In the world of interior design, few phrases have such allure as “the home bar”—provocative, vaguely illicit, full of the promise of fun.
Decanters are suave, martini glasses are sophisticated, and the glinting metal of ice tongs and co*cktail stirrers is exotic. No matter how many years you’ve been legally buying alcohol for, there will always be something mildly clandestine about a home bar. It evokes early childhood memories of falling asleep to muffled crystal clinks and straining to hear the adult conversations downstairs; and teenage ones of furtively sneaking contraband from their liquor cabinet (how did they not notice the bottle of gin was 50% water?).
I love the opportunity to bring in some nostalgic glitz when designing a home bar. You can lean into fantasy and create an area that will temporarily transport you to a more glamorous time. Options are endless, but here are some of my favourite design tips for creating a home bar of any size.
The bar cart
Most of us merely dream of the luxury of a whole dedicated room, or even a corner of a room, and must make do with storing our clinking crystal in a neat cart. The carts on offer today are no consolation prize though — some are so beautiful that I would make them the focal point of the room. My usual advice when choosing homewares is to stay cohesive with the existing style of the room, but forget that when it comes to bar carts. Have fun with it; it’s fine if they’re incongruous. The only restriction I’ll impose is to choose a size that fits neatly into the space you have available — don’t plonk down a monstrosity that will get in everyone’s way.
All you really need are a couple of shelves, but to make life easy for yourself I would add glass holders. I would also choose a cart with wheels — that way you bring your bar into the centre of your living room when you have friends over. Add fun accessories such as co*cktail shakers, ice buckets, and decorative drinks stirrers. Check out Oriana B (orianab.com) for some vintage-style carts and accessories.
The cabinet
If you prefer to keep your hooch out of sight — or out of reach of small hands — a closed cabinet is for you. If you have enough space, a tall cabinet that opens up to reveal a full purpose-made bar is just dreamy. If budget is not an issue, head straight to Zelouf and Bell (zeloufandbell.com) and let them create one of their stunning lacquered, inlaid, lined-with-the-finest-materials masterpieces for you.
Also check out the exquisite craftsmanship of a Bear Creation drinks cabinet (bearcreation.com). For something smaller but still with a little flair, I love the art deco style pop-up drinks cabinets. These were hugely popular in the early half of the 20th century, and you’ll come across plenty of vintage finds on Etsy. Ensure your cabinet folds out to provide shelf or countertop space so that you can easily mix drinks for your guests.
The alcove
One of the best and most common uses of an alcove in a living area is to turn it into a bar. My favourite way to design this is to tile the alcove and install glass shelving with metal brackets (I usually hate glass shelving, but I make an exception for the home bar). I love a muted, dark, slightly shimmery tile here. Zellige tiles are perfect, and my favourite is a long rectangular shape laid vertically.
Have glassware out on display and add wine glass racks under the shelves. Homesense is a brilliant place to pick up affordable but quality glassware, or Reidel is my brand of choice if splashing out. Install a countertop and cabinets underneath for storing bottles, or even a small wine fridge if temperature control is of importance to you. Add warm spotlights or, even better, LED strips covered with a diffuser around the edges. You can choose to have your alcohol on display or hidden away underneath, and you can add non-bar related accessories such as plants and candles if you prefer your bar to be inconspicuous when not in use.
Corner bar
You don’t need as much space as you would think to install a corner bar — even one square metre would be sufficient. You can transform an unused corner quite easily and cost-effectively with some shelving and a slim cabinet extending out from the wall. You can buy ready-made L-shaped corner bar cabinets, or for a DIY project you could do up the Ikea Malm desk with a pull out panel, which is perfect for creating a temporary bar countertop when entertaining.
If budget extends, I would recommend getting a joiner or kitchen maker to build a custom bar unit for you. Ideally you would include a countertop with an overhang, and add some bar stools for guests to lounge on while you prepare drinks. Consider installing a sink and a fridge to make life easier.
Pendant lighting will look great over your countertop, or you could even install overhead wine glass rails from the ceiling. You can go all out with decor here in your chosen style — I’m not averse to a neon sign in a bar if that’s your thing, or a brass stag’s head. Pick a theme and have fun with it.
A whole room
A whole room, you say? If you have a whole room in your house to dedicate to a home bar, you don’t need advice from a newspaper column (although if you do need a wife then hit me up). Employ an experienced joiner and an interior designer and let your imagination run riot.
