The 100-year old home’s kitchen was old and just didn’t function well. A peninsula in the middle of the main part of the kitchen blocked the path from the back door. This forced the homeowners to mostly use an odd, U-shaped corner of the kitchen. Design objectives: -Add an island -Wow-factor design -Incorporate arts and crafts with a touch of Mid-century modern style -Allow for a better work triangle when cooking -Create a seamless path coming into the home from the backdoor -Make all the countertops in the space 36” high (the old kitchen had different base cabinet heights) Design challenges to be solved: -Island design -Where to place the sink and dishwasher -The family’s main entrance into the home is a back door located within the kitchen space. Samantha needed to find a way to make an unobstructed path through the kitchen to the outside -A large eating area connected to the kitchen felt slightly misplaced – Samantha wanted to bring the kitchen and materials more into this area -The client does not like appliance garages/cabinets to the counter. The more countertop space, the better! Design solutions: -Adding the right island made all the difference! Now the family has a couple of seats within the kitchen space. -Multiple walkways facilitate traffic flow. -Multiple pantry cabinets (both shallow and deep) are placed throughout the space. A couple of pantry cabinets were even added to the back door wall and wrap around into the breakfast nook to give the kitchen a feel of extending into the adjoining eating area. -Upper wall cabinets with clear glass offer extra lighting and the opportunity for the client to display her beautiful vases and plates. They add and an airy feel to the space. -The kitchen had two large existing windows that were ideal for a sink placement. The window closest to the back door made the most sense due to the fact that the other window was in the corner. Now that the sink had a place, we needed to worry about the dishwasher. Samantha didn’t want the dishwasher to be in the way of people coming in the back door – it’s now in the island right across from the sink. -The homeowners love Motawi Tile. Some fantastic pieces are placed within the backsplash throughout the kitchen. -Larger tiles with borders make for nice accent pieces over the rangetop and by the bar/beverage area. -The adjacent area for eating is a gorgeous nook with massive windows. We added a built-in furniture-style banquette with additional lower storage cabinets in the same finish. It’s a great way to connect and blend the two areas into what now feels like one big space!

A contemporary home bar with lounge area, Photography by Susie Brenner
Design ideas for a mid-sized scandinavian single-wall home bar in Denver with no sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, light hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Design ideas for a large transitional l-shaped wet bar in Raleigh with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback, light hardwood floors, beige floor and brown benchtop.

The cabinets in this home bar were painted in a high-gloss lacquer tinted to Sherwin Williams "Tricorn Black". Love the backsplash tile!
Photo of a transitional home bar with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, ceramic splashback, dark hardwood floors and black benchtop.

Photo Credit: Studio Three Beau
Inspiration for a small contemporary galley wet bar in Other with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartz benchtops, black splashback, ceramic splashback, porcelain floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Lower level wet bar in custom residence.
Photo of a large transitional galley seated home bar in Milwaukee with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, ceramic splashback and porcelain floors.

We were also able to add a new powder room to this level, as well as a bar area for entertaining family and friends. The bar area features a unique backsplash tile and the powder room and the kitchen eating area features fun wallpaper.

Photo of a mid-sized transitional single-wall wet bar in Baltimore with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Our clients were living in a Northwood Hills home in Dallas that was built in 1968. Some updates had been done but none really to the main living areas in the front of the house. They love to entertain and do so frequently but the layout of their house wasn’t very functional. There was a galley kitchen, which was mostly shut off to the rest of the home. They were not using the formal living and dining room in front of your house, so they wanted to see how this space could be better utilized. They wanted to create a more open and updated kitchen space that fits their lifestyle. One idea was to turn part of this space into an office, utilizing the bay window with the view out of the front of the house. Storage was also a necessity, as they entertain often and need space for storing those items they use for entertaining. They would also like to incorporate a wet bar somewhere! We demoed the brick and paneling from all of the existing walls and put up drywall. The openings on either side of the fireplace and through the entryway were widened and the kitchen was completely opened up. The fireplace surround is changed to a modern Emser Esplanade Trail tile, versus the chunky rock it was previously. The ceiling was raised and leveled out and the beams were removed throughout the entire area. Beautiful Olympus quartzite countertops were installed throughout the kitchen and butler’s pantry with white Chandler cabinets and Grace 4”x12” Bianco tile backsplash. A large two level island with bar seating for guests was built to create a little separation between the kitchen and dining room. Contrasting black Chandler cabinets were used for the island, as well as for the bar area, all with the same 6” Emtek Alexander pulls. A Blanco low divide metallic gray kitchen sink was placed in the center of the island with a Kohler Bellera kitchen faucet in vibrant stainless. To finish off the look three Iconic Classic Globe Small Pendants in Antiqued Nickel pendant lights were hung above the island. Black Supreme granite countertops with a cool leathered finish were installed in the wet bar, The backsplash is Choice Fawn gloss 4x12” tile, which created a little different look than in the kitchen. A hammered copper Hayden square sink was installed in the bar, giving it that cool bar feel with the black Chandler cabinets. Off the kitchen was a laundry room and powder bath that were also updated. They wanted to have a little fun with these spaces, so the clients chose a geometric black and white Bella Mori 9x9” porcelain tile. Coordinating black and white polka dot wallpaper was installed in the laundry room and a fun floral black and white wallpaper in the powder bath. A dark bronze Metal Mirror with a shelf was installed above the porcelain pedestal sink with simple floating black shelves for storage. Their butlers pantry, the added storage space, and the overall functionality has made entertaining so much easier and keeps unwanted things out of sight, whether the guests are sitting at the island or at the wet bar! The clients absolutely love their new space and the way in which has transformed their lives and really love entertaining even more now!

