26 Basement Bar Ideas For the Best Holiday Parties Ever
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The basement is probably the floor most forgotten. Attics are fun and charming, whimsical and spooky in a good way, but basements hold a pretty strong reputation of being creepy, damp, cold, and, last but not least, unfinished. It's not surprising as to why: A finished basement costs a pretty penny. However, it'll also increase your home's value and usable square footage. Besides, you've got to prove your basement isn't one of those scary ones. These modern basement bar ideas are a great place to start planning your renovation.
There's just something about a home bar that feels glamorous, and putting it in the basement adds a level of exclusivity that completely changes your bartending game. A speakeasy-like space is amazing for hosting parties, mainly because it keeps the mess away from the kitchen. Having your personal cocktail lounge or taproom in the basement sets it up as the hosting floor. None of your friends or family will get it twisted when you tell them to show up for the hangout—they'll know to skip past your front door and head straight to the back to enter through your walkout basement.
After you've decided that yes, you do indeed wish to add a home bar downstairs, the next step is styling it. You could make the interior a continuation of your main floor's design scheme, or you could do something completely different and out of the box to make it even more fun and exciting. Whatever design you want for your at-home lounge, we've found examples to help you bring it to life. Check out these 26 basement bar ideas—you'll immediately send them over to your interior designer for inspiration.
Bring the Tropics Inside
Interior designer Louis Duncan-He created a moody, tropical paradise with his client's basement bar. Inspired by their childhood in Bali and Singapore, Duncan-He established a lush bar space to serve as the bottom floor's focal point. The pink velvet bar stools are the perfect pop of color in the otherwise dark corner.
Display All Your Wine
Designed by deVOL Kitchen for the company's Real Shaker Collection, this basement bar can hold up to 180 bottles of wine in the oversized cabinet alone. Besides that, there's ample room for other bottles of liquor or mixers on extra shelves and in cabinet storage.
Choose Elegant Monochrome
Interior designer Christina Kim went for a totally sleek look in this basement bar. The only other color repeatedly seen is a reflective gold besides a few liquor bottles tucked away in a shelf. To keep the narrow counter from feeling cluttered, Kim included ample undercounter storage with cabinets for other bar accessories.
Brighten It Up
Bring a sunny color into a traditionally dark space with a fun backsplash. Interior designer Tanner Sammons designed this space with the morning in mind, and it's obvious in the colors and warmth that radiates from the wet bar. If you're looking for small basement bar ideas, you'll want to bookmark this one.
Surround It in Stone
Incorporate the original materials that keep your home upright and design a built-in wet bar around them. The combined rough texture of the stone and smoothness of the wood creates a wonderfully sleek contrast married by a similar color countertop.
Establish a Centerpiece
A dark and moody bar should be accessorized only with equally luxurious additions. This marble Champagne bucket steals the show and draws attention to the bar.
BUY NOW Florenza Champagne Bowl, $910
Keep It Casual
This bar is proof your basement doesn't have to be a lightless cave if you use the right materials. It also includes small kitchen appliances that take full advantage of the space and equip it for food prep. No need to head back upstairs when you're entertaining—this basement bar has everything you need.
Combine Contrasting Tones
Pair dark wooden cabinets with a light backsplash and wall color to make your basement bar section stand out. Add some extra life into the space with a live plant.
Decorate for the Holidays
If you normally celebrate festivities on the ground level of your home, consider switching things up and adding decorations to the downstairs bar.
BUY NOW Griffin Bar, $3,000
Consider a Bar Cabinet
If you don't want to start a whole home reno project, you can still have a classy basement bar area without the heavy construction. Install a rich bar cabinet to store all your post-work desires.
BUY NOW Benedict Bar Cabinet, $6,995
Reach for Reflective Surfaces
Get the mirror affect—without the mirrors—with a full glossy bar. As the light reflects off the shiny cabinets and backsplash, it'll make your basement look larger and brighter.
Frame The Area
A small bar cart doesn't mean you can't make a mean martini. Make your basement bar area seem more grand with a large, bright gallery wall behind your home cantina.
BUY NOW Delaney Marble Rectangular Bar Cart, $500
Make a Modern Saloon
Add old western touches to your bar space with a heavy wooden counter. The open shelves play up the classic watering hole feel.
BUY NOW Rustic Ultimate Bar, $3,300
Build a Bathroom Bar
Studio DB thinks you should have a bar in your bathroom. If you're redoing your basement, why not make the space truly grand? This custom bar doubles as a vanity, so you can have cocktails with actually powdering your nose. And don't worry, germaphobes—it can close up when you're done with your drink.
Stock Only the Best
Don't settle for barware you wouldn't even drink from in a restaurant. Upgrade everything from your glasses to your decanters for the most elegant home bar.
BUY NOW Masen Drink Giftset, $140
Upgrade a Bookcase
Enhance a built-in bookshelf in the basement with a wooden wine rack and glassware to make the best of both worlds. You can still store your novels on the higher shelves, but now you won't have to head to the kitchen to make yourself a drink to wind down with as you read.
Try a Compact Cabinet
If a bar cart seems too small for your basement but a full counter is too big, compromise with a short bar cabinet. It's portable, so you'll easily be able to take it with you if you move, but it has a lot of storage space for all your wines, glasses, and other accessories.
BUY NOW Bar Cabinet, $256
Don't Hold Back on the Glamour
A large space allows you to create an opulent bar in your basement. Go all out and don't hold back on anything. We love how chic these lit-up shelves look against the wall.
Build Your Own Winery
Sometimes a wine fridge simply isn't enough. Install an wine cellar in your below-ground level, and it'll be where your friends gather after last call.
Use the Nooks and Crannies
Make use of every square inch as you redesign your basement. If you don't think you have room for a bar, we beg to differ—you'll be able to find a spot, even if it's tucked into an alcove.
Think Simple And Useful
Okay, maybe you don't have room to fit in a built-in bar, but that shouldn't stop you from having a happy-hour-friendly basement. Take up some floor and wall space with a narrow bar tower that has enough storage to fit 24 wine bottles and then some.
BUY NOW Modular Bar Tower, $809
Use a Trunk
If you're a well-traveled person, consider embracing your explorer image and use a bar cabinet disguised as a trunk for your watering hole. You'd be surprised how much storage this trunk has—you'll be able to fit a lot more in here than meets the eye.
BUY NOW Ludlow Trunk Bar Cabinet, $1,800
Create a Cabin Retreat
Give your winter lodge a serious upgrade with a warm and fully stocked hangout space. A basement bar that has it all—liquor, an espresso machine, warm pastries—is taking your home to the next level.
Add a Little Whimsy
Sometimes the built-ins just aren't your style, but that's okay because you can always add a bit of personality and whimsy into your home with a change of hardware and bar stools. Make your basement bar and kitchenette feel like a different space by switching out the small things.
Make It the Event Space
The bar is there to fulfill all your cocktail-making needs, yes, but consider making it your entire entertainment station. A hutch is basically a bar cabinet that can fit more items, so take advantage of the welcoming space and throw in your plates, mugs, and cake platters to use when you host your next party.
BUY NOW Benchwright Buffet & Hutch, $4,000
Light It Up
Basements have a reputation for being dark and dreary. Make your bar a bit more inviting with some under-cabinet lights that'll help the bartender (i.e., you) see what they're mixing.
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