Ideas For Your Drinks Cabinet

3rd August 2022

A home bar is somewhat of a dream for many people who enjoy hosting parties, social events or simply relaxing at home with their favourite tipple in their hand. With these drinks cabinet ideas, you can create an exciting space to store your glasses and bottles, making your own bar a reality. The best part is - it doesn’t need to take up lots of space, nor does it need to be expensive!


Find a space

Before you can think about creating your own home bar, you first need to consider where you are going to put it and what type of unit you want to use. Is there room in the lounge for an extra storage unit? Do you have a cupboard in the kitchen that you can clear and use as a drinks cabinet? If space is tight inside, do you have an easily accessible garden shed that would be suitable for your drinks cabinet or home bar? 

Small drinks cabinet idea: If you’d rather not use space inside a cupboard or place a free-standing cabinet in your home, wall units or shelves can also be used to create a great home bar effect. 


Two shelves with home bar decor

Renovate an old piece of furniture

If you want to add a new cabinet to your home specifically for your drinks, you don’t need to purchase something that is made specifically for this purpose. An old sideboard or storage cabinet can easily be upcycled to make the perfect drinks cabinet, it’s also much more sustainable to use something that has been preloved than to buy new. Why not check out your local charity shop or boot sale to see what you can find? With some sanding, a few layers of paint/varnish, and some new handles or hinges, old units can easily be bought back to their former glory.

Interior shelves

If you purchase a purpose-built drinks cabinet, the shelving inside should already be at suitable heights to store various bottles and glasses. However, if you are using a cupboard in the kitchen, or upcycling a piece of old furniture, you need to consider whether or not the shelves inside are at the correct height to stand your bottles and store your glasses. Test it out with a few glasses and bottles, if you need to make some alterations then do this before you start to stock your cabinet.

Add lighting

Lighting is not only useful on a dark wintery night when you want to see inside your cabinet, but it also looks great. From a few spotlights, to strip lighting across the top or bottom, there are various options available. Why not opt for battery-operated lighting? This means you don’t even need access to a plug socket.

Drinks cabinet with strip lighting

Line your cabinet

It can be quite frustrating hearing your glasses and bottles rattle together when you close your cabinet doors, and it may even cause some damage. The use of rubber cupboard liners or mats will help to prevent the contents of your drinks cabinet from moving around. 

With these drinks cabinet ideas, an Instagram-style home bar really is possible, even on a low budget or with little space. It’ll also make a great talking point at your next party or social event! We hope these ideas have inspired you to get creative!