Kimberly Gavin Photography
This is an example of a small country seated home bar in Denver with open cabinets, dark wood cabinets and medium hardwood floors.

The Eaton Post and Beam Carriage House

Yankee Barn Homes

Yankee Barn Homes - The upper level of the carriage house is a space intended friends, family and fun!
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional single-wall seated home bar in Manchester with open cabinets, dark wood cabinets, wood benchtops and light hardwood floors.

African Wenge and Metal

Joseph and Curtis Custom Wine Cellars

CONTEMPORARY WINE CELLAR AND BAR WITH GLASS AND CHROME. STAINLESS STEEL BAR AND WINE RACKS AS WELL AS CLEAN AND SEXY DESIGN
Photo of a large contemporary u-shaped seated home bar in New York with dark hardwood floors, glass benchtops, white splashback, brown floor, black benchtop and open cabinets.

Willow Creek Contemporary

By Design Interiors, Inc.

This 5,600 sq ft. custom home is a blend of industrial and organic design elements, with a color palette of grey, black, and hints of metallics. It’s a departure from the traditional French country esthetic of the neighborhood. Especially, the custom game room bar. The homeowners wanted a fun ‘industrial’ space that was far different from any other home bar they had seen before. Through several sketches, the bar design was conceptualized by senior designer, Ayca Stiffel and brought to life by two talented artisans: Alberto Bonomi and Jim Farris. It features metalwork on the foot bar, bar front, and frame all clad in Corten Steel and a beautiful walnut counter with a live edge top. The sliding doors are constructed from raw steel with brass wire mesh inserts and glide over open metal shelving for customizable storage space. Matte black finishes and brass mesh accents pair with soapstone countertops, leather barstools, brick, and glass. Porcelain floor tiles are placed in a geometric design to anchor the bar area within the game room space. Every element is unique and tailored to our client’s personal style; creating a space that is both edgy, sophisticated, and welcoming.

Games, Theater, Bar, Wine Cellar

Timber Wolff Designs Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary single-wall seated home bar in Calgary with open cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, brown splashback, brick splashback and white benchtop.

Coronation Road West

E & A Interiors

Inspiration for a contemporary seated home bar in Singapore with open cabinets, white cabinets, light hardwood floors, beige floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Mexican Hacienda

DD Ford Construction

Jim Bartsch Photography
Mediterranean seated home bar in Santa Barbara with beige splashback, ceramic splashback, terra-cotta floors and open cabinets.

Chic Chateau

A. Perry Homes

New Orleans style bistro bar perfect for entertaining
Traditional u-shaped seated home bar in Chicago with a drop-in sink, open cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white splashback, ceramic splashback, ceramic floors and multi-coloured floor.

Backlit Onyx Nuvolato Bar

Aria Stone Gallery

This masculine and modern Onyx Nuvolato marble bar and feature wall is perfect for hosting everything from game-day events to large cocktail parties. The onyx countertops and feature wall are backlit with LED lights to create a warm glow throughout the room. The remnants from this project were fashioned to create a matching backlit fireplace. Open shelving provides storage and display, while a built in tap provides quick access and easy storage for larger bulk items.

Custom Home Bar

UDN, Inc.

Photo by Hannah Corey
Inspiration for a large contemporary galley seated home bar in New York with open cabinets, dark wood cabinets and wood benchtops.

Tiki Container Bar

KO Creatives Certified Interior Decorator

Outdoor Tiki Bar Shipping Container Conversion
Photo of a small tropical l-shaped seated home bar in Boston with open cabinets, light wood cabinets, wood benchtops, painted wood floors and black floor.

Hawthorne

Saunders Building Company Pty Ltd

Caco Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized beach style seated home bar in Brisbane with an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, white benchtop, open cabinets and glass sheet splashback.

Novak Project

Aurora Technology

Photo of a large industrial single-wall seated home bar in Omaha with open cabinets, brick splashback, concrete floors, grey floor, medium wood cabinets and granite benchtops.

Griffin Modern Remodel

Ellen Pandorf Interior Design

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern galley seated home bar in San Diego with black cabinets, onyx benchtops, painted wood floors, black floor and open cabinets.

Artisan Home 2015

Swanson Homes

Landmark Photography - Jim Krueger
This is an example of a large transitional single-wall seated home bar in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, mirror splashback, ceramic floors, open cabinets and grey floor.

Duluth Renovation

Infinite Home

Jeff Herr Photography & JSR Design
Large traditional u-shaped seated home bar in Atlanta with an undermount sink, open cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, porcelain floors, brown floor and mirror splashback.

Custom Bar

BAAS Construction, LLC

Mid-sized industrial u-shaped seated home bar in Other with an undermount sink, open cabinets, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and black benchtop.

Jupiter, FL Coastal Golf Course Home

Francesca Morgan Interiors

This is an example of a mid-sized beach style single-wall seated home bar in Miami with an undermount sink, open cabinets, black cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, mosaic tile splashback and black benchtop.

Interior Design Work

NV Design

Inspiration for a contemporary seated home bar in Orlando with open cabinets, black cabinets, mirror splashback, beige floor and black benchtop.

Casa Cor GPS Point

Ornare

Contemporary seated home bar in New York with no sink, open cabinets, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and black benchtop.

Seated Home Bar Design Ideas with Open 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.