Photo of a traditional u-shaped home bar in Raleigh with carpet, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, wood benchtops, beige splashback, mosaic tile splashback and brown benchtop.

Stone Cliff Custom Home

Premier Homes by Jones

Photo of a small traditional single-wall wet bar in St Louis with an undermount sink, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, ceramic floors, raised-panel cabinets and beige floor.

Basement for Bricks (aka Legos)

Capital Construction Custom Homes, LLC

Small traditional single-wall wet bar in Denver with a drop-in sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, laminate benchtops and ceramic floors.

Window Reno

House of George LLC

Inspiration for a large traditional u-shaped seated home bar in Portland with carpet, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and wood benchtops.

San Ysidro Beverly Hills

Creative Builders

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional galley seated home bar in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, black cabinets, solid surface benchtops, ceramic floors and beige floor.

Marblehead Neck

Carpenter & MacNeille

Richard Mandelkorn Photography
This is an example of a large traditional galley wet bar in Boston with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback and dark hardwood floors.

New Butler's Pantry

Realty Restoration, LLC

Mid-sized traditional single-wall wet bar in Austin with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback and medium hardwood floors.

William T Baker Houses

William T Baker

James Lockhart photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional l-shaped wet bar in Atlanta with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, an undermount sink and dark hardwood floors.

Keenes Pointe Trackman Golf Room

Waters Custom Builders LLC

Man Cave/She Shed
Photo of a large traditional l-shaped seated home bar in Orlando with a drop-in sink, dark wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, multi-coloured benchtop, quartz benchtops, engineered quartz splashback and raised-panel cabinets.

Home Bar in Maryland

WL Bars

Large traditional u-shaped seated home bar in Other with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble benchtops, brown splashback, timber splashback, medium hardwood floors, multi-coloured floor and multi-coloured benchtop.

Blue Chateau

Tina Kuhlmann - Primrose Designs

Tina Kuhlmann - Primrose Designs Location: Rancho Santa Fe, CA, USA Luxurious French inspired master bedroom nestled in Rancho Santa Fe with intricate details and a soft yet sophisticated palette. Photographed by John Lennon Photography https://www.primrosedi.com

Coastal Home Man Cave Bar Wall Shelves

Michael James Design, Inc.

Plenty of open shelving for bottles of liquor and glasses and plenty of closed storage below the counters. The Asko dishwasher is to the right of the sink and is hidden behind a decorative door panel so it looks just like a cabinet!

New Frankfort Settlement

D and G Design

Design ideas for a small traditional single-wall home bar in Chicago with no sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, granite benchtops, glass tile splashback, dark hardwood floors, white splashback and brown floor.

South Tampa

Artful Conceptions, LLC

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional single-wall seated home bar in Tampa with raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops and mosaic tile splashback.

Basements

S&D Renovations Inc.

Photo of a large traditional l-shaped seated home bar in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback and medium hardwood floors.

Regan Residence

Timeless Designs LLC

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional single-wall wet bar in New York with no sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, medium hardwood floors and beige floor.

A Master Suite Addition PLUS

IMPROVE or MOVE

Cup storage next to mini fridge
Design ideas for a small traditional single-wall wet bar in New York with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite benchtops and medium hardwood floors.

Barton Res

Foxwood Inc

Troy Fox
Photo of a mid-sized traditional single-wall wet bar in Salt Lake City with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback and ceramic floors.

Stone Colonial Transformation

Jones & Boer Architects, Inc.

Gordon Beall photographer
Photo of a small traditional galley seated home bar in DC Metro with medium hardwood floors, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets and mirror splashback.

Devon Butler Pantry New Construction

Cullen Construction Inc.

Large traditional galley wet bar in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, green cabinets, wood benchtops, mirror splashback, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Traditional Home Bar Design Ideas with Raised-panel Cabinets

A traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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.