Hi you guys! Are you ready for some serious design inspo? A basement remodel is the perfect excuse to create a room that’s all about entertaining, and a bar is such a fantastic addition.
I’m obsessed with all the different styles you can create, from a chic city club look to a warm and rustic retreat. These cool ideas are just what you need to start planning your perfect basement bar.
1. Bold and Sophisticated
Do you want to create the ultimate in modern cool for your bar? I just love this idea! Why not choose black for its design theme? It will give your basement bar a moody and modern feel that makes me think of a super cool club downtown that’s impossible to get into.
To get this look, use a variety of black materials when building your bar. I’m thinking you could have dark-stained wood, marble, or granite for the bar itself. Then black leather for the seating is a must. You could even use black glass for the lighting shades.
To keep your basement from feeling like a black hole, you’ll want to highlight it with contrasting materials, like metal. I think a metal bar rail, furniture frames, and lighting fixtures would look stunning.
These will reflect the light to define the space and give it dimension without taking away from that yummy black theme.
2. Harnessing the Warmth of Wood
You really can’t go wrong with using wood to build your custom bar. I mean, it’s a classic building material and is found in bars all across America. Whether you use light or dark wood, you just need to have an idea of what you’re building before you start.
It can help to use a pre-made bar plan. I always think it’s a good idea to measure to ensure it fits, and then you can follow the steps to build your bar. If you aren’t ready to build your bar from scratch, you can look for a kit. You just follow the instructions to put all the pieces together.
You’ll also need to consider how you’ll finish your wood. You could seal it in varnish, shellac, lacquer, or epoxy to create a high-shine look. This finish will protect the wood but make it look less rustic or natural.
If you want to preserve the wood’s natural look and feel, oil or wax the wood instead. I just love that natural look!
3. Retreat for the Gents
The basement is seriously the perfect place to create the ultimate man cave. It’s out of the way, separated from the rest of the house, and the walls and below-grade location help dampen the noise. I love that!
First, start by choosing a theme for your cave. Most people choose a hobby or sport that they love. You could even base it on your favorite Marvel movies, which I think is so fun.
Adding furniture and entertainment to the space is what comes next. If you and your buddies love a particular type of beer, you could install a keg fridge and tap to make pouring a fresh one quick and easy. How cool is that?
You could mount TVs on the wall or from the ceiling to watch your team’s games. You could also consider a pool table, basketball toss, or card table for entertainment. So many great options!
4. Maximizing Limited Space
You should absolutely build your bar to fit the space you have available in your basement. Maybe your basement bar design is only big enough for two barstools. That’s totally okay, but I wouldn’t go any smaller.
Just one bar stool can feel a little awkward when you’re using it with guests. Instead, you could skip having the barstool set up entirely and create a walk-up bar, and just place seating elsewhere in your basement.
I think it’s so important to scale the size of the bar you build to fit the room. Just like the furniture, the bar takes up a lot of visual space, so if it’s too big, it’ll look imposing and overpowering, and we don’t want that!
5. Embracing Modern Basement Bar Ideas
If you love the modern look of an all-white living room or kitchen, then why not continue this design style to your basement? I just adore this look! You could have crisp white walls that line elegant marble countertops and decorative pendant lights illuminating the space.
This bright white design theme will keep the space feeling bright, welcoming, and fresh. Since there typically aren’t many windows in a basement, this is super important for preventing the space from feeling too dark or cave-like.
To keep your basement bar from feeling too sparse and cold, you’ll want to add some touches of natural materials. I always say this is key! You could have a wood floor or wood bar front. Then you can place metal or wood barstools upholstered with leather or suede to soften the space.
6. Adding Personality to Your Walls
Not all bars need to have a countertop area that you can walk behind. If you’re short on square footage, this bar style might take up too much room to be functional. I’ve found that sometimes, it’s better to consider some bar wall ideas instead. These walk-up bars have a really nice open concept.
I love the idea of adding a built-in cabinet or shelving around the counter space. This will give you plenty of storage for your alcohol, glassware, and bartending tools. You could also install a wine and drink fridge under the countertop.
