Staff Break Room — Coffee, Comfort & Connection
A warm place for the people who pour into our kids all day to refill their own cups.
BeforeAfterDrag to compare today vs. the rendering
Teachers and staff give everything they've got, every day. This is the room where they catch their breath — a real coffee station, a comfortable place to sit, good light, and a couple of café tables for lunch or a quick conversation. The bones are already done: the floor, cabinets, and paint are in. This project is about making it feel like a place people want to be — cozy, encouraging, and unmistakably Harvest Academy. It's one of the most appreciated projects on the list, because the people who benefit are the ones who serve everyone else.
Fitting a wood countertop over the existing cabinets, setting up a coffee and beverage station (with a mini fridge), assembling a café table and chairs, arranging a cozy seating corner with a loveseat and accent chair, laying down two rugs, adding warm under-cabinet lighting, and hanging a few framed signs and plants. Mostly beginner-friendly weekend work — the only handy step is fitting the counter, and Lowe's can pre-cut it to size.
- Wood/butcher-block countertop sized to existing base cabinets + mounting hardware
- Beverage / mini fridge
- Drip coffee maker, mugs, canisters/tray
- Round café table + 4 chairs
- Loveseat / small sofa
- Accent chair + throw blanket + throw pillows (one custom "HARVEST" pillow)
- Side table + table lamp
- 2 area rugs + non-slip pads
- Plug-in under-cabinet LED light strip
- Framed sign: "Harvest Academy Est. 2008"
- Framed sign: "Together We Grow, We Learn, We Make a Difference"
- "Coffee. Teach. Inspire. Repeat." print/sign
- 1 tall faux plant + basket, 2–3 small potted plants + planters
- Picture-hanging hardware, wall anchors, assembly consumables
- Cordless drill/driver
- Screwdrivers
- Allen / hex keys (usually included)
- Tape measure
- Level
- Circular saw or jigsaw (only if counter needs trimming — Lowe's cut-to-size avoids this)
- Utility knife
- Step stool
| Item | Store | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Butcher-block / wood countertop + brackets/fasteners | Lowe's | $150–$350 |
| Beverage / mini fridge | Lowe's / Target | $150–$300 |
| Drip coffee maker + mugs + canisters | Target | $60–$120 |
| Round café table + 4 chairs | HomeGoods / Target | $300–$650 |
| Loveseat or small sofa | HomeGoods / retail | $350–$650 |
| Accent chair + throw + pillows (incl. custom HARVEST pillow) | HomeGoods / Target + custom | $150–$300 |
| Side table + table lamp | HomeGoods / Target | $70–$160 |
| 2 area rugs (kitchenette runner + lounge) + pads | HomeGoods / Lowe's | $120–$280 |
| Plug-in under-cabinet LED light strip | Lowe's | $25–$50 |
| Framed signs + 'Coffee. Teach. Inspire. Repeat.' print | Print/frame shop + HomeGoods | $130–$280 |
| Plants (1 tall faux + 2–3 small) + basket/planters | HomeGoods / Lowe's | $70–$160 |
| Hanging hardware + small tools/consumables | Lowe's | $25–$40 |
Measure the base cabinet run before buying the countertop — share length and depth so the right butcher-block size can be spec'd (and pre-cut at Lowe's to avoid sawing on site). Confirm an available outlet near the cabinet run for the mini fridge + coffee maker + under-cabinet lighting; if it's a single outlet, plan a power strip or surge protector. Cabinets, floor, paint, trim, ceiling lights, and window all stay as-is — this is furnishing and finishing, not renovation. The render reads slightly warmer than the current sage; paint is out of scope unless requested. Confirm a destination for the folding table, office chair, and mismatched chairs being removed.
One family — warm, satisfying, mostly beginner-friendly with a clear "after." Great for a family that enjoys decorating, or a coffee-loving family / local café or coffee roaster as a themed sponsor for the beverage station.
This project's a bigger lift — team up with 1 or 2 other families to make it happen.
Covers the full project
Team up with one other family
Join 2 other families
Be the first to chip in toward this project's $2,300 goal.
Your family covers the materials and completes the build.
Chip in money — another family handles the work.