Industrial Chic Sports Enthusiast's Basement

Bob Narod
This is an example of a transitional galley seated home bar in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, brown splashback, beige floor and brown benchtop.

Traditional Wine Cellar

This is an example of a traditional single-wall wet bar in Minneapolis with carpet, an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets and beige floor.

Clay Street

Sutro Architects

Aaron Leitz Photography
Small transitional single-wall wet bar in San Francisco with medium hardwood floors, an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, mirror splashback, brown floor and white benchtop.

Basement Bar

R|House Design Build

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional galley wet bar in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, vinyl floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Bordley

Thompson Custom Homes

Photographer: Steve Chenn
Design ideas for a mediterranean single-wall wet bar in Houston with terra-cotta floors, an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, distressed cabinets and orange floor.

Custom Home

Newgard Custom Homes

Design ideas for a transitional galley seated home bar in Chicago with dark hardwood floors, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, brown splashback and brown floor.

Traditional lake home.

LandMark Photography

Jim Kruger, LandMark Photography '13
Traditional galley seated home bar in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, mirror splashback and beige floor.

Home Bar Design Ideas with Recessed-panel Cabinets

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.