Building an app where coffee enthusiasts can share recipes and learn techniques to craft unique brews.

Client

Baristö

Location

Enschede, Netherlands

My role

Concept — Brand — Design

Year

2021 — 2024

Introduction

As prices rise at cafes and restaurants, more people are looking to brew their own DIY coffee at home. From simple cappuccinos to over the top cold brews, and latte art, the variety is endless. What's missing is a platform where enthusiasts can find inspiration for their next brew and share their own unique creations.

This project started at the mobile agency where I previously worked, inspired by the question: "What if there was an app that made it easy to discover and master unique coffee creations?"

Deliverables

The project started from the ground up, requiring the creation of the entire brand and concept. By the end, I delivered brand guidelines along with the visual design and interface of the app. Everything was ready to be implemented as a first iteration proof of concept product.

Research

Home coffee brewing is on the rise, with more people investing in quality machines and accessories. I surveyed customers at Wakuli Coffee Bar in Amsterdam, who felt coffee prices were getting too high but appreciated cafes for their variety and convenience. They were open to the idea of a coffee app that helps them create their own brews at home without spending too much time, preferring easy-to-understand recipes with visual guidance.

They responded positively to the idea of an app that provides tips, recipes, and brewing methods to enhance their skills and experience at no extra cost, offering more value than cafes.

Brand design

My colleague and I at the mobile agency named the app Baristö. We aimed to evoke Scandinavian warmth by using a mix of light and dark tints, with a vibrant orange spot color to add warmth and energy. These colors and rounded corners create a welcoming and friendly feeling, similar to what you find in coffee cafes. The wordmark features the name in a bold, simple font that conveys both clarity and enthusiasm.

Meet Baristö

The DIY coffee community app

Baristö is an easy-to-use mobile platform for coffee enthusiasts to share and discover unique DIY coffee creations. Users can upload short clips, recipes, and ingredient lists to provide clear instructions. They can browse, save favorites, and filter based on preferences. The app also includes mini-courses within the Baristö Acadamy, like latte art tutorials, and partners with sellers to offer certified coffee beans in the online shop.

The interface

The interface is designed for easy exploration and content discovery. Users see a digital shop window with filters to find the right recipes. Recipes include short clips or pictures, a description, ingredients, and instructions. Each brew also shows preparation time, difficulty level, and number of likes. Favorite recipes can be saved and shared with family and friends.

Baristö Academy clips are story-like videos that teach new skills through simple, step-by-step instructions. For example, they might show how to create a specific latte art design.

Baristö app showing the sign in and account creation screen.

Baristö app showing a message confirming successful account creation.

The Baristö app displayed where the explore tab is visible.

The Baristö app displayed where a scrolled down view of the explore tab is visible.

Baristö app displaying the filtering functionality.

Baristö app displaying the search feature to find new brews.

Baristö app showing the detail screen of what a coffee community recipe looks like.

Baristö app showing a scrolled down detail screen of what a coffee community recipe looks like.

Add your recipe

Adding coffee to Baristö is easy. Choose a catchy name, upload a great picture or short video, and describe the recipe and ingredients. Your coffee can then be shared with the world. Other users can favorite it or share it on social media and messaging apps.