring in café core to your home? After all, a lot can happen over coffee.