Home bar ideas: 20 ways to set up an elegant cocktail bar
There's something indulgent in an elegant home bar. In sunny weather, you can whip up an Aperol spritz and sit on the patio for a sundowner, or in the winter a stiff martini or whisky sour can add a sense of cosiness to a winter evening. Cocktails are easy things to make if you have the right kit, yet provide almost the same satisfaction as cooking an elaborate meal. Setting up a home bar, however low-maintenance, can add to the sense of occasion and keep all your supplies, from the essential bottles to beautiful glassware, neatly stored in one space. A home bar is something that can be done at varying levels of commitment, from a full wet bar to just a dedicated space on a bookshelf. No matter what your budget or the amount of space you have, you're sure to be able to find a way to set up a stylish home bar.
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The wet bar
If you're truly dedicated to cocktail making (and have the space), a wet bar might be the way to go. There's a distinctly retro, 1970s feel to a wet bar, associated with frozen piña coladas and rattan furniture, but since we happen to love frozen piña coladas and rattan furniture, perhaps it's time to bring the bar back. Basement rooms are perfect for bars; they can be suitably dark and glamorous, and take on a speakeasy feel as you descend to them in the evenings. You'll want to take advantage of the space, with electrical points, a sink, and preferably a fridge and freezer for chilling wine, frosting glasses, and keeping ice, an absolute essential for all cocktails. Create enough space at the front of the space for bar stools, and install shelving at the back for displaying glasses and bottles. Your guests won't ever want to leave.
The alcove bar
If you have a spare alcove in a dining room, living room or kitchen, this can be a great place to set up a small bar, with cabinets at the bottom, a work surface on top, and shelving above. You can give the alcove special lighting to draw the eye to it on a dark evening, and splash out on a beautiful worktop since it's such a small space. A pretty tray can be a lovely way to keep bottles organised, and if you're not in immediate proximity to the kitchen, make sure you have a champagne bucket to keep things chilled.
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The cabinet bar
A cabinet or sideboard in a living or dining room can form a very low-maintenance bar, with a generous surface on top where you can make your creations, and the cabinet itself forming storage for any bottles or glasses you don't want to leave out. Make sure you have a non-scruffy chopping board that can live on top for cutting lemons and limes and containing spills, and get yourself a generous ice bucket so you don't have to keep running backwards and forwards to the kitchen.
The bar cart
If you have a corner spare, you can't beat a bar cart for an elegant, tempting display of cocktail kit. The bar cart has been having a serious renaissance since the days of Mad Men, and they come in every possible style, from Soane Britain's glorious gold 'Nuryev' trolley to the affordable, colourful Råskog cart from IKEA, without which no apartment kitchen seems complete.
The bookshelf bar
In a small space, a generous set of shelves can be a lifesaver, allowing space to store and display everything from books to ornaments. Wide, open shelving units can make excellent bars – keep your bottles and glasses at mid-height and absolutely make sure you have a tray to keep things together and prevent any bottle marks on the shelf itself.
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Home bar ideas
Christopher Horwood1/20The drinks cupboard (which is such a large cupboard, it has room inside to manoeuvre) in this newbuild by Craig Hamilton and Guy Goodfellow has a red lacquered interior by Mathew Bray & Matthew Collins. It sits within the dining room of the house and is a very clever and nifty design, including a wine fridge and glasses of every shape and size.
Mark Anthony Fox2/20If there's no space for a built-in bar, an impromptu arrangement can come via a well-stocked side table, as in this Emma Burns project in Wimbledon.
Photography: Read McKendree | Styling: Mieke Ten Haave3/20Max Sinsteden has done similar in his beach cottage where a 19th-century mahogany sideboard made in Cork, Ireland holds a lucite and cane tray full of bottles, martini glasses from Robin Birley of 5 Hertford Street on a vintage silver plate tray, 18th-century English wood & brass candlesticks which wired as lamps with rattan lampshades purchased in Bombay, India, and platters including the un-marked shell platter from the estate of Mario Buatta and an octagonal Irish delft platter.
Boz Gagovski4/20In the nook under the stairs, Stella Weatherall has made the most of the space with a bespoke bar made by Alfred Newall. The joinery is painted in Farrow and Ball's ‘Radicchio’ in gloss.
Jake Curtis5/20A vintage glazed shelf unit provides storage for glassware and doubles up as a drinks trolley in this light and airy basement flat in London. Thea Speke deliberately chose pieces like this, as the glass gives a certain lightness in the space.
