1. Add An Island
A dedicated drinks area complete with a cocktail bar-inspired island is the last word in luxury when entertaining. ‘An island is a great focal point for guests to gather around, especially if it is curved in shape; it gives the host a clear area to show off their cocktail-making skills and serve drinks while keeping the back bar area free for prep and accessories,’ enthuses Mike Fetherston
2. Be Creative In A Small Space
Forget filling fireplace alcoves with bookshelves, a well-appointed small home bar with dynamic design details is far more exciting. And, with a little imagination, you can achieve great things in a small space. ‘You can have lots of fun with a home bar and create something really playful, sumptuous, and showstopping,’ agrees Lucy Barlow, creative director, Barlow & Barlow.
3. Go Glam Under Stairs
Utilizing under-stair space for a stylishly appointed bar is much more rewarding than stuffing it with coats and shoes, and guests will be far more appreciative come party season! ‘A bespoke solution is key to ensuring a perfect fit and harnessing all the space available,’ says Tom Rutt, director, TR Studio.
4. Connect Rooms
Make an open-plan kitchen even more sociable by including a stylish built-in bar between the cooking and living areas. Located within the island unit, or peninsula, a well-appointed bar can lure guests safely away from the business end of the kitchen, while ensuring conversation flows.
5. Think Outside The Box
This home bar located in the dining room of a London townhouse makes the most of a narrow alcove. ‘A carefully executed bar can make a virtue of the smallest niche. Clients often say that clever, hidden storage solutions, like the pull-out ‘table’ we included here, become their favorite features,’ says Natascha Dartnall
6. Get Mixers On Demand
If your home bar isn’t within easy reach of the kitchen sink, consider incorporating a boiling water tap. Far faster to heat than a regular kettle, boiling water taps are also more energy efficient and make light work of serving hot beverages.
7. Include Appliances
If you are going to dedicate space to a home bar, don’t skimp on the functional details. ‘A wine cabinet should be factored in so that your favorite tipple is kept at optimum temperature,’ says Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio.
8. Introduce A Home Bar In The Dining Room
‘Introducing a home bar area within your dining room ideas not only creates the perfect opportunity for after dinner drinks, but on a more practical level it adds useful storage to conceal the less decorative and more habitually used tableware and practical accessories,’ says Clara Ewart, head of design at Kitesgrove.
9. Impress With A Fully-Stocked Bar
Using luxe materials and an atmospheric palette, interior design Peter Mikic has delivered a dramatic dining room complete with dance floor. This space is in the basement of a house in Notting Hill. It has no windows so the decorative approach from the start was to work on the atmosphere, making the room wonderfully dark and moody. Fundamental to its success was getting the lighting scheme spot on. Here, a big source of light is from the bar that glows at night – it makes everyone in the room look wonderful.
10. Keep Your Home Bar Behind Closed Doors
The bar is neatly concealed behind tall bi-fold doors in the sitting area. We love the element of surprise when the doors are opened to reveal the beautiful interior, complete with glassware, drawers and wine cooler. Using glass shelves and a mirror ensures everything glistens and sparkles. Even the shelf supports are mostly glass – they virtually disappear to create a floating shelf effect.
11. Invest In A Stylish Freestanding Cabinet
While fitted cabinets are unlikely to ever go out of style, there has been a gradual move towards more relaxed-looking spaces that incorporate freestanding elements.
12. Dedicate A Space For A Bespoke Home Bar
In a busy kitchen or kitchen-diner used for entertaining, it makes sense to create an area for making drinks away from the main cooking zone to avoid tripping over each other.
13. Install A Restaurant-Worthy Bar At Home
If you are looking for luxury home bar ideas you will be pleased to know that they can be built in just about any home. The best way to achieve this is by constructing yours from natural materials, such as exotic stone – whether real or lookalikes – matched with shapely bar stools and a trio of glass pendant lights. You'll wonder why you never had a special spot for entertaining – or breakfast – before.
14. Put It On Display
Kitchen shelving ideas for your home bar – whether open shelving or hidden within a cupboard or behind pocket doors – are a great option if you are the proud owner of an impressive glassware collection, or are a keen entertainer who appreciates having ingredients close at hand.
15. Create A Niche In A Small Space
Anyone looking for small home bar ideas will be relieved to know that a dedicated home bar can be super stylish even if you only have limited space.
16. Invest In A Show-Stopping Design
Remodeling a kitchen or expanding your basement ideas to include a dedicated home bar is one of the top projects in brand-new homes. This is because a generous home bar is now the epicentre for modern home life and a hub for entertaining and more.
17. Take A Tropical Approach For A Garden Bar
Garden bar ideas have grown in popularity as our backyards become extensions of our homes. Increasing the usage and comfort of outdoor space is now a vital part of garden design plans. The ultimate entertainment station, a home bar will become an enjoyable al fresco hub for your family and guests to come together and appreciate all year round.