While I'm not the biggest liquor connoisseur, I do enjoy the occasional cocktail, and always admire a well stocked bar. Consider it an entertaining investment, a place of intrigue or conversation, AND a place to get the party started. Apartment Therapy has a considerable amount of resources on beautiful bar setups. The best, after the jump.
Home bars come in many flavors, from the prebuilt Pottery Barns cabinets that swing open to reveal the collection; the custom made trunk or cabinet, fashioned from something extraordinary; a single drawer or cabinet tucked away discretely; or the simple rolling kart that puts the collection out in the open.
Whether you draw your inspiration from Mad Men, fraternity parties or would rather keep your stash tucked away discretely, here are some ideas.
TOP ROW (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT):
• Bridgeton Bar Armoire from PotteryBarn ($1,099.00)
• Duncan Bar Cart by Restoration Hardware ($549)
• DIY Trunk to Rolling Bar Project
• Suitcase liquor cabinet from VanityCase
• Marin Bar Cabinet by Crate and Barrel $999
BOTTOM ROW (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT):
• Factory Table Wine Rack by Restoration Hardware ($99)
• B52 Stainless Steel Bar Cart from Etsy Store FusionFurniture ($1225)
• The DIY LED Backlit Bar via Unplggd.
• Inspiration: Using An Old Card Catalog as A Bar
• Credenza bar from Martha Stewart
Ready Made Bars:
• Modular Bar Tower from Pottery Barn ($469.00 )
• Component Bar System by PotternBarn ($199 - $299)
• Barrow Bar Cart by West Elm ($169)
Apartment Therapy Bar Advice:
• Vintage Furniture Becomes a Bar
• Setting Up a Bar Cart at Home
• Good Questions: Where Can I Buy This Bar/ Table?
• Good Questions: Looking for a Bar Cabinet & Hutch
• 8 Pieces to Use As a Home Bar
Apartment Therapy Bar Roundups:
• Top 10: Bar Stools (for the home)
<• Mini Bar: Small Scale Sideboards
• Roundup: Bar Carts
The Best of DIY Bar Spaces:
• How To: Turn a Bookcase Into a Bar
• Close-up: Booze Display/Storage
• Super SideBar Wet Bar Beverage System via Unplggd.
Small Cool Lessons: Discovering Small Space Design Ideas That Really Work
Beatriz's Fun & Functional Workspace
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Sheex Bedding
How to Make Easy 3-Ingredient Energy Bars at Home
How to Make Fresh Pasta Dough in the Food Processor
What I love most about #1 is the white interior, as opposed to #5 which has that manly flavor but makes it hard to see anything. I also appreciate that it (#1) appears to have taken loads of DIY ingenuity, patience and great design to achieve it. For my tastes it's a little over-stuffed and could use an overhaul. No. 5 card catalog is cutely genius and appealing.
Some neat ideas there, but with a couple of them you'd have to have a LOT of company coming over to justify all that booze.
The card catalog idea is just too, too clever. I love it.
These are all great inspiration. Makes me want to host a party!
Very cool, lots of great ideas. Much fancier than the jaeger and vodka in the freezer we have now!
I've been coveting that C&B cabinet for some time. I love compact pieces that pack a lot of function and storage.
Wow, if you think any of those have too much booze, you'd say my husband and I are complete lushes. We use a secretary desk as our bar and it's more or less packed (it holds more than what you see in #8)...and that doesn't include my husband's wine collection. We have all the staples and a good selection of our personal favorites which allows us to always have the ability to make almost any drink a guest might want. Most of those bars don't work if you want more than a very limited offering.
I'd love #1 and disagree with it's being overstuffed, but that's a matter of taste. It's lovely and airy--makes me want to pour a glass of wine and snag a piece of that bread.
When my husband and I bought our house, it came with a magical floating hutch--i.e. a hutch that's installed in the wall because a radiator runs along the floor. I painted the outside white and the inside a bright blue, and if I do say so myself, it makes a pretty nice bar. Of course, my husband does the hard work--keeping it stocked and making the cocktails!
I have to say, as a librarian, I am kind of in love with the card catalog bar. :-)
"Consider it an entertaining investment" really captures the essence of home bars. Some great compact ideas for bar carts / cabinets highlighted here.
Would urge those with allowable space in larger apartments to ponder adding a unit capable of seating with bar stools. Really opens up the hosting possibilities.