top of page

How to Renovate a Small Cafe on a Budget: 10 Tips


How to Renovate a Small Cafe on a Budget: 10 Tips

A 2020 survey by Allegra found that 81% of people spend their time in cafés for their atmosphere, not just the coffee and food. This finding shows that your cafe’s design plays an important role in having more loyal customers. If you have a small cafe and are planning to give it a new look, the following 10 tips can be a great help, especially if you have a small renovation budget.


10 Tips on How to Renovate a Small Cafe on a Budget

Renovating a cafe in Canada can be overly expensive, depending on its location, materials used, and number of laborers. On average, minor renovations for a café could range from $50,000 to $100,000, while major upgrades could easily exceed $150,000 to $300,000 or more. If you have a small cafe and your budget is less than $50.000, the following points are for you


  1. Assess your cafe and find the areas needing improvement more. 

When it comes to renovating, some parts are in priority. In cafes, the seating area, entrance, and counter are the most important parts, as the customers are constantly using and seeing them. To have an outstanding decor, create an appealing wall using budget-friendly materials like reclaimed wood, wallpaper, or painted murals. Also, change your entrance to attract the customers as they enter your cafe. While it might be tempting to change the whole seating area, stick to your theme and make simple changes to both have a pleasant cafe and save your money for other purposes. 


  1. Do some of your changes yourself.

DIY (Do-It-Yourself) renovations can be cost-effective. By doing some of the renovations yourself, you not only save on labor costs but also add a personal touch to your cafe. Here are some of the things you can do yourself:

  • Hiring professional painters can be costly, but painting yourself can save you hundreds of dollars. All you need are the right tools (paint, brushes, rollers, tape, drop cloths) and some time.

  • Create a gallery wall or ask some of your friends (or team members) to draw artistic shapes on the wall.

  • Make handmade shelves and counters with basic tools and recycled wood.

  • Use peel-and-stick tiles or lay second-hand rugs to cover those parts of the cafe that need flooring. You can find such rugs on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace

  • Build a fence and planters for the outdoor space using low-cost wood or recycled metal. 


Do some of your changes yourself

  1. Recycle and reuse. 

New furniture and décor can be expensive, especially for small businesses like cafés and local restaurants. Look around your café or at second-hand markets to find the items that can be upcycled. Old furniture, unused materials, or even items from your own home could be transformed into something new. For example, if you have outdated doors and windows, you can paint and use them as coffee tables, shelves, menu boards, picture frames, and even benches for communal seating areas. Take a look at Cafe Jack in LA, which used old wood and salvaged ship parts to create a themed café.


  1. Create a wall or space for taking pictures.

Some millenials go to cafes to hang out with their friends and take pictures for their social media. An eye-catching wall or room will encourage people to share their experience on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. If you have a small cafe and want a feature wall, use the following ideas:

  • Hire an artist to paint a mural on your wall. If hiring an artist is too expensive, you can do it yourself using stencils or geometric patterns. 

  • Create chalkboard walls to write motivational or fun quotes every day. You can also write your cafe’s slogan or menu on the chalkboard so that everyone can see it. 

  • Install small, hanging planters on a wall to make a vertical garden. Creating a green wall is not expensive if you use recycled materials and inexpensive plants. 

  • Decorate a wall with tiles and mosaics. Use tiles with bold patterns and colors to create a scenic place. 


  1. Create a bar area on a budget.

You can have a stylish bar without overspending. Use the following tips to make an inviting bar on a budget. 

  • Before beginning, determine the size of the bar and its layout. 

  • Use low-cost materials, such as recycled wood, MDF, laminate, cinder blocks, or affordable bricks. 

  • Paint the bar or build shelves and drawers yourself.

  • Install low-cost pendant lights or string lights above the bar. You can find them on IKEA, Amazon, Facebook Marketplace, and local thrift stores.

  • Add a chalkboard or dry-erase board above the bar to display your café’s drinks, daily specials, and snacks. 



Use low-cost materials for your bar

  1. Add a personal touch to your cafe.

If you are a fan of a celebrity, movie, or music genre, you can add their symbols to the cafe. For example, you can draw the face of a celebrity on a chalkboard or hang the posters of a movie on your feature wall. 

Another way to add a personal touch to your cafe is by adding illustrations or typography to the menu. You can write your menu on an inexpensive chalkboard or use a digital menu with custom designs. 


  1. Add a patio to your cafe using affordable materials. 

In warmer regions, a patio is a must. If your café already has a small outdoor area, use that space to create a patio. This will save you time and money. Many cities offer outdoor seating permits, so you can use the sidewalk in front of your cafe to place seats and tables. If you like to renovate your patio, use affordable materials like gravel and concrete for flooring, recycled wood and tiles for walls, and repurposed furniture.


  1. Redesign the cafe with textiles.

Textiles play an important role in how the cafes look. Cushions, curtains, and rugs can represent your theme and brand identity in a subtle way. As the cushions and rugs are constantly used, find and purchase high-quality textiles that last long. Leather, velvet, cotton, linen, polyester, and acrylic are often used for café chairs, booths, and bar stools, as they are durable, easy-to-clean, and resistant to water and wear.


  1. Renovate your bathroom. 

Although it seems less important, renovating your bathroom can make a significant impact on customer experience. Having a clean, modern bathroom with a limited budget is hard but possible. Companies like Vansa Renovation have extensive experience in renovating small, outdated bathrooms into luxurious ones with the minimum cost. 

To renovate your bathroom on a budget, repaint your walls, replace the outdated lights with modern ones, place new mirrors with custom frames, replace the flooring tiles with affordable ceramic or porcelain ones, and replace an outdated sink and faucet with budget-friendly modern options. 


  1. Upgrade your kitchen.

The kitchen is perhaps the most important part of all cafes, no matter their sizes. Even a minor upgrade to the kitchen equipment or design can improve its efficiency. If you have no idea where to begin, read our blog about “top kitchen trends for small spaces” or contact the Vansa Renovation team to get tips and recommendations. 

Now, let’s browse through the most important tips on renovating your cafe’s kitchen.

  • Use countertop organizers to have more space on your worktop. 

  • Create open shelves and hanging racks for pots, pans, and utensils using affordable metal and wood. 

  • Paint the cabinet doors to give them a new look. 

  • Add an affordable and stylish backsplash behind the stove or sink with peel-and-stick tiles.

  • If your countertops need an update, laminate is a budget-friendly alternative to more expensive materials like granite or quartz.


The Last Words

Renovating cafes in Canada is so costly that most cafe owners refuse to start it. Luckily, some construction companies like Vansa Renovation offer flexible payment options to those trying to have a modern cafe at a low cost. Whether you want an updated kitchen, hallway, bathroom, entrance, or outdoor area, the Vansa Renovation group can help you have that. Take a look at our portfolio and contact our support team if you have any questions. 


Comments


bottom of page