A young family moving from NYC tackled a makeover of their young colonial revival home to make it feel more personal. The kitchen area was quite spacious but needed a facelift and a banquette for breakfast. Painted cabinetry matched to Benjamin Moore’s Light Pewter is balanced by Benjamin Moore Ocean Floor on the island. Mixed metals on the lighting by Allied Maker, faucets and hardware and custom tile by Pratt and Larson make the space feel organic and personal. Photos Adam Macchia. For more information, you may visit our website at www.studiodearborn.com or email us at info@studiodearborn.com.

Speakeasy Basement Bar Remodel

SKP Design

Photo of a mid-sized eclectic u-shaped seated home bar in Other with an undermount sink, wood benchtops, vinyl floors, beige floor and brown benchtop.

Mountain Modern

NORTH STAR KITCHENS

Large home bar designed for multi generation family gatherings. Illuminated photo taken locally in the Vail area. Everything you need for a home bar with durable stainless steel counters.

Speakeasy Basement - Naperville

Redstart Construction, Inc.

Photo of a large traditional u-shaped seated home bar in Chicago with dark hardwood floors, brown floor, an undermount sink, glass-front cabinets, black cabinets, marble benchtops, black splashback, stone slab splashback and black benchtop.

Classic Four Square Kitchen

Nar Design Group

Built in 1915, this classic craftsman style home is located in the Capitol Mansions Historic District. When the time came to remodel, the homeowners wanted to continue to celebrate its history by keeping with the craftsman style but elevating the kitchen’s function to include the latest in quality cabinetry and modern appliances. The new spacious kitchen (and adjacent walk-in pantry) provides the perfect environment for a couple who loves to cook and entertain. White perimeter cabinets and dark soapstone counters make a timeless and classic color palette. Designed to have a more furniture-like feel, the large island has seating on one end and is finished in an historically inspired warm grey paint color. The vertical stone “legs” on either side of the gas range-top highlight the cooking area and add custom detail within the long run of cabinets. Wide barn doors designed to match the cabinet inset door style slide open to reveal a spacious appliance garage, and close when the kitchen goes into entertainer mode. Finishing touches such as the brushed nickel pendants add period style over the island. A bookcase anchors the corner between the kitchen and breakfast area providing convenient access for frequently referenced cookbooks from either location. Just around the corner from the kitchen, a large walk-in butler’s pantry in cheerful yellow provides even more counter space and storage ability. Complete with an undercounter wine refrigerator, a deep prep sink, and upper storage at a glance, it’s any chef’s happy place. Photo credit: Fred Donham of Photographerlink

Open Contemporary Custom Home

GM Drafting & Design Inc.

Photo: Julian Plimley
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary u-shaped wet bar in Vancouver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, light hardwood floors, grey floor, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, stone tile splashback and white benchtop.

DC - Full House Renovation

MBW Designs

Man Cave Basement Bar photo by Tod Connell Photography
Photo of a small contemporary u-shaped seated home bar in DC Metro with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback, laminate floors and beige floor.

Basement Wet Bar - Smyrna, Georgia

Artisan Custom Closets

This custom designed basement home bar in Smyrna features a textured naples finish, with built-in wine racks, clear glass door insert upper cabinets, shaker door lower cabinets, a pullout trash can and brushed chrome hardware.

Custom Wet Bar

D&G Construction

This D&G custom basement bar includes a barn wood accent wall, display selves with a herringbone pattern backsplash, white shaker cabinets and a custom-built wine holder.

Puritan

AMW Design Studio

Large contemporary u-shaped seated home bar in Detroit with flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, granite benchtops, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, concrete floors and grey floor.

Paradise Valley Rustic Modern

Laurie Westberg, Urban Interior Design

Warm and cozy home bar in knotty alder with pewter accents and custom metal screens for cabinet doors. Rustic modern materials and finishes.
Inspiration for a small modern u-shaped wet bar in Minneapolis with dark wood cabinets, laminate benchtops, beige splashback, stone tile splashback and recessed-panel cabinets.

Basement Bar

Nuteck Homes Ltd

Design and built by Sarah & Cesare Molinaro of Nuteck Homes Ltd. This transitional home bar features a leathered antiqued granite top with built in T.V., liquor storage, wine storage and decorative glass shelving. Stone wall accents supply a rustic modern edge. Photo by Frank Baldassarra

Irish Pub

Cabinet Concepts by Design

Inspiration for a mid-sized arts and crafts u-shaped wet bar in Other with limestone benchtops, glass-front cabinets, medium wood cabinets, mirror splashback and porcelain floors.

Basement Bar - Kintyre Model - 2014 Spring Parade of Homes

Gonyea Custom Homes

Stainless steel appliances in basement wet bar. Subway tile backsplash. Large floor tiles. Stone countertops. Photography by Spacecrafting.
Design ideas for a large traditional u-shaped seated home bar in Minneapolis with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige splashback and subway tile splashback.

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
Inspiration for a large contemporary u-shaped seated home bar in New York with glass benchtops, white splashback, dark hardwood floors and black cabinets.

Showplace Cabinets - Living Room

Showplace Cabinetry

Door style: Covington | Species: Lyptus | Finish: Distressed Truffle with Ebony glaze The lower-level rec room is anchored by this beautiful bar created entirely with Showplace Lyptus. The soaring creation above the bar is a creative stacking of multiple Showplace moldings and components. The paneling is also created with Showplace Lyptus. Note the many beautiful and functional details, like the criss-cross wine rack, the corbels, and the fluted columns -- all in lovely and expressive Lyptus. Learn more about Showplace and our commitment to environmental excellence: http://www.showplacewood.com/Home/envpol/SWP.envpol.html

A New Take on Entertaining

Tailored Spaces, Natalie Spiniolas

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped wet bar in Milwaukee with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, brown cabinets, quartzite benchtops, beige splashback, stone slab splashback, porcelain floors, beige floor and beige benchtop.

Kitchen - South Charlotte

Tailored Designs

Photo of a large transitional u-shaped home bar in Charlotte with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Timeless Traditional Lake House

Lowell Custom Homes

Home bar features stone counter with waterfall edge
Inspiration for a mid-sized beach style u-shaped wet bar in Milwaukee with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Floating on Glass, In Glass

VintageView

This two story wine cellar is separated by a glass floor, with metal frames attached direct to it. Crazy cool ingenuity on this one. Fully climate controlled. Holds 912 bottles.

U-shaped 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.