New Fireplace Transforms Cold Basement into Warm Family Room

A basement may be the most overlooked space for a remodeling project. But basements offer lots of opportunities. This Minnesota project began with a little-used basement space with dark carpeting and fluorescent, incandescent, and outdoor lighting. The new design began with a new centerpiece – a gas fireplace to warm cold Minnesota evenings. It features a solid wood frame that encloses the firebox. HVAC ductwork was hidden with the new fireplace, which was vented through the wall. The design began with in-floor heating on a new floor tile for the bar area and light carpeting. A new wet bar was added, featuring Cherry Wood cabinets and granite countertops. Note the custom tile work behind the stainless steel sink. A seating area was designed using the same materials, allowing for comfortable seating for three. Adding two leather chairs near the fireplace creates a cozy place for serious book reading or casual entertaining. And a second seating area with table creates a third conversation area. Finally, the use of in-ceiling down lights adds a single “color” of light, making the entire room both bright and warm.

Chan Basement

Knight Construction Design Inc.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional home bar in Minneapolis with vinyl floors.

Industrial Basement

Deimler Family Construction

This wet bar is reflecting between spaces. Photo by: Andy Warren
Photo of a small industrial single-wall wet bar in Other with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, mirror splashback and quartz benchtops.

Modern Contemporary in Gray

Serenité Interiors

Mid-sized modern single-wall wet bar in Los Angeles with porcelain floors, no sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, wood benchtops and brown floor.

Family Room Bar with Barn Wood Paneled Backsplash and Floating Shelves

Denise Quade Design

A bar was built in to the side of this family room to showcase the homeowner's Bourbon collection. Reclaimed wood was used to add texture to the wall and the same wood was used to create the custom shelves. A bar sink and paneled beverage center provide the functionality the room needs. The paneling on the other walls are all original to the home.

West Hollywood

Legacy Millworks, Inc.

Wet Bar in you family room is perfect for entertaining! We have high gloss slab doors topped off with white granite counter tops. A wine refrigerator, 3" tab pulls, and beautiful floating shelves.

Basement Restoration

Red Sky Contracting

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped wet bar in Calgary with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback and dark hardwood floors.

Hunting Lodge Style Bar

Renaissance Interiors, Hartley Wintney

This is an example of a country home bar in Surrey with wood benchtops.

Sater Design Collection's 6943 "Pontedera" Home Plan

Sater Design Collection, Inc.

The Sater Design Collection's luxury, Mediterranean home plan "Pontedera" (Plan #6943). saterdesign.com
Design ideas for a mid-sized mediterranean home bar in Miami.

Overlook G

Studio Design Elements

James Harris
Photo of a mid-sized country seated home bar in Atlanta with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white splashback, timber splashback, porcelain floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Pantry & bar area

Danmar Cabinet Company

Photo of a small traditional u-shaped home bar in San Francisco with no sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, beige splashback, porcelain splashback, light hardwood floors, beige floor and white benchtop.

Amantii Built-in Electric Fireplaces Indoor

Embers Fireplaces and Grills

Photo of a mid-sized modern home bar in Other.

Bachelor Pad in the Canyon

R-Squared Design

When you are a bachelor and you live in a big ole' house, why not turn the formal living room into a billiards room/cigar lounge? What was once a "blah" white-painted brick fireplace now has a little "edge" courtesy of a coat of black paint. A big screen t.v. for hockey games, leather chairs, a wide variety of scotch, Cuban cigars and a vintage pool table provide the perfect setting for a party. The room is an odd "L" shape, so there wasn't much of an option aside from putting in a pool table. At least, that's what we convinced ourselves of. And "no", that's not a real ivory tusk on the mantel. It's fake and made of many pieces of bone.

Quimby

Comfort Flooring

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional home bar in Other with dark wood cabinets and vinyl floors.

Basement Rec Room

Davis Audio & Video

Basement remodel in conjunction with Blank & Baker Construction. We created a media room with surround sound, a bar and whole house audio system. photo credit: David Davis www.daviddavis.photography

Two Toned Kitchen with White Island and Great Room Stacked Stone Fireplace

Cabinet-S-Top

In this kitchen, we installed on the dry bar: Medallion Platinum series, cherry wood, Newcastle and Dana Pointe with reverse raised panels, Cappuccino with Burnt Sienna Glaze and Highlights cabinets; on the Island: Medallion Gold Series, maple wood, Luxley Flat Panel painted White Icing cabinets and on the kitchen perimeter: Medallion Gold Series, maple wood, flat panel with Eagle Rock Stain Sable Glaze and Highlights. The countertop is Bianco Libertina Granite with eased edge. For the backsplash Articulo Wave 6 x 18 field tile in Editorial White was installed and Tide Cascading Waters glass backdrop on island backsplash. Brio LED lights and Wiliamette 32” chandelier in oiled rubbed bronze over the dinette table. A Blanco Performa sink in Truffle, Moen Align faucet and Liton dispenser in spot resistant stainless.

Entertaining Areas

Jocelyn Privett

Full custom bar by C&W Custom Woodworking with a stained and glazed custom color finish. All lower level trim details were designed by C&W Custom Woodworking

Basement Bars

The Better Basement Company

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional single-wall seated home bar in Orange County with a drop-in sink, wood benchtops and porcelain floors.

2345 YC

Conquest Construction LLC

Photo of a mid-sized mediterranean l-shaped seated home bar in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, travertine splashback, porcelain floors, beige floor and beige benchtop.

Residential Bar NY

WL Kitchen & Home

Home Bar Design Ideas

A home bar can provide a spot of indulgence for one, or be a central hub you gather round when entertaining. Whether you’re thinking of planning a wine bar, outdoor bar, or just making room for a bar cart, browse these images for inspiration, and ask yourself the following questions.

Where should you position your home bar?

The most popular location for a home bar is in or near the kitchen or dining room. If you prefer entertaining outdoors, however, an outdoor bar can be a dream addition to any Aussie backyard – and imagine the luxury of swimming up to your very own pool bar! If you're building from scratch, a landscape architect can help you work out the ideal design for your space.

What type of home bar is best suited to your needs?

Home bars come in all shapes and sizes, and with an array of practicalities. Utilise an awkward corner with a cabinet bar; maximise floor space with a trunk bar, which unfolds to create a bar counter; or conveniently turn any space in your house into a bar room with a mobile bar such as a fun bar cart. If you prefer a more grandiose option, or all the amenities of a real bar, you can’t go past a built-in home bar.

What home bar functionalities do you want to include?

Decide how you will use the bar and whether you will need sinks, storage and refrigeration. Including a sink in your home bar design is a practical addition if you choose a location far from your kitchen. If you’re a wine connoisseur, you may want to include additional wine storage, whereas a mini bar fridge within the kitchen may need no extra storage at all. Home bars that will be used infrequently – perhaps an outdoor bar in the cooler months – may not need refrigeration and could suffice with large ice buckets.

What bar furniture will you need?

Seating is essential to any home bar and will impact the style of your home bar design. Bar stools, for example, come in an array of materials and styles, from traditional wooden bar stools, to resort- and industrial-style stools. Storage is another important element, so look for a liquor cabinet and wine racks. Next, if you are creating a freestanding station, you will need a bar table, which are taller and shallower than regular dining tables. Check that your stools and table height work together before you finalise any home bar designs.

How can you personalise your bar design?

Bar tools and accessories are an easy and interchangeable way to personalise your bar design. You may want to create a wine bar, tavern-style bar or retro bar, so look for wine glasses and tumblers, for instance, that will help carry this style. Coasters, bar mats or signage will help you to further achieve your desired look.