Cheers to You
This modern home bar designed by Stephanie Hunt features floating stone shelves over lime plaster walls and velvet and brass bar stools.
Image: Carla Boecklin
From basement lounges to backyard tiki huts, an at-home bar can take many forms. What started with flimsy wood paneling constructed via directions from Popular Mechanics magazine in the 1950s has evolved into cool, custom spaces designed to reflect individual tastes and personalities. The appeal of this aspirational refuge is compelling—a dedicated space to unwind with friends or enjoy an intimate tête-à-tête without the added encumbrances of transportation and the social complexities brought on by strangers. Parking is guaranteed, there’s zero wait for the bathroom, and you can whip up any number of delightful cocktails to your own specifications.
Whether you have a small corner or an entire room to create your personal watering hole, local designers agree: the home bar is a great opportunity to break with tradition. Here, we share a few of their tips to help get you started.
Brass and marble details make a bold statement in this luxe home bar designed by Melissa Crotty.
Image: Malissa Mabey
Make a Statement
Melissa Crotty, owner of Root’d and Crotty Collaborative Design Group (ccdginteriors.com), keeps her style directive simple for at-home bars: “Go big. Go bold.” Whether it’s a space for cocktails, mock-tails, games, or conversation, she says there’s no better place than a bar area to really express your personality and playfulness. “Big patterns, bold textures, wild art—it all belongs at the bar,” she says.
Add an Accent Wall and Shelving
“Separate the space with a contrasting wood material or paint color,” says Erin Proctor of Erin Proctor Home (erinproctor.com). “Clients have loved creating an accent wall in plaster or adding bamboo panels for texture and interest.” She notes that functional extras like refrigerated drawers and specialty ice makers are also popular for bar areas. And she suggests adding shelving to showcase coveted photos, art, and objects beyond glassware.
Patterned tile and leather pendant lights create visual interest in this home bar by Stephanie Hunt, a.k.a. The Flairhunter.
Image: Mellon Studios
Trick Things Out with Tile
For an unexpected pop, interior designer Stephanie Hunt—a.k.a. The Flairhunter (theflairhunter.com)—suggests adding patterned tile or colored tile in an interesting profile to the face of the bar counter in front of the bar stools. Or use patterned tile or a simple, single-color tile all the way up the bar back to the ceiling, accented with a custom metal and glass shelf unit. “The labels on the liquor bottles and the tile create a whole artistic story from counter to ceiling,” says Hunt. She also loves to use antiqued, mirrored tile behind bar shelves holding stemware or spirits. “The glow at night is magical and moody, especially if you have an under-shelf lighting strip to bounce the light off of the mirrored surface and the bottles.”
Image: Mellon Studios
DRINK ME
Stock your bar with local booze from the following purveyors:
Gin: Alpine Distilling Elevated gin for a decadent martini or negroni. 7132 Silver Creek Rd; alpinedistilling.com
WhiskEy: High West bourbon for a classic mule or old-fashioned. 703 Park Ave; highwest.com
Rum: Proverbial Spirits Loose Lips Sink Ships rum, distilled from molasses and cane products, for the perfect mojito or caipirinha. 4175 Forestdale Dr; proverbialspirits.com
Wine: Old Town Cellars Mountain red, Townie rosé, and Mountain Town white for crowd-pleasing pours. 408 Main St; otcwines.com
Beer: Park City Brewing Powder Buoy pilsner or Silver Creekwater amber lager for refreshing sips. 1764 Uinta Way; parkcitybrewing.com
