Top designers provide inspiration and tips for staging a home's bar area.

A small bar area in a home can offer up some fancy design. After all, you may be celebrating happy hour more often at home after a long day of remote work. So, don’t overlook the bar as a staging area. Top designers weigh in with some of their favorite inspiration and tips for a home bar.

Find Your Entertaining Corner

Photo credit: Patrick Cline

"When first deciding where to install your home bar, think about the areas in your home where you do the most entertaining and that have a large, empty wall. Notable places could be your dining room, living room, basement, or garage. This will turn a forgotten space into something that is both functional and stylish."

—Marlaina Teich, New York-based Marlaina Teich Designs

Add Color Pops With Glasses

Photo credit: Laurey Glenn

"Celebrations bring about laughter and good times, so why not have fun with your bar area, too? Choose colorful barware in coordinating colors. Consider open shelving to display glassware and for easy accessibility."

—Mel Bean, Mel Bean Interiors, Tulsa, Okla.

Redo an Existing Space

Photo credit: Laurey Glenn

“Make use of your existing space and add some shelving, and voilà, you can create your own mini bar. Shelving units, kitchen built-ins, and consoles are great places to start when creating a bar design. Add a decorative tray and a glass decanter and cup set, and you're halfway there to a stunning bar area."

—Bean

Photo credit: Laurey Glenn

Photo credit: Kacey Gilpin

Learn the Art of the Bar Cart

Photo credit: Thomas Guy Interiors

"A new or vintage bar cart creates an appealing addition to a living or dining room. Bar carts can hold most of the bottles and stemware you need in a compact space—and with little investment."

—Lance Thomas, Louisiana-based Thomas Guy Interiors