Andy Mamott
Inspiration for a modern galley seated home bar in Chicago with glass-front cabinets, black cabinets, concrete benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, grey floor and grey benchtop.

Sherwood Park Custom Home

Scott Arthur Millwork & Cabinetry Ltd

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional single-wall seated home bar in Edmonton with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, porcelain floors, beige floor and mosaic tile splashback.

Innsbruck Ave

Distinctive Building Group

Yetta Reid
Photo of a mid-sized mediterranean u-shaped seated home bar in DC Metro with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, grey splashback, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Wainscott Hollow

User

Mid-sized transitional single-wall seated home bar in New York with beaded inset cabinets, grey cabinets, onyx benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback and carpet.

Dore Street

TARA BAKER

Harry Williams
Mid-sized industrial l-shaped seated home bar in San Francisco with concrete benchtops.

Modern custom house-Menlo Park

L & A Custom Homes DBA AVA Construction

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern single-wall seated home bar in San Francisco with white cabinets, quartz benchtops and light hardwood floors.

Cerused Oak flooring

Catherine Lanieri at Riverhead Building Supply

Photo of a large contemporary galley seated home bar in New York with wood benchtops and medium hardwood floors.

Miraval

Carson Architecture and Design, Inc.

This is an example of a large mediterranean u-shaped seated home bar in Phoenix with glass-front cabinets, medium wood cabinets, marble benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback and medium hardwood floors.

Armstrong - Engineered Stone

Gales Carpet One Floor and Home

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional galley seated home bar in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, stone tile splashback, porcelain floors and beige floor.

Mid-Century Modern Man Cave

Fran Kerzner- DESIGN SYNTHESIS

Photography by Cristopher Nolasco
Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury u-shaped seated home bar with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback and light hardwood floors.

Irvine Residence

The Vintage Wood Floor Company

Mid-sized mediterranean single-wall seated home bar in Orange County with recessed-panel cabinets, wood benchtops, stone tile splashback and medium hardwood floors.

Hilltop Residence - Home Bar

Design Directives, LLC

Large game room with mesquite bar top, swivel bar stools, quad TV, custom cabinets hand carved with bronze insets, game table, custom carpet, lighted liquor display, venetian plaster walls, custom furniture. Project designed by Susie Hersker’s Scottsdale interior design firm Design Directives. Design Directives is active in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Carefree, Sedona, and beyond. For more about Design Directives, click here: https://susanherskerasid.com/

Bar

R|House Design Build

Photo of a mid-sized transitional u-shaped seated home bar in Minneapolis with concrete benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, dark hardwood floors and an undermount sink.

The Ratican Contemporary Breakfast Area, Family Room and Bar - Pasadena,Ca.

Elaine Morrison Interiors

Looking into the home bar. photo by Richard Rothenberg
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary galley seated home bar in Los Angeles with glass-front cabinets, granite benchtops, an undermount sink, beige cabinets and light hardwood floors.

Products

Aura Lighting

Inspiration for a large arts and crafts l-shaped seated home bar in New York with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, wood benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback and medium hardwood floors.

Multi Generational Luxury

Petoskey Kitchen and Bath - Designs By Dawn

This is an example of a traditional seated home bar in Other with dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, mirror splashback and dark hardwood floors.

Contemporary Home Bar

Design ideas for a contemporary single-wall seated home bar in San Francisco with granite benchtops and dark hardwood floors.

Ocean Lane, Palm Beach

Superior Wood Products

Contemporary seated home bar in Miami with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and beige splashback.

Hudnell Basement

Kircher Design & Build

Design ideas for a large transitional galley seated home bar in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, red splashback, brick splashback, porcelain floors and brown floor.

Bar

Anne Grice Interiors

The bar is composed of stainless base cabinets and custom scaled iron shelving for liquor and glassware. The iron piece above the bar boasts form and function, providing glass storage and lighting. The riveted stainless steel bar front and stainless steel foot rail accent the space with a nod to aviation (the owner is a pilot) in this Aspen mountain home.

Seated 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.