[2023] Unique Coffee Shop/Cafe Lighting Ideas You Can't Miss Out

Lighting in any retail premises will have a significant impact on the overall style and ambience. In a coffee shop in particular, lighting needs to be in keeping with the theme and design but also work well on a practical level. Coffee shops are a hub of activity, a place for people of all ages to meet, work, eat, drink and socialize. The lighting needs to meet the needs of the customers, as well as adding a beautiful finish.

Coffee Shop General Lighting

A lighting fixture like a sputnik chandelier can transform a space and provide a visual focus. Chandeliers can be installed above the bar and table area as well. They serve as functional lighting, providing sufficient illumination, while also adding an elegant decoration to the area.

Flexibility with lighting is a great way to accommodate different seating arrangements and events. You can provide more light when needed or adjust the brightness to create different atmospheres. An evening poetry event will require different lighting than a working lunch meeting. For a range of lighting moods from just one fixture, this track spotlight offers four anti-glare bulbs, with an industrial bronze effect finish. With this type of lighting, you have full control over the brightness and direction of the lights so you change it to suit different lighting needs. For smaller spaces that may be overwhelmed with a large light fixture, recessed spotlights are great for a sleek and subtle finish.

Height adjustable lighting also gives you some flexibility within the coffee shop environment. You can rearrange furniture, equipment and other decorations with the stunning, simple design of this industrial pendant light fixture. Bring lighting low for a focused, brighter light in a particular area, or have the lighting raised higher for more general softer lighting over a larger area. Having adjustable lighting options will also help you layer your lighting design. Overhead, table and recessed lighting can be used together for a range of lighting choices to suit daytime, evening, winter and summer.

Coffee Bar Lighting

The coffee bar is the busiest area of the coffee shop where people are ordering drinks, preparing food and moving around the space. Lighting in this area needs to be bright and welcoming. Customers need to be able to read menus, choose food items and see everything on display. However, lighting that is too bright or cool can be off-putting (remember fluorescent strip lighting in your school cafeteria and how it made the food look even worse!). If you want customers to be sharing pictures of themselves and their purchases from your coffee shop with their friends and family, the lighting should be warm and complementary to the colors and style of the shop.

A versatile lighting option for the coffee bar is bare Edison filament bulbs. The minimalist and chic style of the bulb complements almost any interior. From industrial to rustic, the classic style of the Edison bulb will beautifully blend or contrast with a range of interior designs. The modern LED  filaments are durable, dimmable, and provide a bright warm light with 360 degree coverage. The bulbs are a great standalone feature, or can combined with different chandeliers or pendants for different effects such as this three lamp droplight with cage shades and this 3-light pendant light with glass shades.

Outdoor Cafe Lighting Ideas 

The outside of a coffee shop needs to be just as inviting as the inside, and also acts as the main advertisement for any potential customers passing by. If your cafe or coffee shop does not have outside seating, you can still light up your shop to catch people’s attention and draw them in. Outdoor dimmable string lights can give a great vintage style effect. The lights can border windows, be hung on brickwork and along doorways for a unique decorative touch that will make your place stand out.

For outdoor seating areas, lighting on tables gives a soft, candle light feel. Solar powered mason jar lights are a beautiful, rustic option for individual table lighting. These lights give the impression of fireflies and long summer evenings, inviting your customers to take their time and enjoy the atmosphere and ambience. Alternatively,  outdoor pendant lighting above tables can give a more sophisticated feel and provide a brighter light that may be more suitable for when people are having food. To ensure adequate lighting of an outdoor area, using a mixture of on table lamp style lighting and pendant lighting above other tables will give great coverage whilst maintaining a soft glow.

Well planned and thoughtful outdoor lighting means an outdoor seating area can be used for more hours of the day, and longer throughout the year. By making the outdoor area as inviting as the inside you are maximizing your available seating and opening hours. Outdoor lighting does not have to be limited to individual tables. A great lighting design considers the entire outdoor area, and how the lighting can be a feature as well as a practical requirement. Solar powered deck lights, can be used along borders and steps to keep the areas people move around in well lit, as well as creating a visual outline of the area.

Lighting such as solar firefly lights, combined with flower planters or trees make a stunning visual pairing for a key light feature outdoors.

Tips for Coffee Shop/Cafe Lighting

The lighting in your coffee shop should be at the forefront of the design, rather than an additional afterthought. From a marketing perspective, your lighting will have an effect on the overall style and appeal of the coffee shop. Is this a place for mothers to meet with their children during the day, and is the lighting able to be bright, colourful and functional? In the late afternoon is this a quiet and reserved space for those wanting to read a novel in a cosy corner or work on their latest project on a laptop? Is you lighting bright enough in the corners of the space and are you able to adjust the brightness? You can use lighting mark out different zones and areas within a space, to encourage speed and movement at the serving area and relaxation in seating areas.

Warm accent lighting will avoid any dark corners that may make an area unappealing. An overall consistency in theme and lighting style throughout a venue will pull everything together for a polished finish. Investing in lighting that also acts as a visual feature offers excellent value and be sure to leave a lasting impression on your customers that keeps them coming back.