Midcentury Wet Bar Ideas and Designs

Charred Pine + Brass Bar and Wall Hanging Collector's Shelving Unit

Amuneal’s kitchens and bars bring unexpected materials and finishes to create truly special installations. This bar uses the old-world technique of hand-burning wood to create a dynamic finish that highlights the organic nature of the raw materials. The charred pine door and drawer faces are juxtaposed with crisp machined hardware and a hand-patinated bronze top to create a look that feels both contemporary and timeless. The 3-Bay Collector’s Shelving unit in gunmetal and bronze is the perfect match to the humble complexity of this unit.

Fresh Baby Blue Kitchen & Bar Cubby

Model Remodel

A clever under-stair bar complete with glass racks, glass rinser, sink, shelf and beverage center

Office, Lounge, & Bar

Beth Howley Creative LLC

Built-In Wet Bar

Lignum Custom Woodwork

Situated on prime waterfront slip, the Pine Tree House could float we used so much wood. This project consisted of a complete package. Built-In lacquer wall unit with custom cabinetry & LED lights, walnut floating vanities, credenzas, walnut slat wood bar with antique mirror backing.

Skye in Palm Springs, California

Woodbridge Pacific Group

Residence 1 at Skye Palm Springs

Modern Addition Breakfast Room & Wet Bar

DeBaker Design Group, Ltd.

This modern galley Kitchen was remodeled and opened to a new Breakfast Room and Wet Bar. The clean lines and streamlined style are in keeping with the original style and architecture of this home.

Fun Midcentury Bar

Design One Cabinetry

Floating shelves with integrated lighting work with the mirrors to keep the display area open and bright. Orange was a signature color of Frank Sinatra, one of the original "Rat Pack" celebrities who lived, played (and drank) in Palm Springs!

Mid Century Portland

risa boyer architecture

Lincoln Barbour

1950's Mid-Century Modern Beach House

Rollins Andrew Interiors

1950's mid-century modern beach house built by architect Richard Leitch in Carpinteria, California. Leitch built two one-story adjacent homes on the property which made for the perfect space to share seaside with family. In 2016, Emily restored the homes with a goal of melding past and present. Emily kept the beloved simple mid-century atmosphere while enhancing it with interiors that were beachy and fun yet durable and practical. The project also required complete re-landscaping by adding a variety of beautiful grasses and drought tolerant plants, extensive decking, fire pits, and repaving the driveway with cement and brick.

68' 912

Rogers Design Build

Mequon Mid Century Modern

JFK Design-Build, LLC

2nd bar area for this home. Located as part of their foyer for entertaining purposes.

Awbrey Butte Mountain Modern

Pacwest Builders LLC

Horseshoe Trail

The Art of Building

Mid-Century Modern Bar Lounge

Tongue & Groove Design + Build

Joshua Curry Photography, Rick Ricozzi Photography

Greenhills Way

Carey's Custom Woodworking, Inc

Fine custom dark wood cabinetry with built in refrigerator.

How Cool is the Pool (House)?

d2 interieurs

Isn't this space just so groovy? We love how the custom bar/kitchenette in the guest house turned out. Denise had custom cabinetry designed and painted turquoise. The counter top is back painted glass. The focal pint is the incredible wall paper that makes the space, bright, colorful and so much fun.

Manhattan Ave Residence

Laney LA, Inc.

Interior Designer: Rini Kundu Contractor: RJ Smith Collaborating Architect: Doug Leach Landscape: Jones Landscape LA Photos: Ryan Garvin

Midtown Midmod

Hammersmith Structures

Ravenna Art Deco Dwelling

Workshop Estates

Portland Penthouse

Tyler Karu Design + Interiors

A penthouse in Portland, Maine with retro vibes. Photos by Justin Levesque

Midcentury Wet Bar Ideas and Designs

A home bar is one of the ultimate indulgences for a homeowner. By no means essential but all the more satisfying for that very reason. Whether your home bar ideas would be having the boys round to watch the big match in a pub-style atmosphere on a Saturday afternoon, ‘going uptown’ to sip an espresso martini in your home cocktail bar in the loft, or hoping to recreate the vibe of an intimate speakeasy in your basement, a midcentury style home bar is a treat that’s guaranteed to lift your spirits. A place where you are always guaranteed a seat.

How big should my retro home bar be?

The ideal style of your midcentury 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 retro 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 midcentury 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 midcentury 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 1950s style 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 – 1960s style ornaments, lamps, artwork, photos and travel mementos are great midcentury home bar ideas to get the conversation started.

Ireland

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