Café Interior Design: What to Consider Before You Sign a Lease

Starting your first café is an exciting step — but it can also be costly. Too often, we see new operators burn through their savings before the doors even open, not because their vision is too ambitious, but because they overlooked critical details at the lease stage. The truth is: the site you choose has as much impact on your budget as the design itself.

Wonderwood Cafe by Blank Creatives

Here are the key things to consider before you sign on the dotted line.

1. Amenities: Look Beyond the Four Walls

If your construction budget is modest — say $150K or less — you’ll want to look for a site that already comes equipped with the essentials. Ideally, that means:

• A functioning kitchen with an exhaust hood

• A working grease trap

• A coolroom, if it’s critical for your menu

These features are not cheap to add later, and their absence can quickly eat up your budget before you even think about finishes, furniture, or branding.

2. know the Australian Standards

This is one that catches out a lot of first-time operators. If your café will seat more than 19 customers, you are required by law to provide a disabled-access toilet.

• Does the site already have one you can use?

• Or would you need to build or convert a bathroom to comply?

Adding in new amenities can blow out your budget, so make sure you’re across these requirements from the very beginning. Or negotiate with the landlord, to cover these additional costs before signing the lease.

3. Don't forget about accessibility

Another hidden cost comes with disabled access. Some sites may have a small step or stairs at the entry. In certain cases, this can remain as-is, but in others, regulations will require a ramp or similar access solution.

These additions aren’t just a matter of compliance; they’re also part of creating a welcoming space for all your customers. But they can be a costly surprise if you thought your site was already good to go.

4. Cosmetic upgrades VS major works

If your budget is on the lower end, the smartest approach is often to seek a site that requires only cosmetic updates. With fresh finishes, a new counter, updated signage, and carefully chosen furniture, you can achieve a completely new look without the hefty price tag of structural works.

Sometimes the best transformation comes not from gutting a space, but from working with what’s already there — and letting good design do the rest.

Final Thought

Before you sign a lease for your café, remember that the right site can save you thousands — and the wrong one can drain your budget before you even get to the fun part. Interior design in Sydney’s café scene is about more than style; it’s about balancing creativity with compliance, functionality, and long-term success.

Choosing wisely at the start means you can focus your energy (and budget) on creating the kind of space customers will want to return to again and again.