DIY Coffee Nook Build Using Stock Cabinets
Within this blog I will show you how to build a coffee nook using stock cabinets.
Why a DIY Coffee Nook
Pinterest. I fell in love with the dedicated space for coffee makers/ espresso makers. I find these spaces to be beautiful (and possibly excessive) but it makes me happy so I went for it!
Currently, my coffee maker and syrup pumps live next to the stove. I decided that our unused desk space (very 90’s) would be the perfect spot for a coffee nook. I ended up filling the uppers with all the coffee mugs, syrups, supplements, and gadgets. The lowers are full of kid snacks and art supplies. If you’re not a coffee lover, this could also be storage area or dry bar.
Planning and Measuring
First, measure the space you have available and order base cabinets to accommodate that area. I already had 2 base cabinets, but they were shorter and smaller than the other base cabinets, One was a set of drawers which I don’t find useful for what I need. Don’t worry all the removed cabinets are being repurposed in the garage for a saw table/ work bench situation.
Order uppers in the same manner of what fits and makes sense for your aesthetic and functional goals. I like the look of two wall cabinets stacked on the counter. with a bridge of cabinets between. In total for this space, three base cabinets and 6 wall cabinets were the perfect fit.
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Listed below are the materials and supplies you will need if you are going to make a DIY coffee nook.
Supply and Tool List for DIY Coffee Nook:
- 1″x4″ primed wood
- 1″x6″ primed wood
- 1″x3″ primed wood
- shoe molding
- quarter round
- 3 sheets of 1/4″ plywood
- primed shiplap
- 18G brad nails in a variety of sizes
- shims
- washer head cabinet screws
- base cabinets
- upper cabinets
- crown molding
- colored outlets– not necessary, but makes the end product look cohesive. These are easy to install. Be sure to order GFCI ones if needed and the coordinating screwless snap-on wall plate.
- primer
- variety of trim
- sanding blocks
- wood filler
- paintable caulk
- paint – I love Sherwin Williams cabinet paint.
- primer
- foam roller
- paint brush
- stud finder
- drill
- drill bit for pilot holes
- jig saw
- multi tool
- level
- painters tape
- marker
- caulk gun
- tooth paste
- brad nailer 18G
Install BASE Cabinets
To begin the install, start with base cabinets, removing the drawers, shelves, doors, and hinges. I like to sand everything outside before bringing anything indoors to help minimize dust. Next, find and mark all stud locations so that you know how to proceed with securing cabinets. Here is a more in depth tutorial on how to find and mark stud location. Mark directly on wall or with painters tape.
Base cabinets should be leveled and using wood shims and cabinetry screws, secure level and plumb base cabinets into the walls. I used between 4-8 screws on each cabinet. If there was a stud available, I secured the cabinet there. Here is a link to the simple stud finder I use.
Upper cabinets should be installed after new countertops to make things easier*
Counter Top.
You will want to find and order your counter top asap as it can take a few weeks to order and have installed, if purchasing stone. I went to a remnants stone yard and found what I wanted for significantly less than I expected. Other options that you can install yourself and buy same day at a hard ware store include: butcher block or laminate.
Installing Cabinet Tower and Upper Cabinets.
After the counters are installed move onto installing the two tower wall cabinets. Here again I attached the cabinets to studs using washer head cabinet screws. Both towers had an outlet, so I used a jig saw ( and the tooth paste trick) to cut a hole in the back of the cabinet. This outlet will be super handy to change electronics without them scattering all over the counter tops.
Once towers are secure, install the upper cabinets, use washer head cabinet screws into the studs. These will also need to be level. These were light enough with the doors removed that I could install them solo without a brace. If you need a second set of hands, but don’t have help, you would always install a level 2×4 under the cabinets for them to rest on while installing. For more information on installing upper cabinets, review this post here.
When installing any cabinets, I prefer to drill pilot holes as to not split the cabinets and make install easier.
Details
Once all the cabinets are installed, 1/4″ plywood was used to even out the lip around the cabinets to make trimming them out easier. A jig saw made cuts very simple. The cuts don’t have to be perfect as everything will be covered with trim and boards.
This project was trimmed out using a variety of types to get the look I was going for. I have a lot of trim work to do for this particular project to make them cohesive. For the base sides and upper sides/ tower sides I wanted them to match the kitchen island. Here is how to do those.
Backsplash.
Shiplap made for an easy and pretty backsplash. This was my first time installing it, but it was not hard at all. Ensuring the first piece was level, I secured it with 18G brad nails at the outer edge as well as in the groove. Then, I placed the next piece securing at the upper and lower edge with 1 nail and more nails in the groove. Continue the length of the back splash area. For the last board, using a jig saw, cut off the grove to fit perfectly in place. My only regret is not painting the grooves before installing.
Things to consider:
- Caulk and wood filler will cover most minor edging issues.
- If not caulk, decorative trim simple or ornate can also cover any problem spots.
- I spaced mine slightly farther than 1/8 so that I would not have any partial boards. You cannot tell the difference.
- Use a jig saw to cut out any outlets or other obstacles.
Shoe molding is smaller than quarter round and covered all of the gaps I encountered on the cabinet stacking. I did miter many corners for the first time. No tips or tricks there, just a lot of trial and error as it was so new to me. Buy extra trim to account for waste and poor cuts, if you are new to this!
Finishing up the DIY Coffee Nook.
After all the trim and backsplash is secure, fill any nail holes with wood filler and caulk any seams. Sand wood filler smooth and fill any holes that need a second coat, sand again.
Once everything is sanded smoothly, wipe down with a dam rag to remove dust. Prime everything with a good quality primer, such as this primer.
After the primer had dried paint everything with a quality paint, I prefer Sherwin urethane enamel for cabinet projects. Here, Naval is in a semi-gloss finish is used. It took 4 coats for complete coverage.
I prefer to let the paint cure for a couple of weeks before attaching doors, drawers, and hardware. I find is the paint has not cured, it will scratch much easier. The outlets were replaced with colored outlets to better blend into the shiplap.
Let’s Chat.
I absolutely love the way this turned out, this space is much more efficient for what I needed. The extra storage cabinets for art supplies is very nice for the kids too!
Do you drink coffee? Would you put something like this in your home? Please leave me a comment below, I love to hear from you!