Small 1960s single-wall home bar photo in Boston with quartz countertops

this home brewer and professional brewer need a space to showcase his passion
Inspiration for a mid-sized 1950s light wood floor and brown floor seated home bar remodel in Philadelphia with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, porcelain backsplash and white countertops

1950's Mid-Century Modern Beach House

Rollins Andrew Interiors

1950's mid-century modern beach house built by architect Richard Leitch in Carpinteria, California. Leitch built two one-story adjacent homes on the property which made for the perfect space to share seaside with family. In 2016, Emily restored the homes with a goal of melding past and present. Emily kept the beloved simple mid-century atmosphere while enhancing it with interiors that were beachy and fun yet durable and practical. The project also required complete re-landscaping by adding a variety of beautiful grasses and drought tolerant plants, extensive decking, fire pits, and repaving the driveway with cement and brick.

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1414 Osprey

Josh Wynne Construction

Wet bar - small 1960s single-wall bamboo floor wet bar idea in Tampa with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets and quartz countertops

Lazybrook Home

S Squared Design, LLC

Client's recently purchased their home and wanted to make some updates without having to do a full gut job. We used the original cabinets but opted for new glass doors, a little woodwork to modernize them and got rid of the old medium oak cabinets and did a light grey color. Topped with a white quartz counter, accompanied by a limestone backsplash. To finish it off we gave the cabinets new hardware and pendant lights. The pot rack also was a new addition and fits perfectly over the new large peninsula. Throughout the rest of the home we blended their existing furniture with a few new pieces and added some color to spruce up their new home.

Noble Square Vintage Apartment

Jasmine Pulley - Photographer

Jasmine Pulley
Example of a mid-sized 1960s dark wood floor home bar design in Chicago

Mid Century Teak - Bar

AMR Interior Design & Drafting Ltd.

info@ryanpatrickkelly.com Built in wet bar with teak cabinets and yellow mid century tile
Example of a small 1960s galley ceramic tile and gray floor wet bar design in Edmonton with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops, yellow backsplash, porcelain backsplash and white countertops

Wohnung Prenzlauer Berg

AnneLiWest|Berlin

Mid-Century Modern Home Bar Ideas

Everyone has their favorite spot to enjoy a glass of wine or a shot of whiskey. For some people, that spot is right in the comfort of their own mid-century modern home bar. In-home bars can act as a central hub for entertainment, and can easily bring with them the fun atmosphere of a tavern or cocktail lounge. When browsing photos for 1950s home bar ideas, ask yourself the following questions to make sure you create exactly what you want and need:

I want to build a home bar. Where do I start?

First, pick a location. Generally, people will build a basement bar or corner bar in an area near the kitchen or dining room. If you are limited in terms of available indoor space, an outdoor bar is an excellent option, especially during warmer seasons. Once you have secured a location, decide on what functionality you want to include in your space, such as sinks, storage and refrigeration. This will help you with the overall layout of your home bar design, and then you can start picking materials and finishes that will coordinate with the rest of the space.

Do I need a wet bar or portable bar?

Including a sink in the functionality of your new watering hole makes it a wet bar. Sinks are convenient for home bars if you choose a location far from your kitchen. Don’t need running water? You might think about going with one of the many portable home bar design ideas, which will enable you to conveniently turn any space in your house into a 1960s barroom or cantina. For portable options, try a fun bar cart.

What mid-century modern home bar furniture should I get?

Choose furniture that will coordinate well with the rest of your home’s 1950s decor. Seating and storage are essential to home bar designs, so look for bar stools and a liquor cabinet of some sort. If you are creating a freestanding station instead of using existing countertops, you will need a bar table, which are taller and shallower than regular dining tables. Check that your stool and table height work together before you finalize any home bar designs. Once you’ve found all of the right furniture pieces, you can implement your favorite decorative elements based on the home bar ideas that inspire you the most.

How should I decorate my mid-century modern home bar?

Accessorizing is the fun part of finalizing retro home bar designs. Find a theme that you want to incorporate — think about what you might see at your favorite mod pub or alehouse. There are infinite bar decorating ideas to choose from, but don’t stress too much about finding the right barware pieces, as these are easy to change out. Bottle openers, decanters, ice buckets, cocktail shakers and glassware are a few of the functional accessories to remember to pick up. Coasters, neon lights or signage are all great home bar ideas that will help you achieve the mid-century modern look you want, whether it’s a futuristic lounge or a historical saloon. Last, but not least, don’t forget to stock up on your beverage of choice!