Considering adding a dedicated home bar, minibar or glorified drinks cabinet to your home? It’s the ultimate entertaining addition that’s relatively simple to incorporate into cabinets — especially if you’re already renovating or planning a new kitchen design.

And your bar design doesn’t even need to live in the kitchen…

A home bar design can be added to your dining room, or living room or integrated outdoors into an entertaining space. The possibilities are endless and we’re sharing some of the best home bar setups — from gravity-defying to downright hidden! These 8 home bar decor ideas are sure to raise the bar at your place! #Cheers

1. Floating Bar Cabinet

We absolutely love the look of floating cabinetry and furniture in a home, and taking your bar design joinery off the floor is a great way to make the space feel spacious and inviting. A floating home bar or minibar can be achieved by positioning the bar cabinet between 2 tall wine fridges or vertical joinery to make the space look larger and open.

Z+S Tip • When designing any space in your home, installing joinery on a wall and keeping the floor underneath exposed, will make the space look bigger. For example, installing a wall-hung vanity in a small bathroom means there’s more visible floor space, creating the illusion of a larger bathroom.

2. Hallway Bar Furniture

A home bar in a hallway? Absolutely! Unused walls in hallways off your living, dining or kitchen are the perfect spot to add customised cabinetry to create an at-home bar.

Tucked away and easily accessible from multiple rooms, a hallway minibar can turn a blank, under-utilised space into the ultimate entertaining zone. Just make sure you equip your bar cabinets with good storage to keep glasses and drink-making utensils at hand, and you’re on your way to creating the ultimate bar counter design utitlising dead space!

3. Home Bar Shelving Ideas

Break out the glassware and all of your barware… The addition of open shelving in your home bar is perfect for showcasing your favourite bar accoutrement as a stylish display. Home bar shelving makes it super easy to access everything you need to pour the perfect drink or display your favourite wines, spirits + after dinner tipples… the choice is yours.

One of the tricks to styling bar shelving is to mix and match items but stick to a colour scheme, and use varying heights and textures to create visual interest. You don’t need to fill all of the space, however, do display any home bar accessories, bottles or wine glasses in groups to create balance and draw the eye around your space.

4. Hidden Home Bar Cabinet

If uncluttered and fuss-free is your game, then concealing your home bar furniture behind joinery doors might be your jam. Opt for custom joinery that integrates seamlessly with adjoining spaces for a sleek and seamless modern home bar design.

That way you won’t need to worry about any clutter or mess, and your home bar equipment can remain out of sight when not in use. This home bar setup is also perfect for those with little ones who like their expensive glasses and vintage wine hidden out of sight!

5. Small Home Bar Ideas

Short on space? Then small home bar design or minibar nook would make the perfect mini bar cabinet for your place! You don’t need a lot of space to create an impressive home minibar. In fact, you can squeeze a bar home design into the tiniest of spaces, even a small nook in your kitchen — to create the ultimate bar home feature. Then incorporate some custom home bar decorating ideas to create the ultimate small bar space that packs a punch.

Z+S Tip • Continue the materials from your kitchen into your minibar to create a seamless connection between zones.

6. Statement Bar Splash Backs

Nothing screams luxury like a statement splashback design — and whether it’s a natural stone, a mirrored finish or something in between, it can really add an element of sophistication to home bar units.

Mirror splashbacks are ideal for bars as they add a touch of luxury to your design, and have the added benefit of making the space feel lighter and brighter — perfect if natural light is a commodity.

Z+S Tip • Add LED lighting to add an extra element of luxury to a mirrored bar splashback.

7. Home Bar Lighting

Speaking of lights… is there anything better than LED lights to showcase your home bar? Incorporating LED strip lighting in shelving and joinery provides the perfect task lighting for preparing drinks, whilst creating the ultimate luxury bar vibes after dark!

Home bar lighting design really takes your bar from day to night. Carefully planned bar lighting will really transform entertaining friends and family after dark, and can be integrated into your home and personalised to your style and taste. #ShakenNotStirred

8. Multi-Functional Home Bar

A great idea for anyone tight on space is creating a mini bar that’s multi-functional. As well as an area to make cocktails and store glassware, you could multi-task the space for coffee-making in the morning and tea before bed.

Including a sink will also provide the flexibility of rinsing glasses in the space rather than having to move them to the kitchen for cleaning. You could also include a wine fridge, beer fridge or wine racks, plus a small dishwasher like a dish drawer to make washing drinks and glassware easy.

Z+S Tip • Consider your lifestyle and the potential spaces you have to work with around your home and choose a bar space and design to suit.

Keep reading? Here’s our 5 Steps To A Contemporary Hamptons Style Home