photo: Paul Grdina
Large transitional galley seated home bar in Vancouver with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, marble splashback, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Basement

Lehigh Valley Interior Construction

Mid-sized traditional u-shaped seated home bar in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, open cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Driftwood Rustic Farmhouse

Jenkins Custom Homes

This wet bar is concealed from the main living room by a door. The study is concealed from the bar by a hidden door.
Photo of a mid-sized country wet bar in Austin with glass-front cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Urban Glamour

Wade Weissmann Architecture

A wet bar stands ready for entertaining.
This is an example of a large traditional single-wall wet bar in Milwaukee with glass-front cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, mirror splashback, light hardwood floors and multi-coloured floor.

Custom Traditional Bar

WL Kitchen & Home

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional u-shaped wet bar in New York with no sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, mirror splashback, laminate floors, yellow floor and grey benchtop.

Architectural bar display in honey oak

CLIVE CHRISTIAN FURNITURE CO. SCOTLAND

Photo Credit - Neale Smith
Photo of a mid-sized transitional single-wall wet bar in Glasgow with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone slab splashback, travertine floors and beige floor.

Custom Bars and Wine Storage

Randall Cabinets & Design, Inc.

A built-in sink makes this custom bar versatile.
Design ideas for a small traditional single-wall wet bar in Chicago with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, an undermount sink, brown splashback, timber splashback and brown benchtop.

Anninger Residence

Creative Kitchens & Baths

Design ideas for a large traditional u-shaped seated home bar in San Francisco with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, mosaic tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Bars

Green Basements & Remodeling

Shaker Saddle Cabinets, Wine rack, granite countertops, under counter appliances, tile flooring, under cabinet lighting, under cabinet light rail
Photo of a mid-sized transitional galley wet bar in Atlanta with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops and ceramic floors.

Bar sink

Stonehenge Construction LLC

Eden Light Photography
Photo of a large traditional galley wet bar in Louisville with raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and granite benchtops.

Tuscany

Cedro Fine Woodwork Inc

Inspiration for a large country u-shaped seated home bar in Calgary with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, beige floor, medium wood cabinets, stone tile splashback and light hardwood floors.

A Grandeur Expansion

R+R Design

Now re-purposed into a Butlery and Bar serving the Formal Dining Room. The opposite side of the old Kitchen is closed off and is also re-purposed as a walk-in pantry serving the new location of the new Kitchen.

Pinehurst Lake

Design Studio for Cabinetry

Inspiration for a small traditional l-shaped home bar in Raleigh with raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback and ceramic floors.

Cunius

Service Doctor Remodeling & Design

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional galley seated home bar in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops and mirror splashback.

A wet bar for a tiny space

Tague Design Showroom

No space is too small! This homeowner wanted to add a wet bar to this tiny space in their family room. The Tague Design Showroom made it happen! Photos by: JMB Photoworks

Tuscan Cliffs

Aaron Vry Designer Kitchens & Baths

Aaron Vry
Photo of a large traditional galley wet bar in Las Vegas with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, stone slab splashback and travertine floors.

Poolhouse

Haustech

A closeup of the billiard room. This poolhouse was the culmination of how every project should be. A design build company working closely with their in-house technology division to ensure that every detail is accounted for.

Bar sink and additional prep area & storage

Stonehenge Construction LLC

Eden Light Photography
This is an example of a large traditional galley wet bar in Louisville with raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and granite benchtops.

Harrison Street Residence

Remodeling & Restoration Services, LLC

Small traditional single-wall home bar in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, ceramic splashback and medium hardwood floors.

Smith Ridge Rd., New Canaan, CT

Pound Ridge Painting Co.

Patrick Reddy
Photo of a traditional u-shaped home bar in New York with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback and medium hardwood floors.

Home Bar Design Ideas with Granite Benchtops

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.