I love cocktails. I love crafting and experimenting with new flavors and alcohols. I’m enough of a snob that if I mix one, and it’s not up to snuff, I’ll pour it out and start over. The mixing is half the fun, and why waste the calories (and alcohol consumption) on less-than-excellent drinks?

As the weather changes, and starts to bring us back inside, you’ll want to up your bar game indoors. When guests visit, when you’re prepping dinner, any time, it’s good to have a well-stocked bar ready. While some homes (and budgets) can accommodate a dedicated, plumbed bar, most of us need to find a convenient – and attractive – spot to house our bar.

In addition to cocktails, I love home decor magazines, and while perusing House Beautiful online, I came upon a great article full of inspiration for tucking a bar into almost any sized spot in your home. The decorator, inspo pictures are from House Beautiful (except for the picture of my kitchen bar here at home), but I just love the ideas and wanted to share them with you (and some great options, if you want to create one of your own):

  1. A secretary bar

Regardless of your decorating style, the super-versatile secretary makes a perfect bar. Closed, it’s just a good-looking piece of furniture, but open it up and its ‘desk top’ becomes a bar, with all the essentials already in place. Secretaries also provide great storage for more than just your bar, at the same time.

Photo credits: Jared Kuzia (left), Brian Doben (right)
I actually like this beauty better than either of the House Beautiful inspiration pieces. The hand-painted detailing on this piece, and the color!, are perfect. You can see all the great options for storing and/or displaying your bar in this great piece. It’s available online here.

2. Just a tray

This is actually what I’ve got here at home. Part of our kitchen counter is 36″ deep (way too deep to be useful to my short arms!), so I’ve placed a family-silver tray under the hand-painted mural (circa 1945, painted by an artist who was here during WWII as a POW – fascinating story, but for another post) of Pieter & Julia. This image is the view I have, coming down the hall into our bright, country kitchen. No, our home isn’t open floor plan, and all that. But it’s been in our family for almost 80 years now, and is dear to me as no new build could ever be.

The mural is as fragile as it is beautiful, as you can see from the partial pealing of the paint in the niche, but I love it, and am not sure how best to preserve it…So it stays as is. The counters are soapstone. LOVE my soapstone. It’s so forgiving and so beautiful. Another note – every kitchen should have a lamp on the counter to give you that soft lighting in the evening. And plants. I love mine, and it’s so easy to tend to them in the kitchen with water so handy. On the bar – I pulled out the vodka to show it, but honestly, keep your vodka in the freezer. So much better!
Love this wine and cocktail bar set up! The cocktails are nicely tucked into a silver tray, and the impressive wine collection is corralled in a basket tray, providing a warm contrast to the cool, sharp edges of the buffet. Photo credit: James Merrell

I love trays in general – to corral those messy things in life, and give them definition. Here are some fun options for you to try: Shop trays now.

3. Bookshelves

No option is simpler than adding your bar to a set of bookshelves. It’s a great way to utilize a large built-in, or just to add a fun dimension to a free-standing set of shelves. The great thing about this plan is you can expand, or contract, your bar as much as you like. Plus where there are bookshelves, there are usually books, adding a wonderful English library feel to the space.

Note how easy it is to have the glassware handy when you’re setting up the bar among your shelves. Also note that a fabulous tray is also utilized here to reign in the bottles. Photo credit: Read McKendree

Looking for great shelving options? Shop shelves online now.

4. A handy wine rack

Wine is an essential, constantly varying, part of a gracious bar. To keep the wine stored properly, and conveniently to your bar, setting up the cocktails near a handy wine rack is your best option.

This wine rack is super-handy in the kitchen, and the bar could easily be set up just above it. Photo credit: Mike Van Tassell

But there are so many wine rack options that don’t have to be built in. Tons of options for just a table-top wine rack. I particularly love this one; it’s like a piece of sculpture, with or without the wine:

This wine rack can be placed almost anywhere, with your bar, near it, or tucked somewhere handy. It’s available online here.