This idea looks so great and gives you a place to store drinks that need to be cold, like mixers.
7. Simplicity With Style
You know, you don’t have to go all out with your bar design. I’ve found that sometimes, all you need is a bar cabinet, a counter, and some stools.
These are the basic elements of a bar and they’re all you really need to create one in your basement. This is such a smart approach if your space or budget has limitations.
If you decide to expand on it later, you totally can. Maybe you start with a single shelf and then add on later or upgrade from the floating shelf to a built-in unit.
You could start with a simple bar and build on it to have a decorative front, a bar rail, and some fancier barstools. It’s all about making it your own over time!
8. Cozy and Timeless Charm
If you have exposed brick for your basement walls, you have the ideal backdrop for an industrial or rustic-inspired basement bar. I’m a huge fan of this look!
You can work with the bricks or natural stone and create a space that’s comfortable and unpretentious. It should feel like your favorite neighborhood bar that welcomes you in with a warm hug and a cold drink.
I would use reclaimed wood for the construction of the bar and any shelving. Or you could have fresh wood that still has its bark on the edge. Then you can leave this raw detail facing out when you mount your shelves or build your bar top. So charming!
For lighting, choose simple fixtures that have a single cable with a bulb. Or you could have a metal cage around the bulbs for an industrial touch. Then finish your bar with vintage metal bar stools. They’re super affordable and will give your bar an authentic feel.
9. Taking Your Basement to the Next Level
If you’re in the process of planning a basement remodel, this is your chance to create your dream finished basement. Yay! Why not turn yours into a wine cellar? You could build a wine rack on one wall for plenty of wine storage.
You can buy kits, or you can build custom shelving for the number of bottles you own. Then you’ll need cabinetry for your wine glasses.
Even if you aren’t a wine enthusiast, you’ll want to plan a sitting area in your finished basement bar. I think it’s so important to create a space that embodies the type of vibe you want to create. A
lounge will look best with several large couches and side tables to sit back and relax in. A club atmosphere will have several high-top tables and plenty of open space for dancing. A sports bar might have high-top tables with bar stools and TVs on the wall.
And don’t forget the games! That’s always my favorite part.
10. Stylish Wet Bar Setup
There’s only so much you can do in a dry bar. It lacks running water, so you’ll need to bring ice down with you and carry used glassware back upstairs to clean. I think it’s way better to skip all of this hassle and make your setup a wet bar.
You can work with a plumber to ensure you tap into the correct plumbing lines.
With running water, you can have a sink, an ice maker, and a complete wet bar set. This makes things so much easier and eliminates the need to run upstairs, making it simpler for you to bartend.
If you plan on hosting larger groups, which I love to do, consider adding a dishwasher to make washing lots of glassware easier.
11. Utilizing Every Corner
If you have a dead corner in your basement, you should totally use it for a corner bar. It doesn’t have to take up a lot of space. You could put a bar hutch in the corner and call it a day. Or you could build out around the corner. This will give you a really effective space without taking up a ton of room.
One option is to have your bar come straight out from the wall with cabinets or shelves on the two walls meeting in the corner. This is what’s known as a galley-style bar, and you can make it as long as you have the space.
The other option is to build the bar into the corner. As the bartender, you’ll stand with your back to the corner and have the bar curve around you. I love this cozy setup!
12. Multi-Purpose Spaces
If you love to do more than make drinks, you should think about adding a basement kitchenette. Then you could serve both drinks and snacks to your friends and family, which is always my goal!
Instead of having a bar to stand behind, you could replace it with a small kitchen island. Or you can combine the two so that the island still has a raised bar top on the opposite side of the kitchen. Such a great idea!
On the wall, you’ll want to mount cabinetry with a countertop and wall cabinets above for storage. You’ll definitely need this extra space to store the additional tools and supplies needed to prepare and serve food.
Instead of installing a full-sized fridge and stove, you might consider scaling these appliances down. You may not even need a full stove. A toaster oven might do just fine for what you need.