Christopher Horwood6/20The bespoke wine unit in this classic and colourful Chelsea townhouse was made by Rupert Bevan.
Boz Gagovski7/20The drinks shelves in this deeply appealing Hampshire cottage is papered in ‘Coral’ wallpaper from Soane. The picture above the chair is by Joan Hecktermann and the lampshade is from Rosi di Ruig.
Mark Anthony Fox8/20A bar ‘nook’ has been created on the landing just off the drawing room in this London pied-à-terre designed by Veere Grenney. Its verre églomisé surface is etched with images of pagodas and pavilions inspired by an antique document. It was designed by VGA and made by Mathew Bray & Matthew Collins.
Boz Gagovski9/20The 18th-century Italian table sourced by designer Benedict Foley was the first thing Max Hurd bought for his London house. This room was always designed for cocktails. The yellow tray is Veere Grenney for the Lacquer Company. The 19th-century Chinese lacquer & mother of pearl box is from Daniel Slowik Limited.
Chris Horwood10/20The sun room has a home bar conveniently placed near the terrace in this Mayfair apartment transformed by Salvesen Graham. The armchairs are from Lorfords and upholstered in a fabric from Soane. Cushions are from the Salvesen Graham collection.
Chris Horwood11/20Directly as you come through the front door of Nina Campbell's Chelsea home, you are greeted by a beautifully appointed bar cart below a large painting by Kate Corbett-Winder. The wavy lacquer trays and the yellow glasses and carafe are available from Nina's daughter Rita Konig's collection with the Lacquer Company and the yellow glasses are ‘old Austrian from an antique shop’. The ceiling is glass to give the illusion of height.
Boz Gagovski12/20The interior designer Lucy Mayers has wrought an impressive transformation on her tiny Kensington flat, taking it from boring ‘standard student rental fare’ to a space full of personality and packed with surprises. A panel of de Gournay's ‘Deco Monkeys' wallcovering enlivens the scheme in the sitting room. The bar cart is a Josef Frank design, bought at Retrouvius, and wine storage is built into the bookshelf. A bracket by Lucy's friend Benedict Foley adorns the wall.
Christopher Horwood13/20What was once a nine bedroom bedsit has been transformed by Natasha Howard, the designer behind Instagram's 'Philamena', into an elegant and inviting family home. The little bar, reached through a jib door in the kitchen, is papered in Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler's 'Squiggle'.
Owen Gale14/20Interior designer Angelica Squire's Victorian terraced house in London is a youthful, exuberant space that combines smart artworks and fabrics with clever vintage finds and joyful colours. Angelica designed panelling for the front of the bar and bought stools from 1stDibs that originally came from a hotel in Austria. At the back of the bar a jib door leads into a loo. Pink Bert & May tiles demarcate the floor in the bar area.
Dean Hearne15/20‘I’ve wanted this trolley since I first saw it," says designer Bridie Hall, of Soane Britain's 'Large Nuryev Trolley'. If you are going to have a drinks trolley, it has to be well stocked and look the part at all times. I love cooking for friends and what better way to start the evening than with a drink from this beautiful piece?’
Jonathan Bond16/20For an American couple's townhouse in Notting Hill, design studio Barlow & Barlow have created a comfortable, playful interior. Alfred Newall made the cabinets on either side; the right hand cabinet is used as a bar. This is a great option if you want to store some bar supplies away (it helps to avoid dust gathering on the cocktail glasses), but still have a generous surface to prepare drinks on.
Paul Massey17/20This open-plan space in Jos and Annabel White's London house serves as a kitchen and dining room, but we love the vibe for a home wet bar as well. Rattan furniture, pink walls and plenty of houseplants give it a pleasing tropical feel, perfect for enjoying a tiki drink or two. Oh and the stylish terracotta tiles mean it's easy to clean.
Lucas Allen18/20When two architects bought one of the smallest houses in New York, they transformed the interior, creating a bijou interior with a sense of spaciousness that belies its exterior appearance. The couple transformed what was once a boiler room into a small bar.
Kate Martin19/20The first-floor landing of this west-London town house designed by Peter Mikic features a compact, mirrored bar. The perfect solution for a tricky alcove.
20/20Dig out the martini and sherry glasses from the back of the cupboard and use them as a bookshelf display with some well-chosen bottles, as interior designer Ebba Thott of Sigmar did in this London flat.
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