A good kitchen design takes care of practicalities as well as looking beautiful. Including a beverage bar in a kitchen remodel makes life easier, whether you're just having a coffee or entertaining. You can devote a small section of countertop and cabinets, or a fully equipped standalone beverage bar. Both can look stylish and meet your needs with the right storage. Functional, clever additions like this also add value to a home.

1. No Restrictions Apply

A beverage bar doesn't need to be a tiny corner with a couple of decanters and a wine rack. Modern wet bars cater for the family and their guests, so the sky's the limit. If you have a small kitchen, plan where you could fit a bar and be clever about what you can install. With more space you could have a sink, dishwasher, and refrigerator, with shelving for cups, glassware, drinks, and accessories. A built-in coffee maker means water is piped directly in, saving you having to refill it. If your space can't accommodate all this, all you really need is an area for guests to fix a drink at a party or for you to fix your coffee. An undercounter beverage refrigerator is ideal if space allows: a place for kids to grab a cold drink away from the cooking area.

2. Plan the Perfect Position

At the planning stage, think carefully about the best place. You might have a large space beside the stove, but the bar should be situated away from your food prep area. You don't want people underfoot when you're cooking and they're getting drinks. If you have two islands, the one used for socializing is ideal for a wet bar with a beverage refrigerator and storage at one end and barstool seating at the other. You might even have space in an area adjoining the kitchen, like a pantry or mudroom, or just inside the living room in an open plan kitchen. Moving plumbing or wiring may be involved; your designer can factor this into the budget. We dig into kitchen layout in our layout guide.

3. Raising the Bar

If you love the idea of a beverage bar, there's no limit to luxury features you can add. Beyond a refrigerator, you could install a wine rack or display storage for an array of drinks. Down-lit glass-front cabinets are stylish and keep the collection dust-free. A coffee machine, sink, and small dishwasher can be plumbed into the bar for ease of use.

4. Catering for the Connoisseur

Whether the drink is beer or brandy, a wet bar can specialize in storage and preparation. Display gin bottles on open shelving with a glass bowl of citrus fruit and rosemary hanging from a hook. Whiskey, tequila, and rum can get similar treatment, with glasses, mixing equipment, and ingredients in custom-built storage.

5. Take Your Cup of Joe to the Next Level

A beverage bar doesn't have to specialize in alcohol. Make a coffee bar stylish and practical by working it in at the planning stage. If you don't want to look at a coffee machine on the countertop, house it in a cabinet with doors or a pull-down cover. A small fridge can hold ground coffee, milk, syrup, and ice for iced coffee. Beans and barista tools go in an overhead cabinet, with latte glasses and porcelain espresso cups on contemporary open shelving.

Talk through your beverage bar with a designer

If you're planning a kitchen and want to talk through how to work in a beverage bar, we'd love to talk.

Schedule a showroom visit at our 5,000 square foot showroom in Norwell. No pressure, just a real conversation about your home.

Transitions Kitchens, Baths & Remodeling
433 Washington St, Norwell, MA
(781) 871-0881