Small Bar Cabinets For Home

When purchasing small bar cabinets for home, you might find yourself wondering what you should put in them. The short answer is simple: you should put things in them that you enjoy using!

If the bar cabinet is open or has see-through doors, you’ll want to make sure that the glasses or spirits you showcase are aesthetically pleasing. For starters, we recommend a small set of clear glass tumblers, as well as a set of four wine glasses. You’ll also want a small array of spirits, a mixer, and some bar tools to make fancy drinks! It might even be a fun idea to include a small book of cocktail recipes to help you explore new drink ideas to you!

The must-have liquors for a small cabinet for home depends on how much cabinet space you have available, what your personal preferences are and if you host guests regularly.

If you prefer vodka over whiskey, focus on diversifying your vodka selection. The greater the average number of people and parties you host each year, the more diversity you will need in your selection of liquors to cater to different tastes.

While you cannot include everything, a small bar cabinet should have vodka, gin, white rum, dark rum, tequila, whiskey and brandy. These together with a selection of essential liqueurs and mixers will allow you to make almost any standard mixed drink.

You don't want a cabinet bar simply for practical reasons, you also want it to coordinate with your aesthetic and the rest of your decor. Part of the fun of having a cabinet bar is how the unit adds to the style of the room.

Think about your personal style and the furniture you already own. Note the lines of your current furniture and whether they are clean and straight or ornate. Assess the room's color scheme and the wood or metal finishes on your furniture. 

If you're looking for a traditional-style design, try a tall, wood-paneled cabinet with a luxurious reddish-brown finish and decorative engravings.

People searching for something a bit more modern will love a design that blends glass, metal, and sleek, varnished wood. This type of cabinet complements the clean-cut lines and simple color scheme of a stylish, contemporary home.

If you're a fan of the shabby chic interior-style, you'll appreciate a unit with light pastel colors, distressed wood, and quirky ornamental finishes.

Whatever aesthetic you choose, make sure you're selecting a relatively compact product that has enough storage space for your drinks and glass collections.

The room's size isn't the only thing to consider when you're trying to match a cabinet to your particular space. You'll also need to think about how many people you need to cater to when entertaining.

If you want to serve large groups of friends and family, you should opt for a tall, heavy-duty unit with plenty of space for storing liquor, a built-in glass rack, and a sizable countertop for preparing garnishes.

If you're not a social butterfly and you're not looking to entertain other people regularly, you may be well-suited for a smaller, shorter cabinet bar to save on space. You can also use the top of this unit as a table or desk whenever you're not preparing drinks.

Although corner bar cabinets are space-saving, they still take up square footage. You'll need to measure the area you're planning on locating your bar to see how much space you have and determine your bar cabinet's maximum possible size. Also, make sure you include the room's height in your measurements.

Most bar cabinets are built vertically, but some come as squat, horizontal units. Those who care about traditional or French country-style aesthetics will love a tall and decorative mahogany piece that stretches up to the ceiling. People who prefer contemporary or industrial interior design should opt for a pared-back, simple cabinet with exposed, distressed wood, and powder-coated framework.

Because cabinet bars are built with storage space for bottles and glasses and come in specialized forms, it's helpful to consider what you want to store. Do you have a favorite beverage? What glasses do you use? Use this information to confirm a cabinet bar's suitability and check the specifications to make sure your needs match the cabinet's design.

If you're a fan of gin-based drinks, you'll need to make sure you've got enough space in your cabinet for a set of tall highball glasses. Those who prefer a refreshing mimosa or spritzer will need to make room for champagne flutes and rounded Copa de Balon glasses.

The good news for whiskey fans is that tumblers and single rocks glasses take up very little space in any drawer or on any surface. These glass-types are also highly adaptable so that you can use them for any drink you're taking neat, from bourbon to high-quality sipping tequila.