Bar carts? Old news. Basement bars? Only for the square-footage-endowed. But there is another solution we’ve been seeing a lot of lately: nooks and closets reimagined as chic, miniature wet bars. In an age of lifestyle gurus imploring us to live with less, we think we’ve finally found the inspiration to declutter our closets. Please, join us in plotting your own cocktail-bar transformation.
If your home has an awkwardly shaped alcove (or clunky built-ins) underneath the eaves, give 'em the old sledge-hammer treatment—then outfit with custom cabinet lowers and a polished backsplash. We love the diminutive scale and fresh finishes in this Studio Ten 25 minibar.
Working with a shallow inset closet? Rip off the doors, add finished trimwork to the frame, then bling it out with statement-making wallpaper, art and floating shelves for your chicest glassware. (This glamorous wet bar by Henry & Co Design is the stuff. Of. Dreams.)
The perfect solution for purists: In this Jason Arnold-designed home, a sleek sliding door cordons off the scene. When company arrives, just slide it open and let the party begin.
Photography: Alyssa Rosenheck
We’re swooning over the walk-in wine bar off this Marie Flanigan-designed sitting room. If you want to follow suit and turn a closet into a little slice of Tuscany, see the theme through by adding a stylish tasting table. (Necessary, right?)
