This Kitchen Hack Uses a Budget IKEA Cabinet to Make an Expensive-Looking Coffee Station

When it comes to coffee bars, espresso makers, and anything involving the morning caffeination routine, I like to think I've always got one eye on the latest and greatest. While my focus, of late, has been on reviewing machines, I couldn't ignore a certain coffee corner DIY doing the rounds on social media, using IKEA's HAAGAN shelving (typically reserved for the bathroom).

Like many IKEA hacks, the simplicity of this idea and the streamlined result are instantly alluring, so how easy is it to replicate, really? Well, I spoke with Elodie of Elow Home, one of the interior creators who tried this trick herself, to see. "I was running out of space in my kitchen, and I didn't want to start any renovation work (like drilling into the walls to install shelves)," she shared.

Where a dedicated coffee cabinet or standalone coffee bar idea can rack up a much more expensive bill, this IKEA HAAGAN hack is a perfect, affordable solution. An afternoon project that leads to a sleek and stylized morning routine, if you will. Keen to try it for yourself? Here's everything you need to know.

IKEA's HAAGAN Coffee Nook DIY

First things first, for this hack, you are going to need to get your hands on one of IKEA's Hagaan wall open cabinets. IKEA offers this shelving unit in both a dark brown oak and lighter oak finish, so you can choose the colorway that best blends with your kitchen design.

The rest is pretty simple: find a space on your counter that has enough wall behind it to fit the shelf, install the shelves at a height that allows your coffee machine to slide into the bottom, and leave off the bottom shelf when you build it. This last step (not attaching the bottom of the structure) helps the unit look more streamlined on your countertop and allows for your espresso machine or coffee maker to easily slide into place.

"Make a small hole at the bottom of the back panel (any box cutter from Amazon will work for this) so you can neatly feed the coffee machine cable through," says Elodie. "It keeps your cords hidden on your kitchen counter and everything looking clean and organized."

If you can't make it to IKEA, you don't necessarily need the HAAGAN shelf to replicate this easy kitchen DIY. Just make sure that you double-check the sizing of alternative options and that you can install the different shelves yourself.

"This simple trick helped me optimize a small space and keep everything I need within reach, without any construction," shares Elodie. And, "Since my kitchen is open-plan, it also needed to look stylish — and this setup blends in beautifully."

No drills, no construction, and not even a lick of paint needed (unless you want to add a pop of the latest color trend, of course). My favorite kind of DIY is one where there is minimal room for error, and for that, this idea is perfect. However, what really makes this coffee bar idea shine is styling each shelf with all of your best coffee machine accessories.

"Lean into the trend of decorative mugs and pretty accessories," says Elodie. You can even add a coffee machine stand with a drawer to store smaller equipment, coffee pods, and tools (like this one from Amazon). This way, your countertops stay clutter-free, and your shelves won't get overcrowded.

"Personally, I'm planning to add an adhesive backsplash or peel-and-stick wallpaper on the back panel to make it even more personalized and elevate the look," adds Elodie.

Here's how I'd style it.

Having a coffee station at home doesn't mean you need to have a dedicated bar cart or an entire coffee closet. Little tricks like this elevated an empty corner into a moment that brings intention and style to your morning routine.

Of course, you'll need one of the most stylish, best espresso machines before taking on this IKEA DIY. And luckily, I may know a thing or two about that as well...