13 Small Home Bar Ideas We Love

Having a small home bar in your home can be a great investment if you love to entertain guests. However, not everyone has the luxury of having a large basement or extra room to turn into a restaurant size bar. But don’t worry, with these small home bar ideas we will show you that even a small corner of your home can be turned into a stylish and useful home bar.

Aa the owner of a small home, I can understand the struggle of trying to create a space that can function as a small home bar when you have a tiny home. It can be difficult to find the space for a mini bar and still give it style. I have searched the internet and have discovered solutions to creating a small home bar and I am here to share them with you.

In this post we will show you small home bar ideas, bar essentials, and mini bar ideas that you can copy in your small home or apartment! Whether you are looking for small home bar ideas with seating or easy small home bar designs that you can recreate, we have got your back with the best ideas to maximize your space.

This blog post is all about small home bar ideas.

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What type of alcohol do I need for my small home bar?

There are many different types of alcohol that can keep stocked in your small home bar cabinet. Here are some of the most common ones:

Whiskey – A distilled spirit that can be served neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail.
Vodka – A clear distilled spirit that can be used as a base for your cocktails and can be served straight or mixed.
Gin – Gin is a clear distilled spirit that can be used in cocktails, such as a gin and tonic.
Rum – Rum is often used in tropical drinks like a daiquiri or piña colada. It is a distilled spirit made from sugarcane or molasses.
Tequila – A distilled spirit blue agave plant. You can drink this. as a shot or in cocktails like a margarita.
Brandy – A distilled spirit made from wine and fermented fruit. It’s often served neat or in cocktails.
Liqueurs -These are very sweet flavored spirits that you can drink on their own or use them in cocktails. Examples: triple sec, amaretto, and Bailey’s Irish Cream.
Beer – A fermented alcoholic beverage made from grains, such as barley or wheat. It’s often served on tap or in bottles and cans.
Wine – A fermented alcoholic beverage made from grapes. It can be served by the glass or by the bottle and is often paired with dinner dishes.

In addition to keeping the different types of alcohol on hand, you may want to have mixers to create cocktails with like tonic water, soda, juices, fruits, and spices.

Best Home Bar Drink Ideas

Now that you have seen our small home bar ideas, here are some of the most popular bar drinks that you may want to try for your next party!

Martini – Made with vodka or gin and olives
Margarita – Tequila, lime juice, and triple sec with salt around the rim.
Old Fashioned – Contains whiskey, sugar, bitters, and a twist of citrus. It’s typically served over ice in an old fashioned glass and garnished with a cherry and an orange slice.
Manhattan – Cocktail made with with whiskey and topped with a cherry.
Gin and Tonic – A cocktail made with gin, tonic water, and a lime.
Cosmopolitan – A beverage made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice.
Mojito – Refreshing cocktail made with white rum, lime juice, sugar, mint leaves, and soda water.
Daiquiri – Cocktail made with white rum, lime juice, and sugar.
Bloody Mary – A savory cocktail made with vodka, tomato juice, and a variety of spices and seasonings. It’s typically served in a tall glass over ice and with celery, olives, and a lime wedge.

Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with different flavors and ingredients to make your perfect drink!

Best Small Home Bar Ideas

1. Bar Cart

This cute mini bar at home is super easy to achieve with a simple bar cart. We love this idea because it does not take up too much space which makes it ideal for a small bar in the home or apartment. We suggest checking out Wayfair for bar carts and filtering the search results to your desired dimensions. Be sure to get a bar cart that will add style to your home! This can easily be achieve with this cute gold bar cart!

GET THE LOOK:

This cute gold bar cart could be styled with a few bottles of alcohol, a decanter, whiskey glasses and a bartender kit. We love the simplicity of the bar cart and how functional it will be for entertaining guests.

2. Floating Shelves Small Bar

Install a few floating shelves on an empty wall to create a bar area. Use the shelves to display bottles, glassware, and other bar accessories. We adore these floating shelves because they are both functional and stylish. This is a great rustic small home bar idea for a farmhouse style home.