Or try a great piece to make your bar, your wine rack, AND storage in your kitchen or living space:

I love that this piece holds tons of wine bottles, and has shelves and drawers for all the necessities. If you use the bar a lot, set it up on top. If you don’t, it’s easy to place it on the lower shelf so it’s available when you need it, but out of the way when you don’t. It’s available online here.

5. A repurposed nightstand

Possibly one of the humblest pieces of furniture, keep these versatile pieces in mind for so many other purposes – end table, hall table, anywhere a small piece is needed, these unassuming stands should be a go-to. As a bar they are awesome, as you can see in this stunning decorator vision from House Beautiful:

Photo credit: Jessie Preza

You can tuck one into almost any corner of any room – living, dining, family, office, even the kitchen – and create a great bar. Place a great piece of art or bold, vertical mirror above, and you’ve made a statement!

Shop a great (and varied!) collection of side tables and nightstands, available online now.

6. Optimize your cabinets

Sure they’re great at holding linens and things, but if you really want to maximize your use of a cabinet, turn it into your bar. So much room for glassware and everything you need. And when you don’t want to use it, close the doors. It’s perfect! Here’s a little inspiration from House Beautiful:

The sleek, modern lines of this pieces are dramatic. But, honestly, I prefer the examples below (which are available online now!)

7. A simple bar cart

When space is at a premium, but you still want to make a statement with your bar, a wheeled bar cart is your friend. So many great styles out there, and so easy to tuck wherever you like, and move at the drop of a hat.

The wicker in this decorator image from House Beautiful is fun. Actually, this whole space is fun. I kinda want to go there on vacation – do you think there may be a beach involved somewhere close by?!

Photo credit: Simon Brown

This metal one is fun, easy, and available online now:

So that’s a look at some great bar options. Need to fill that bar? Here’s an opinionated list of what makes a bar work.

Have one for me!

Bar Essentials:

  • vodka (Grey Goose is a favorite, but if you’re on a budget Absolut will do)
  • gin (I love Hendricks – at least in part because of its history and cool bottle, but there are some great local ones out there, like Tenth Ward’s Genever-Inspired Gin)
  • tequila (Patron Silver, but there are so many small makers out there – try them!)
  • bourbon (So many opinions here, but my favorite is Bulleitt – perfect for Old Fashioneds!)
  • whiskey (Jack Daniels Single Barrel, hands down my fave, but Jameson is an excellent, budget-friendly alternative)
  • rum (I actually do not like rum, so you’re on your own on this one!)
  • Triple-sec (not picky on brands here)
  • Vermouth, dry (Martini & Rossi is my go-to)
  • OPTIONAL: St. Germaine Elderflower liqueur, Limoncello (easy to home-make), Kalua, Irish cream liqueur, sweet vermouth
  • bitters (Angustura is the classic, but there are so many small-batch ones to try, in so many fun flavors)
  • shaker
  • strainer
  • muddler
  • stir
  • jigger
  • bottle opener
  • wine bottle opener
  • cocktail picks (I love the long bamboo ones, but there are tons of options out there)
  • ice bucket

From the fridge, you’ll need:

  • Juices: cranberry, orange, grapefruit
  • fruit: lemons, limes, oranges,
  • bottled condiments: olives, cocktail onions, cherries
  • simple syrup (easy to home-make – equal parts sugar and water, heated till sugar dissolves)
  • ice

Glass ware: (With this, go vintage if you can. They are beautiful, unique, usually better-made than what you get new, and often less expensive, too.)

  • coupé glass – for champagne, martinis, etc. There are specific martini and margarita glasses, but the coupé is lovely and not so large as these others
  • High ball – a tall, straight-sided glass
  • Old fashioned – a short, straight-sided glass

So there you have it – the home bar. An indulgence? Sure. But so much fun, because it’s just sitting there ready to entertain whenever you’re ready.

I’d love to hear about some of your bar essentials, and see your home bars. Feel free to share them in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

Virginia