Like so many things here on the Gold Coast, we are quite proud of our coffee culture. France may have bistrotes and Spain her bodegas and cafeterías, but here on the GC, what makes our coastlines shine is our dazzling selection of aesthetic cafés.
There is no finer locale to drink coffee at than the beach, but thankfully, many of our local coffee getaways are also cute to boot! And while no two cafés are ever truly the same, it’s easy to spot certain design trends shaping how so many of our coffee shops look and feel.
One of the most popular café aesthetics making the rounds today is something called “Cafécore”, and while you may not know what that word means, you’ve likely already seen it for yourself! In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about cafécore, what it looks like, and how you may even be able to recreate it yourself in your business or at home!
What is Cafécore, and what does it mean?
If you live online or partake in the occasional Instagram Reel or TikTok, you may have encountered various posts mentioning “core” hashtags, such as “#Cottagecore” or “#Academiacore”. These quirky names refer to a trend that focuses on aesthetic design to evoke a specific vibe or setting, like a cosy cottage in the woods or a gloomy university library tucked away in the dark.
Long story short, cafécore captures the most aesthetically pleasing café-coded design choices and accoutrements, both in professional settings and your own home. Now, it’s one of the biggest things sweeping the GC, as people try to live their own cafécore life!
For many coffee lovers, that means investing in quality lighting, sourcing stylish décor, and even exploring premium equipment and coffee machines on the Sunshine Coast and more to recreate the ultimate café experience at home, work, or in your own coffee shop.
Key Features of Cafécore
Cafécore is, of course, more than just simply a design trend; cafécore actually means striving for a café way of life, and how fitting that is for life on the Gold Coast! The goal is to capture the very feeling and essence of café life, as well, whether that’s while enjoying coffee or simply chilling in a relaxing setting.
To achieve peak cafécore, one must first tune in to what makes local coffee shops desirable. Cafécore often blends warm, inviting interiors with vintage or even artisanal elements, so here are some of the key features that just scream COFFEE TIME.
Dedicated Coffee Station
Nothing will get you into a cafécore state of mind faster than setting up your own dedicated, easy-access coffee station at home, primed for a barista-style experience. Start by designating a small counter, bar cart, or corner of your kitchen as your coffee hub, and invest in your preferred coffee-making method, such as a quality espresso machine, French press, or pour-over setup.
By giving your coffee its own special place to live, you’ll make your daily coffee rituals that much more special and comfy!
Soft & Warm Lighting
One of the defining features of cafécore is its cosy atmosphere, and lighting plays a major role in achieving this. Warm-toned lamps, pendant lights, candles, and natural sunlight can help create an inviting environment that feels comfortable and relaxing throughout the day.
So whether you’re using a new or thrifted lamp or simply drawing the curtains, cafécore always shines a light on the comforting setting around you!
Rustic, Comfortable Furnishings & Décor
Cafécore embraces natural materials and timeless design elements. Rustic wooden furniture, exposed textures, handcrafted pieces, and vintage-inspired wall décor all contribute to the lived-in charm that makes cafés feel so welcoming.
Another popular element to incorporate is pillows and beanbags, or any soft furnishing that makes it a tiny bit difficult to get up and leave. While there is no hard rule on what kind of furniture you should use, so long as your space is filled with furniture that is comfortable enough to sit and relax on for hours on end, then that’s cafécore!
Thoughtful Décor & Personal Touches
The best cafés feel curated rather than staged, some place lived-in instead of simply passing by. Handwritten menus, framed artwork, ceramics, indoor plants, well-loved magazines, and unique decorative items can all help create an eclectic yet cohesive space that reflects your personality and encourages people to stay awhile.
A true cafécore café probably feels more like someone’s kitchen and less like a modern warehouse café, so long as it has personality and charm! Oh, and add books, too—lots and lots of books!
An Atmosphere Designed for Slowing Down
More than anything, cafécore is about creating a mood, a place to be present in. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, soft background music, comfortable seating, and spaces dedicated to reading, working, or conversing all help capture the relaxed café lifestyle and encourage a slower pace of living.
While folks may be eager to get their caffeine fix, cafécore ultimately recontextualises coffee time as catch-up time, taking a moment or two to pause and slow things down for the better.
Why Cafécore Is Here to Stay (for a Drink or Two)
In many ways, cafécore reflects a growing desire to slow down and be more intentional with how we spend our time, either out in public together or at home. As our lives become increasingly busy and digitally connected, it’s no surprise that so many Aussies are craving and carving out spaces that encourage comfort, creativity, and genuine connection.
Whether you’re transforming your living room into a cosy coffee nook, upgrading your brewing setup, or simply making more time to enjoy your morning cup, cafécore is less about perfection and more about creating moments worth savouring. It’s a celebration of good coffee, thoughtful design, and the simple pleasure of slowing down.
And here on the Gold Coast, where great coffee and laid-back living have always gone hand in hand, cafécore feels less like a passing trend and more like a natural extension of the lifestyle we already know and love. So keep an eye out for those spaces that give you pause and keep you coming back; the next cafécore hidden gem you encounter may just become your new regular coffee sanctuary.