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional single-wall home bar in Austin with no sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, light hardwood floors, beige floor and white benchtop.

This bar/game room is unlike any other! We love the intricate design and texture of the backsplash coupled with the open shelving. This room is the perfect place for hosting a football Sunday, or simply unwinding with family. Jyland Construction Management Company Scott Amundson Photography

Coffee bar in white and blue with walnut accents
Photo of a mid-sized eclectic wet bar in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, brown splashback, ceramic splashback, porcelain floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Photos by Julie Soefer
Design ideas for a transitional l-shaped seated home bar in Houston with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, grey splashback, ceramic splashback and dark hardwood floors.

Transitional space that is clean and open, yet cozy and comfortable
This is an example of a large traditional single-wall home bar in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Basement bar cabinets (full overlay) by Mouser Cabinetry in Seaglass. Countertop by Vicostone in Luna Plena. Tx2 Ceramic Wall Tile in Snow with Mapei grout in Avalanche. Hardware by Top Knobs. Open shelves include under cabinet lighting.

Design ideas for a large galley seated home bar in Kansas City with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite benchtops, black splashback, ceramic splashback, light hardwood floors, brown floor and black benchtop.

This three-story vacation home for a family of ski enthusiasts features 5 bedrooms and a six-bed bunk room, 5 1/2 bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, great room, 2 wet bars, great room, exercise room, basement game room, office, mud room, ski work room, decks, stone patio with sunken hot tub, garage, and elevator. The home sits into an extremely steep, half-acre lot that shares a property line with a ski resort and allows for ski-in, ski-out access to the mountain’s 61 trails. This unique location and challenging terrain informed the home’s siting, footprint, program, design, interior design, finishes, and custom made furniture. Credit: Samyn-D'Elia Architects Project designed by Franconia interior designer Randy Trainor. She also serves the New Hampshire Ski Country, Lake Regions and Coast, including Lincoln, North Conway, and Bartlett. For more about Randy Trainor, click here: https://crtinteriors.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://crtinteriors.com/ski-country-chic/

This 1960's home needed a little love to bring it into the new century while retaining the traditional charm of the house and entertaining the maximalist taste of the homeowners. Mixing bold colors and fun patterns were not only welcome but a requirement, so this home got a fun makeover in almost every room! New cabinets are from KitchenCraft (MasterBrand) in their Lexington doors style, White Cap paint on Maple. Counters are quartz from Cambria - Ironsbridge color. A Blanco Performa sin in stainless steel sits on the island with Newport Brass Gavin faucet and plumbing fixtures in satin bronze. The bar sink is from Copper Sinks Direct in a hammered bronze finish. Kitchen backsplash is from Renaissance Tile: Cosmopolitan field tile in China White, 5-1/8" x 5-1/8" squares in a horizontal brick lay. Bar backsplash is from Marble Systems: Chelsea Brick in Boho Bronze, 2-5/8" x 8-3/8" also in a horizontal brick pattern. Flooring is a stained hardwood oak that is seen throughout a majority of the house. The main feature of the kitchen is the Dacor 48" Heritage Dual Fuel Range taking advantage of their Color Match program. We settled on Sherwin Williams #6746 - Julip. It sits below a custom hood manufactured by a local supplier. It is made from 6" wide Resawn White Oak planks with an oil finish. It covers a Vent-A-Hood liner insert hood. Other appliances include a Dacor Heritage 24" Microwave Drawer, 24" Dishwasher, Scotsman 15" Ice Maker, and Liebherr tall Wine Cooler and 24" Undercounter Refrigerator.

The kitchen in this 1950’s home needed a complete overhaul. It was dark, outdated and inefficient. The homeowners wanted to give the space a modern feel without losing the 50’s vibe that is consistent throughout the rest of the home. The homeowner’s needs included: - Working within a fixed space, though reconfiguring or moving walls was okay - Incorporating work space for two chefs - Creating a mudroom - Maintaining the existing laundry chute - A concealed trash receptacle The new kitchen makes use of every inch of space. To maximize counter and cabinet space, we closed in a second exit door and removed a wall between the kitchen and family room. This allowed us to create two L shaped workspaces and an eat-in bar space. A new mudroom entrance was gained by capturing space from an existing closet next to the main exit door. The industrial lighting fixtures and wrought iron hardware bring a modern touch to this retro space. Inset doors on cabinets and beadboard details replicate details found throughout the rest of this 50’s era house.