3. Small Home Bar Idea Living Room: Bookcase Bar

Transform a bookcase into a home bar by removing some shelves to create room for your bottles and glasses. Try to color coordinate your shelves by placing bottles of similar colors together. This is a great living room small home bar idea if you have built in shelves or bookcase already in the room.

BEST SMALL HOME BAR GLASSES:

WINE GLASSES

Ever since I watched Scandal on Netflix, I have been obsessed over any Crate and Barrel wine glasses! These red wine glasses are a best seller and will elevate your small home bar experience!

BEST MARTINI GLASSES

Crate and Barrel wins in this category again! With over 500 positive reviews on their website, these martini glasses are essential for a small home bar. We recommend them because they are very elegant and durable!

BEST WHISKEY GLASSES

This Williams Sonoma set of four whiskey glasses will elevate your small home bar experience! These crystal glasses make awesome gifts and will become an essential part of your bar glass collection.

4. Tray Table Mini Bar

GET THE LOOK:

CLICK HERE TO BUY WINE RACK

A small tray table can be a great option for a mini bar. It’s compact and can hold all your bar essentials like a cocktail shaker, glasses, and some bottles. This is the perfect kitchen small home bar ideas.

5. Vintage Bar Cabinet

A vintage bar cabinet can be a stylish and functional addition to any small homes space. Look for one with mirrored or glass doors to show off your best bottles.

BEST PLACES TO BUY VINTAGE BARS:

6. Window Sill Bar Idea

Use an empty window sill by turning it into the ultimate mini bar at home. Add some bottles, glasses, and a cute decor to show off your little bar area. We love this kitchen small home bar idea not only to serve alcohol, but as a simple breakfast bar! If you don’t have a window in your kitchen, check out these small white kitchen island ideas that can serve as a mini bar too!

7. Wall Niche Bar

If you have an empty wall niche, transform it into a small bar by adding some shelves and strip lighting underneath the shelves. This look is a great idea for a basement or man cave! We adore the dark masculine grey wallpaper with the matching grey floating shelves.

8. Under Stairs Home Bar Idea

Create a mini bar out of your unused space under your staircase. Start with adding some shelves to display your bottles, a small wine fridge, and some bar stools for a cozy drinking space.

BEST WINE FRIDGES:

9. Built-In Bar

If you’re looking for a more permanent option, consider adding a built-in bar to an empty wall in the kitchen or dining room. Add some cabinets, shelves, and a countertop to create a functional bar area.

We adore this small home bar idea because it can transform into any space you want it to be. This would make a cute coffee bar, homework station, smoothie bar or breakfast bar. Don’t forget to add wall sconces for the perfect lighting over your bars countertop. Check out our easy post on how to hang wall sconces yourself.

10. Corner Small Home Bar Ideas

In a small home it is crucial to use every square inch that you have available to its fullest potential. So why not turn the corner of your room into the perfect spot for your small bar. Add some floating shelves or a small cabinet and fill it with your favorite bottles and glasses. Try this corner mini bar design for small spaces in a basement or kitchen!

11. DIY Small Home Bar Ideas

A wall mounted bar cabinet is a great space saving small bar idea because you don’t have to take up any floor space in your home.

Install some shelves and a countertop below it to create a stylish and fully functional bar area. This small home bar idea is genius because you can prepare the drinks on the cabinet door when it’s open. Check out Jen Woodhouse’s post on how to build a DIY wall-mounted bar cabinet.

12. Rolling Bar Cart For a Mini Bar At Home

If you live in a small home, consider a rolling bar cart as a small bar option. We love a rolling cart because you can use it for multiple purposes and it can be easily moved around to entertain guests or store away when it is not in use. Look for one that has a built-in wine rack and a few shelves to store your favorite glasses and bar accessories.

BUY THIS ROLLING BAR CART:

This particular bar cart is great because it can be moved from room to room to serve and entertain your guests. You can also roll it out of the way when the party gets started for extra floor space!

13. Repurposed Furniture Bar

Transform an old dresser or credenza into your home bar by removing some drawers and adding some shelves. Use the top for a bar area or even add some smaller stools for seating. We love the way they made this a cute small home bar idea by adding string lights to make it feel cozier.

This post was all about small home bar ideas.

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