If you enjoy at-home entertaining, your well-stocked liquor cabinet may need an upgrade. More and more homes are incorporating built-in bars and we’re a huge fan of it! Though bars are typically small in size, with the right design they can make a large statement.
The location of an at home-bar is versatile, but typically we recommend positioning them near the heart of the home – between the formal dining room and kitchen. This makes the most sense when it comes to the flow of a gathering and most importantly for the sake of convenience. We recommend strategically placing your bar where the fixings, area to wash, and tools are just a few steps away. Ideally a mini bar would include a sink, refrigeration for wine and other beverages, shelving to display stemware, a dishwasher, and closed storage for utensils and other items. If space is an issue, prioritize your needs based on functionality.
The first step in this design will be determining if you prefer a dry bar or a wet bar – the main difference is a wet bar will have plumbing to allow for a sink, dishwasher, etc. If your bar is closely located near your main kitchen, plumbing may not be necessary. Instead your bar may simply be a space to display and store beverages and stemware. If you’re choosing a wet bar, be sure the sink is in a place that allows enough countertop space for prepping cocktails! Sinks are typically smaller in scale since it is secondary to the main kitchen sink.
People often ask if they should use panel-ready appliances or not and our answer….always use panel-ready appliances if it is an option for you! Panel-ready appliances are appliances that allow you to attach a custom cabinet panel to the front. The cabinet panel is ordered from the same manufacture as the cabinets and are custom sized to fit perfectly with a matching finish. These allow your appliances to look as though they are just another cabinet while disguising the appliance and creating a uniform built-in look. Another plus…the hardware you select for your cabinetry can also be used on your custom appliance panels.
This is the perfect space to play with color and patterns, so dress up your bar! We love the feel and look of a formal setting, and a built-in bar is the perfect space to create that chic look. To achieve this we focus on the accents, including shelving, hardware, cabinet inserts, and the backsplash. When it comes to cabinet inserts, mesh door inserts are a favorite of ours! We love the combo of brass hardware and brass mesh inserts! For the backsplash, have fun with it! An unexpected diamond gloss wall paper or creative tile design are a few ways to dress up the backsplash. Shelving is another fun way to introduce a different texture or accent color. Shelving does not have to necessarily match the cabinetry, but instead can be made of brass, stone, natural woods, etc.
Light is another key player in the design of an at-home bar. Typical lighting includes under cabinet lighting, but this is an area to think outside the box. Shelving can be routed with LED light strips to shine upwards or downwards, backlighting the bottles and glassware you have displayed. Wall sconces are another fun way to dress up your bar and create spot lighting. In-cabinet lighting is also a great way to showcase items inside of the cabinets when using glass doors.
No detail should be left behind! Once you have determined the design for your bar, be sure focus on the finishing touches, including your choice of barware. You’ll want to introduce a variety of cocktail glasses that suite your entertaining space! This is another fun way to show off your style of design. Cheers!
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