A Floating Bar Is An Elegant Way To Organize & Display Beverages In A Small Space

Do you love the way a bar cart or bar area in house looks but feel that your space doesn't have enough room for this feature? After all, home bars can transform your home into the ultimate hang out spot, but finding available square footage can be tricky if you live in a smaller home, apartment, etc. An entire section of your home dedicated to a bar might be unrealistic, but you may have the space for a floating drinks station where all of your favorite cocktails and boozy confections can reside. This will keep them visible and accessible without taking up floor space. All you need are a few floating shelves and an aesthetic in mind to ensure your finished product is both stylish and functional.

Using vertical space is one of the most rewarding and practical ways to create more storage and display within your home. Turning an empty (or mostly empty) wall into a home bar not only creates more visual design but also gives you a place to keep your ingredients, bottles, and glassware where people can still enjoy them. Glassware itself can be quite decorative and artsy, so if you do have some show pieces, keep these handy to make them a focal point in your floating bar. While you can use clever DIY tricks like the IKEA BESTA floating bar trend, this piece is a little bulkier and requires more space. There are a variety of floating shelves on the market — you just need to research to choose the best option for your space. 

How many levels or tiers you should create for your bar depends on how much wall space you have available. If you have an entire wall that is currently empty, this is a great blank canvas for you to design your floating bar on. However, if you don't have an empty wall available, you can add just one floating shelf over a lower piece of furniture or use floating corner shelves for a smaller, more miniature version of this home addition. Before purchasing your shelving units, consider what you plan to keep on top of them. If your glassware is heavy, you intend to home a fair amount of bottles, or you want to add extra decor like books and trinkets, thicker, sturdier shelves are probably the best choice. You could also make your own and customize their size to your specific space.

Once you've hung your shelves, it's time to decorate. Because these will likely hang at eye level or just about, you want to ensure your layout is chic, stylish, functional, and curated. Too many items on your shelves could make them seem chaotic or heavy, so pick your items intentionally. Use a couple of bottles per shelf and pour your liquids into matching glassware to avoid visual clutter from labels. Add a knick-knack, candle, or a stack of books to each shelf, but avoid using the same amount of items on every one. Use bar accessories like stainless steel or copper shakers, stirrers, and openers to keep the bar theme going without overdoing it.