Here’s a Toast to the 10 Most Popular Home Bars of 2016
Whether serving up cocktails or coffee, these most popular drink stations from the past year offer plenty of ideas
Home bars can be a great problem solver, providing extra storage and counter space while moving congestion away from the kitchen during parties. The top 10 home bar photos of 2016 — uploaded and saved to ideabooks this year — show the range of ways to design this feature. Pull up a bar stool and get inspired, then tell us your favorites in the Comments.
10. The designer of this home bar describes it as “the man cave gets a modern makeover.” In addition to plenty of wine and barware storage, contemporary bar stools, a cardboard deer head, wall-mounted TV and pool table contribute to a stylish and playful home retreat.

9. This bar area between the kitchen and the dining room of an 1890s home in Massachusetts was part of a renovation that transformed the 1980s kitchen into a space that felt more in line with the home’s age. Modern amenities, like a beverage cooler and an ice machine, are housed in traditional oak cabinets. The beadboard backsplash and soapstone counters help preserve the traditional style.
See more of this home’s kitchen
See more of this home’s kitchen
8. Like the powder room, the home bar feels like an opportunity to be bolder with colors and materials, as this one in California shows. With reclaimed wood cabinets and green iron granite counters in a leather finish, the built-in unit wows but doesn’t overwhelm the space.
7. The on-trend details of this San Francisco bar in a butler’s pantry are subtle but distinct. From the abstract wallpaper backdrop to the flat-paneled cabinets, this room proves beige is anything but boring. Bronze fixtures accent the space and pull more of the warm tones forward.
6. If you’re looking for the complete lounge experience, this Virginia space takes the home bar to the next level. An intimate circle of leather club chairs is the focal point, with a tiled wall and built-in bar anchoring the far wall.
Chairs: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
Chairs: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
5. No detail is overlooked in this Toronto home bar, with an eye-catching marble herringbone backsplash echoing the “X”-front upper cabinet doors. Where there could have been wasted space above, a built-in wine rack not only adds storage but also brings the bar up to the crown molding.
4. This home bar, also in Toronto, sits in the kitchen, providing more counter, cabinet and fridge space at an arm’s reach. Two side-by-side mini fridges store wine that can be opened and displayed on black granite counters. While it’s hard to see from the photos, the designer made these counters extra tall to accommodate a tall homeowner.
See more of this home’s kitchen
See more of this home’s kitchen
3. In London, this efficient home bar houses a wine rack, wine cooler and plenty of barware storage, all concealed behind two swinging doors. Dark-stained wood pops against the light parquet floors and picks up the dark wood border for a tidy, elegant piece of furniture.
2. Taking advantage of every bare wall and empty corner, this kitchen in Montreal features a built-in prep bar and drink station, complete with a beverage refrigerator, sink and cabinetry.
1. In this contemporary Toronto home, the most popular home bar of the year uses that tricky area under the stairs. It provides extra storage and finds use as a coffee bar. Bright lighting makes the all-white vignette stand out against warm gray wood floors.
More: How to Create a Built-In Home Bar
More: How to Create a Built-In Home Bar