How We Designed A Small Juice Bar With Zero Experience | Lazy Haus Project

Updated: Dec 27, 2021

It all started in a small coastal town Pula, Croatia. In a search for a cute space with a good location, we found this tiny shop for rent with nothing but white walls and breathtaking views on the Arena. It was love at first sight - an empty sheet to write a brand new chapter. The initial idea was to have a coastal feel with lots of greenery.

How We Designed A Small Juice Bar On a Strict Budget

Juice Bar Design

Interior design rough sketch of the juice bar and the view on the Arena, though the large window

The First Rough Sketch

Looking back, I find it almost ridiculous how bravely we entered the whole project not knowing the town, without having any contacts, or where to find good shops for all the material, a handyman, accountant. Pretty much nothing. All we had at that point was a vision and a brief sketch I drew on a piece of paper. But you gotta start somewhere, right?

Even the name was a joke between my husband, and I. Lazy Haus sounded fun, memorable, and I'm sure many people thought we misspelt word 'Haus' :) which is actually house in German. The 'Lazy' bit just felt right for a holiday destination like Pula, where everything and everyone is super laid-back and relaxed. That's something we got used to quickly. :)

Finding The Right Contractor For A Juice Bar

Quickly, I realised - finding the right person is easier said than done. Soon after roaming through several paper adverts, I started asking random builders I met literally in the middle of their construction job (I know - not ideal). I would ask if the team leader could come and take a look at the space. In the end, I had a few people coming over to take a look, do some necessary measuring and provide a rough quote.

The way I approach any work - beyond the price, I believe finding someone easy to communicate with, someone you can trust (so important), who understands the vision and not trying to change the design without explaining the technical reasoning behind it.

Since it was my very first project, I needed someone with patience and attention to details. I am so grateful I met a gentleman called Dario, who was everything I was looking for, he did everything as I imagined if not even better!

Juice Bar Building Material

It really depends on the budget and what are your priorities. For us, money-saving bits was the counter, shelving and the mini kitchen. For example - instead of spending money on distressed looking wood, I found this gorgeous inexpensive wallpaper for the bar. Instead, I invested more in the actual equipment like a good fridge, freezer, juicer, coffee machine, etc. P.S. Bauhaus is a great place when it comes to pretty much everything, from start to finish.

Small Juice Bar Layout Design

Dealing with a tiny space (less than 20 m2 in our case) was challenging enough, and it meant we really had to think about every centimetre and measure at least twice. Things to consider - having enough space for the customer to walk in and feel comfortable without compromising on the much-needed working corner. For a room to feel airy and visually bigger choosing brighter colours is always the right choice. Also, adding a mirror where possible is a perfect way to trick the eye of thinking there is an additional space beyond the wall.

Juice Bar Decorating

For me, decorating is probably the most therapeutic and exciting thing ever! In our case, Bauhaus was a perfect choice when it comes to finding some adorable decor and plants. Jysk is also an excellent place to find decorative bits. There are probably a few other interesting shops, but we were on a tight schedule, and the big shop like Bauhaus was a time saver.

Chinese Butterfly Blue Tea

What Equipment Do You Need For A Juice Bar

We certainly did our research before investing in good quality equipment that won't fail us after a few weeks of intense use. However, if you are serious about your juice bar and looking into a long-term solution that will save you money in the future, you need to invest in key items like a juicer and blender.

Juice bar essentials that worked for us:

1. Kuvings Commercial Whole Slow Juicer Chef CS600 (trusted brand for 40 years)

Kuvings Whole Slow Juices Chef CS600, Amazon

You should consider getting a commercial juicer if you plan to use it for a long time. The crucial difference between a commercial juicer and the one you would buy for personal use is the motor strength.

We chose this particular model because it has a strong motor that doesn't overheat even when consistently used for hours. In addition, it has a durable stainless steel body and drum; it generates less noise and vibration than other juicers. To top it all off, Kuvings has received many international design awards. You can get the CS600 Juicer on Kuvings.com or Amazon.

Inexpensive juicers you can find on Amazon:

2. Kuvings Vacuum Blender SV-500

vacuum blender by Kuvings perfect for a small juice bar

Vacuum Blender SV-500, Kuvings

Features to consider - commercial-grade motor, triple 3D moving blades producing less air in a smoothie, noise-reducing cover, superfine results with less foam and less separation, Eco-Friendly Tritan container. You can get the Kuvings SV-500 blender on Kuvings.com, ukjuicers.com. Or take a look at some inexpensive alternatives on Amazon.

3. Tiamo Cold Brew Coffee Maker Tower

This wasn't an essential piece, but it was one of the coolest focal points in on the counter. This Japanese style machine has an eye-catching design that got as quite a few customers.

This coffee-making tower was not an easy find. After days of researching, we finally found one by a Dutch company called Batavia Coffee. You can also get the exact one on barista-shop.eu. If the size is too intimidating, you can kickstart with a smaller version. Find them on Amazon:

Juice Bar Decoration

When working with a small space, every inch matters, so make it count. Opt for decorative pieces with a dual purpose. Take the juice bar to the next level with a few stylish yet practical decorative pieces:

Shop the accessories:

Lazy Haus Juice Bar Final Look

Lazy haus, juice bar near the Arena in Pula, Croatia

Lazy Haus - Juice & Popsicle Bar

Views from the shop.

Not a huge fan of taking selfies, but thought saying hi is in order. :)

Cheers guys with a Blue Tea Latte! :)

To summarise:

I'll be honest with you; there were some challenging points when it comes to finding things online and in general, just doing a project in a foreign country where we just moved to. But as it turns out when you put your mind to it and truly invest yourself, anything is possible. I was beyond happy with the very first project we built from scratch with zero experience and lots of love and enthusiasm. If I can do it, you can too! 😊

Hope our example is helpful in any way, and hey, if you need any additional info, feel free to message me on info@barbuliannodesign.com.

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