Adding beans, syrups and protein to our coffee station changed everything. Here’s what we used!
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Make Coffee at Home
We. Love. Coffee. It’s basically a constant for both Kim and myself, and since we work from home most days, it made sense for us to invest in our coffee station and all that comes with it. A few years ago, Kim switched from regular to decaf (doctor’s orders), so it became almost mandatory that we switch over to an espresso machine with swappable hoppers for each type of beans rather than brewing whole pots in our trusty former Moccamaster.
We’re firm believers in the theory that the grind matters as much as the actual beans, so the espresso machine also helps us to brew the freshest cups possible. We usually buy decent grocery store beans as our ‘staple’ but will splurge on our favorite roasts from local coffee shops when the mood strikes. It’s a happy balance between splurging on a nice pound here and there vs. paying coffee shop prices every day.
Our recently-completed pantry renovation was just the motivation we needed to decant all of Kim’s favorite sugar-free syrups into bitters bottles and get the whole setup looking proper and accessible..
Beverages for Every Occasion
Our beverage station came together a few years ago using a scrap of butcher block that we had in the garage. We still needed a little more space, though. We remedied the issue with a fresh butcher block slab that’s almost a foot wider than the original one. This gives us space for protein powder, beans, our knock box and allll the syrups. This station does double duty as a cocktail bar when we host gatherings, so there are a few bottle of actual bitters scattered throughout the tray as well.
Dedicating counter space to the beverage station has allowed us to keep daily-use items at arms’ reach. We’re all about making changes to keep daily tasks and simple and pleasant. We’ve packed a lot of storage into the space, but kept it cohesive and tidy.
Copy Our Coffee + Beverage Station
Our espresso machine (#5) continues to be the greatest addition to our kitchen and Kim declares her love for these bitters bottles (#14) with every splash of syrup into her morning cup. Everything we used is linked below for you, or click on any product in the image below to take you to the source!
1. amber glass mugs | 2. bistro double wall mugs | 3. coffee scoop | 4. milk frother | 5. barista touch espresso machine | 6. diamond bitters bottle | 7. pillar shape bitters bottle | 8. glass sugar dispenser | 9. glass canister with lid | 10. butcher block | 11. gold metal scoop | 12. wood knock box | 13. stir sticks | 14. bitters bottle set | 15. wooden serving tray
Looking for more organizational and kitchen content? Here’s our Chicago kitchen reveal and organization setup, our Red House kitchen reveal and organization setup, our two flat Unit 1 kitchen, our two flat Unit 2 kitchen, and our two flat kitchenette
Beautiful! Can you share what syrups you use in your bitters bottles?
Hi! Kim purchased a variety of Torani sugar free syrups. Vanilla, hazelnut, toffee etc. So far, they’re all keepers!
This is a bit of a silly question, but how do you remember which syrups are in which bottles? I love this set up and the bottles are beautiful, but I think I’d need to label them somehow. Hoping you have a trick for it. :)
Hi Erin! They syrups do all look the same for sure. We used super sticky adhesive labels on the bottom of each bottle to keep them straight. Hope this helps!