Solstice Kitchen & Bath

Top Beverage Bar Ideas

June 29, 2022

If you are embarking on a new kitchen design or even a first-floor remodel, the first thing you must do is consider your goals for this project.  Is your style outdated, your layout and storage no longer suitable to your family’s needs, or are you ready to update your home for aging in place? It may be that your cabinets, countertop, and flooring have seen better days and are beyond repair. 

Your goals must include your style and functionality needs, as well as your lifestyle and available budget.  Once you understand what you want and need from your kitchen remodel, you can then create a plan and find the products to bring your design vision to life.

kitchen design with blue cabinets

One rule of thumb is to maximize your remodeling investment by doing as much as you can afford, particularly if you are designing a new kitchen for a home you plan to stay in for years to come.  You should also create a kitchen design that will work for your family for the length of time you plan to use this kitchen. So, a young, growing family may have different design needs to a family with mature children heading off to college.

There are many ways to include additional features in a kitchen design that significantly enhances your room’s functionality with out breaking the bank.  A beverage bar is a prime opportunity to create custom storage and space to prepare your favorite drinks, and can be added to any size kitchen design, ranging from a section of cabinetry to a full stand-alone custom beverage bar.

Here are our top tips for creating the ideal beverage bar for your next kitchen remodel.

Find the Perfect Position

The planning stage of a kitchen design is the ideal time to think about where to put your beverage station. Look at your available space and your proposed kitchen layout, consider adjacent spaces like a family room in an open plan design or a nearby alcove. When positioning your bar, consider your key work zones as well as where you plan to dine and entertain.  Ideally your beverage bar should be located where guests or kids can easily access drinks without interfering with the cooking and clean up.

kitchen design with beverage station

Think Outside the Box

A stylish and efficient beverage bar is not one-size-fits-all.  Your beverage bar can be designed to fit your space, lifestyle, and daily needs. Here are a few things to consider when planning your beverage bar style:

  • How much space do you have? If this is a large, open plan kitchen design then you should have plenty of options for where to position your full-service bar. If it is a more compact kitchen remodel, then identify a well-positioned area away from the cooking area to create storage and space to serve drinks.
  • How often do you entertain? If you entertain frequently then your beverage bar must be up to the task. Create space to store a variety of drinks and glassware, along with room to serve and for guests to top up their own drinks.
  • What does your family need? While you may have guests in mind when creating a beverage bar perfect for entertaining, make sure you also cater for your own family’s needs. If you have young children, consider including a separate beverage refrigerator for the kids’ favorite drinks. If you have a preferred beverage, then design a beverage set up that lets you enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee or glass of whiskey with easy access to your drink supplies. Create a design that will enhance your lifestyle and make family time, parties, or a Saturday morning coffee more enjoyable.
stand alone beverage bar

Become Your Own Barista

A beverage bar is about more than alcohol, wine racks, and glassware. If coffee is your preferred beverage, consider creating a custom set up that lets you become your own home barista. Include space for your preferred coffee maker (or more than one if you like to experiment!). You could include an appliance garage with a pull-down door to hide the coffee maker when not in use or invest in a built-in coffee machine. Use drawer or cabinet storage for coffee beans and tools, store favorite mugs in a glass front cabinet or open shelves and include an undercounter refrigerator for milk.

kitchen design with coffee bar

Create a Wine Lover’s Bar

If you look forward to relaxing after a long week with a glass or wine, or even to inviting friends over for wine and cheese gatherings, then customize your bar to cater for all your requirements. Include a wine rack and a specialty wine refrigerator so your bottles are all stored properly and ready for use. Keep glassware in a cabinet or display them in a glass front cabinet or storage rack. Set aside a drawer for corkscrews and other accessories.

beverage bar with wine rack

Pick a Specialty

Whether you are a brandy aficionado or a gin lover, create custom storage and display to showcase your favorite drinks.  If you collect unique alcohol bottles like rum, tequila, or whiskey, include shelves to show them off. Compartmentalized storage drawers let you keep every drink accessory and garnish organized. If your drink specialty needs to be cold or accompanied by ice, outfit your beverage bar with appliances like an ice maker. Small countertop appliances like a blender can tucked away in a roll out shelf or behind an appliance garage pull-down door.

A beverage bar fits into any home and enhances the way you use your kitchen design. Decide how much space you have and where you want to position your bar.  Make it easily accessible to guests and away from the cooking zone. Include custom storage and display space, plus room to create your favorite concoctions. From a standalone beverage bar to a small beverage station, this addition will enhance any kitchen design.