Espresso is Inescapable
That's that me color of the season & year-round vice.
I know I’m not the only one who noticed espresso was everywhere in 2024—in some way, shape, or form. What once was the first thing you need in the morning is now the colorway inspiring outfits and interiors, while also materializing in some unexpected ways: from a buzzed makeup line, viral tonics, to song of the year. (Thank you, Sabrina Carpenter, for your part in keeping ‘that me espresso’ at the forefront of everyone’s mind.) What’s most surprising of all? I’m actually excited about brown.
For the fall/winter edition of In Season, we explore the online and irl landscape through the lens of espresso, focusing on expressions in style, home, food, and feeds.
As always, a mini mood board to whet your appetite.
Outfit Recipe: espresso + bright color
Espresso is our spotlight color, but as a quintessential f/w hue, I’ll admit brown for this season isn’t groundbreaking (a la florals for spring). However, when it’s paired with unexpected colors, it takes on a whole new life—and boy, is it good!
When it comes time to usher in a new season, I’ll start by shopping my closet—revisiting current staples and forgotten pieces with a fresh perspective—which helps curb potential trend-based buying.
This time around, I challenged the traditional fall palette by opting for brighter colors, complimenting the dark hue with baby blue, lime green, chartreuse, and lavender instead of the typical burgundy, olive, and rust, which is not to say those aren’t incredible combos. I just don’t feel the same excitement about them right now. While testing this outfit recipe a newfound appreciation for monochrome came as a surprise.
Needless to say, espresso is breathing new life into my wardrobe and giving my whites a much-needed break as I reach for an updated neutral.
Home Brew
Though I just sung high praises for espresso paired with bright colors, there is something so undeniably chic and sultry about a rich earthy interior. I always opt for a pop of color, but I can appreciate a more neutral palette. And when you’re investing in big pieces for your home, leaning into timeless appeal just makes sense. I’m excited to see brown break away from the millennial drab it once was.
If you want to bring more espresso to your home, start small with textiles and decor (i.e. throw blanket, tablecloth, vase), or go bigger with furnishings, like a leather couch or a new wood dining table—both materials lend well to this colorway. But if you’re ready to be espresso-drenched, consider cabinetry, tiles, wood paneling, and paint jobs.
I’m sensing a dark wood resurgence, which feels synonymous with the rise of rustic, folk, and craftspeople aesthetics (i.e. Bode). I predict we’ll see more walnut, teak, and perhaps some ebonized finishes in 2025. It’s a welcomed change from the Scandi-style, light wood that’s dominated for years, though it’s unlikely it’ll be dethroned anytime soon.
For Your Coffee Break
Who would I be if I didn’t recommend some goodies for actual espresso? Not the person who built their career discovering incredible pieces for your home.
Espresso Cups: ceramic for the handmade lover, stainless steel for the accident-prone (me).
Moka Pots: Alessi for the design forward, Bodum for fun on a budget, Bialetti for a timeless classic, or this vintage gem for my dream kitchen.
And, of course, lil sumthin’ for the “evening” coffee drinkers.
Buzzy Bevs
I refuse to subscribe to drinking iced coffee year-round. My coffee order adapts with the seasons—chilly mornings reignite my love for frothy cappuccinos while the heat of summer demands something iced. However, there is one drink I consider to be seasonless: the espresso martini.
Though the espresso martini craze has somewhat simmered down, don’t let your guard down. You know how it goes—one person has one, then everyone wants one. So let’s give the people what they want and give ‘em a proper supply of it already!!
Like its dirty sister, espresso martinis make for a great batched cocktail. Here’s the recipe I used to supply a Teeny Weenie Martini Partini (a.k.a. my best friend’s birthday party):
2 parts vodka
1 part espresso (freshly brewed, cooled to room temp)
1/2 part coffee liqueur (mr. black is my preference)
1/2 part simple syrup
Combine all ingredients in a large bottle, keep chilled, and can be made a few hours ahead of serving. Pour one serving of the mixture into a shaker filled with ice, shake, and serve. Garnish with coffee beans.
Confession: my bar isn’t always stocked with coffee liqueur or vodka (or well at all). So, when I’m in a pinch for an impromptu cocktail that’ll still impress, I make a two-ingredient lifesaver: a carajillo. All you need are equal parts of espresso and Licor 43—give it a shake, pour over fresh ice, and serve.
Forget about my booze-free coffee people?
I could never. I’ve been getting a lot of joy from Little Joy, a charming Milwaukee cafe, and their series on finding new drinks for their winter menu. Spiced brown butter brown sugar latte? Yes, please. While I’ll probably never make it there, I’ll definitely take inspiration from their inventive drinks and exceptional flavor pairings.
Your Favorite Cookie Called
And it said it also needs a caffeine fix.
Next time you whip up chocolate chip cookies, try adding espresso. I used to make these cookies in high school, and honestly, it's borderline blasphemous that I haven’t made them since (what’s worse: somehow that means it’s been over a decade—yikes). Of course, I lost the recipe over the years, but this one looks promising. I reckon 2-4 tablespoons in your usual recipe would do the trick!
Feeds Taking Form
Whenever a fantastical espresso machine pops up on my Instagram feed it does, indeed, stop my scroll. Most are obviously AI, some are harder to distinguish, all are by Tina Bobbe—a German product designer and visual artist.
While social feeds are increasingly littered with AI content (what is up with all the humanized animals and cartoonifed people?), her work does not fall into that category. Her distinct point of view and whimsical sensibilities allow for the creation of things that are unlikely to ever exist in the real world.
That is until one did.
Meet the espresso machine frame: a materialization of AI to product. It’s decidedly novel, incredibly aesthetic, and undeniably pricey—especially for something that serves no function. But does it bring a deliciously playful pop of color to your countertop? Oh, yes.
This element of “feeds taking form irl” piqued my interest. It’s the first time I’ve seen AI come to life and have an artist share that pipeline. I’m not very versed in AI nor do I really want to talk about on No Crumbs, but I care about design and it is inextricably part of the landscape now.
I’d be remiss to discuss AI without acknowledging its downsides. Early on, concerns about its impact on the creative industry—authorship, job opportunities, and more—arose and proved to be valid. Now, the conversation has shifted to another pressing issue: energy consumption. I was shocked to learn about the immense water required to cool AI data centers—something that had largely been left out of the public discourse. It was a glass-shattering moment, akin to realizing the fallacy of "away" when we discard something: there is no "away."
I’ll leave you with this final thought: Will we be seeing more AI to irl? Or, is this the real question: how soon?
Thanks for reading this installment of In Season! If you enjoyed it, check out our first issue on tomatoes, savoring the last days of summer, and unexpected red theory.
Until next time, I’ll be channeling this immaculate energy at La Cabra’s new-ish Brooklyn location, sipping espresso, using my hotspot to work on No Crumbs. Cause even though it’s wifi-free (grr) with a designated laptop zone (grrrr), I can't resist a beautiful interior and a cardamom bun.
P.S. This piece was originally intended to be the inaugural issue of No Crumbs—fitting given my Instagram handle—but I was up against tomato time and she waits for no one.
Obsessed with this
this soothed me