The best martini in town is at your place.
There’s no luxury quite like having a home bar. Sure, a night out is great now and again, but there’s something so sophisticated about making signature co*cktails at your own home bar. With a little thought put into your setup, you can entertain in a space that rivals even the coolest of clubs (and plays only songs you love to boot). And while the debate over whether or not a
bar cart is chic (at House Beautiful we’re still evenly divided), the elegance of a built-in wet bar is unmatched. Whether outfitted with your dream selection of spirits or more suitable for your morning espresso, the possibilities are endless when you’re given a fridge and some shelving and counter space.
We especially love it when designers opt to sprinkle a few throughout the home. One for the kids, one for the adults, and even one for the pool so your hallways aren’t full of water splashes in the summer. You'll need more than a well-stocked liquor cabinet to make it happen, although that's essential. A great home bar has all the right tools, glassware, and mixers for every drink in your repertoire. Then there's the decor. Luckily, we have stylish home bar ideas and inspiration to help on that front, even for small spaces. You can elevate your co*cktail game whether you're working with a butler's pantry, a bar cart, or just a section of your kitchen counter.
The best home bar ideas, like a great co*cktail lounge or hotel lobby, can be sleek and modern or cozy and library-like. At home, it's up to you. Borrow their lighting, color palettes, and accessories to get the atmosphere just right. Mixologists may want a sink and an under-counter ice maker (or at least a chic ice bucket). No matter what kind of refreshments you're in the mood for, these 65 home bar ideas will make you want to clink glasses. You might even start to cheat on your favorite bartender—you know, the one who always gets the gin-to-tonic ratio just right.
Related Stories:
- Is the Bar Cart Over?
- The Best co*cktail Glasses
- 38 of the Best Coffee Bar Ideas
1
Embrace a Theme
In Carson Kressley's Pennsylvania home, the equestrian roots run deep. To keep the bar's design cohesive with the rest of the space, the beloved animal is depicted on everything from the wall art to the jockey-adorned figurines in the bar cabinets.
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2
Make Use of an Open Space
This alcove, once purposeless without the bar, now becomes the it-place to hang out in this home. Pastel hues blend the feature with the adjoining living room, and detailed millwork makes it seem as though the bar has been there all along.
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3
Style Your Shelving
At first glance, this may not seem like your standard home bar, and that's thanks to the expert styling of Jeremiah Brent. Rather than displaying shelves of booze like your favorite dive, artfully incorporate well-designed bottles and your curated glassware among your co*cktail books and antiques instead.
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4
Hack Your Own Wine Shop
Under the stairs is often a wasted space, but here, it's a family's curated wine cellar. If you're constantly reaching for a new bottle to try out with friends, there's no point in housing your collection in the basem*nt. This way, the conversation and the drinks flow easier all night long.
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5
Maximize Storage Space
There's an added bonus to positioning your home bar just off the kitchen—you now have extra space for any cooking tool overflow. Here, cutting boards and serving pitchers adorn the bar's shelving while keeping the actual kitchen cabinets clear for more everyday items.
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6
Keep it Simple
Streamlined and simple, this home bar sticks to its midcentury surroundings with a coordinating set of crystal decanters and glassware. A silver tray keeps everything contained and easily portable.
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7
Use Art as a Backdrop
Casually leaning framed art defines the zone for this home bar and makes it look contained. For an added touch, coordinate your glassware with the art's colors.
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8
Make a Statement
Rather than continue this room's black-and-white scheme, these homeowners filled the area around their home bar with a bold variation. Ample storage ensures drink fixings are easy to find.
9
Stick to the Essentials
Whether you lack square footage or don't want to dedicate a whole area to a home bar, opt for a co*cktail corner instead. Close proximity to the sink allows for easy cleaning after last call.
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10
Go Full Glam
If you're able to, place your home bar in a whole separate room. A private speakeasy cocooned in grasscloth is made more glamorous with metallic accents and an oversize pendant light.
11
Add a Window
Experience the joy of a swim-up bar at home, even if you don't have a pool. Oversize windows allow the party to carry on inside and out. Guests can enjoy the summer weather with a co*cktail while the family cook preps dinner—and no one misses the action.
12
Bring a Bucket
If you prefer to prep in the kitchen, invest in a small ice bucket you can bring from room to room to freshen drinks. It'll save you a dozen runs back and forth to the freezer.
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13
Customize Storage Space
Studio Osklo made use of a windowless space in this L.A. home by turning it into a modern home bar. They carved out two corner nooks with built-in shelving, cabinets, and even a sink. The narrow console ensures a streamlined look while still providing extra room for taste tests and hangs.
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14
Sneak in Personal Touches
In this Palm Beach bar designed by Phoebe Howard, swiveling vintage barstools have seats embroidered with a duck in a nest that the client's daughter designed, a nod to the home's longtime nickname ("The Duck's Nest").
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15
Add a Mirror Backsplash
Tuck mini wine fridges into enclosed cabinets, then flank them around a central wine cubby for an aesthetically pleasing and functional display in a narrow nook. The smokey mirrored backsplash brings the right touch of formal style to this space designed by Mallory Kaye, too.
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16
Get Creative With Doors
In a Texas home by Meredith McBrearty, homeowners and their guests can hang out in a swanky bar within the study, where a porthole door adds a nautical feel.
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17
Channel a Speakeasy
If you're bisecting one room into separate zones, create an actual dividing line with a counter (plus, it gives you a place to sit during tastings). Here, Reath Designs color blocked to separate the two "rooms" further, with the adjoining family room featuring a like green color and the moody bar area boasting a deeper shade of green as well as dark eggplant. The internal stained glass windows in the right corner were the jumping-off point.
18
Get Playful
Designed by Meredith McBrearty, this basem*nt wine cellar is cozy and comfy—the perfect place for lounging and sipping. And where better to have a little fun than at the bar? The moveable sconces here are a playful touch; sometimes the hands will be arranged in a Texas Longhorn gesture or flipping the bird, depending on the day.
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19
Customize to Your Space and Lifestyle
Stock your little bar nook for morning, noon, and night. Nestled right next to a casual built-in dining nook, this Reath Design home bar made the best of sloped ceilings with custom shelves for glassware, mugs, and booze, and then kept the remaining counters clear without skimping on storage by hanging a curtain to hide essentials tucked below the sink.
20
Match Glassware to Cabinets
This glossy home bar designed by Ashley Whitaker is the perfect blueprint for anyone with a glassware collection they'd proudly display. Here, the cobalt and lime glasses both speak to the deep marine cabinets.
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