Home Bar Ideas and Designs
How big should my home bar be?
The ideal style of your home bar will depend on your lifestyle and entertaining habits as well as the amount of available space. If big groups come round regularly then you should consider dedicating a part of your living room or basement to a larger seating area – complete with a bar table, bar stools and wet bar section – to keep everyone suitably comfortable and merry. If TV is essential, check if there is a wall nearby that’s a big enough to mount it on without restricting anyone’s view. A key feature of home bar ideas is the storage – gleaming wine racks and low-lit glass shelves. Make sure you can afford these little delights after you have built the basic structure. Alternatively, if space is limited, a freestanding home cocktail bar would give you somewhere to prepare cocktails that is out of the way – in the corner of your dining room or under the stairwell for instance. Also, mirrored surfaces can help to create the illusion of space. Sketch the layout of the room in which you would like to place the bar and think about where all those bottles, cans and snacks are going to go. Then speak to either a home bar specialist about your home bar ideas, or to a joiner about adapting a vintage bookcase or creating something bespoke.
What style of home bar should I choose?
Try to play off the interior decor of the surrounding area. A kitsch Manhattan-inspired home cocktail bar will look out of place in a country cottage, for example. Similarly, a long white walnut home bar would jar against a bright red contemporary kitchen. That said, contrast might be something that you accentuate, not least through the choice of flooring, which would help to make your home bar stand out. Collect home bar ideas in an Ideabook, settle upon a theme and then discuss the design with your home bar specialist or joiner. Lighting sets the mood in bars, particularly late at night, so pay special attention to placement, intensity and how you want your guests to feel. Dim underbar lighting creates a warm, intimate atmosphere, while spotlights brighten and energise.
Which home bar accessories and facilities should I include?
This really does depend on how far you are willing to go. A home bar can replicate almost everything you see in your local, from running water and refrigerated wine cabinets to draught beer pumps and bespoke lighting and a sound systems. Again, the most important thing is to work with what’s there – available space and home decor. Is that black lizard effect leather flooring really going to go? How about the turquoise splashback? Do those flowers look out of place or will they help to soften up what’s fast becoming a man cave? There are several ways to make a home bar more visually interesting without spending big on fixtures and fittings. Select furniture that’s comfortable but also sparks interest, such as salvaged chairs or a second-hand leather sofa. Add a touch of glitz and glamour through your choice of glassware, drinks trolley, ice bucket, shaker and spirit bottles if you want the home cocktail bar look. Then scatter a few curios around the bar – ornaments, lamps, artwork, photos and travel mementos are great home bar ideas to get the conversation started.
Whether you want inspiration for planning a home bar renovation or are building a designer home bar from scratch, Houzz has 68,196 images from the best designers, decorators, and architects in the country, including Little Stories Photography and Finch London. Look through home bar photos in different colours and styles and when you find a home bar design that inspires you, save it to an Ideabook or contact the Pro who made it happen to see what kind of design ideas they have for your home. Explore the beautiful home bar ideas photo gallery and find out exactly why Houzz is the best experience for home renovation and design.
Hayley & Mark needed to create a space to spend time with family & friends. They also wanted to make the most of the amazing views. Hayley had strong views on what she wanted to achieve, we built several glass extensions which opened up the house & gave lots of options for socialising. We also renewed the patio areas which now allows the better use of the outside space.
Architects - Kotsmuth-Williams Architects
'It's been an absolute pleasure working with Wayne, Gareth and the guys from Moore Construction. It started with a small job and I was so impressed with the quality of the work that they ended up redesigning my house and garden and spending the year with me! Two extensions, numerous door and window replacements and the hugest patio ever - a very happy customer who keeps adding work as we go along and nothing is too much trouble with Moore Construction.'
Hayley Parsons OBE
Popular Filters to Try:
Light teal hues dance warmly across our pool bar area design, the metallic fabrics and glamorous silvers creating a sophisticated, seductive look.
glass - mohamad_ravanparvar
Hidden Bar
Photography: James French
Compact Bar Idea - jakki_begley
A jaunty 1950's cocktail bar sits beneath the ceiling canopy detail, and adjacent to some antique mirrored Crittall windows.
Photographer: Rachael Smith
This custom home bar is the cherry on top of the home extension and really brings an additional 'wow' factor to the entire project. We'll take a vodka martini, shaken, not stirred.
colour - webuser_121532565
This apartment is designed by Black and Milk Interior Design. They specialise in Modern Interiors for Modern London Homes. https://blackandmilk.co.uk
Style/era - kay_mac85