Personal Style & Reflection:
Above the Bar In Every Detail
A beverage bar should mirror the essence of your lifestyle. Your well-dressed home should reflect your personality, not just the passing trends, and well-designed beverage bars are trending in home design projects.
Countertop: Cambria Clovelly
Backsplash Tile: Pratt & Larson – Plum
The evening glow dances across the glassware as it catches light from the curated gold fixtures, draping the space in an atmosphere of luxury and invitation. The drink bar begins to feel less like a moment in time and more like a tailored retreat, designed to bring both function and soul to your home.
At Twilly & Fig, we believe that a well-designed beverage center should feel like a bespoke extension of your lifestyle, seamlessly integrating maximum function, intentional organization, and endless entertainment into one elevated experience. Whether it is a dedicated space for crafting cocktails, brewing morning coffee, whipping up your post workout smoothie, or gathering with guests, a thoughtfully designed beverage center evokes a sense of balance, creativity, and timeless charm.
From Blueprint to Bespoke: The Tailored Approach
Since first emerging in America after World War II, wet bars are currently enjoying a renaissance, and for good reason. As Rebecca Shinners wrote with Architectural Digest, these centers offer a dedicated hub for entertainment that can be as elaborate or as understated as the space and home calls for. Historically, bars tended to reflect the design trends of the time such as featuring wood paneling or mirrored backs, drawing inspiration from both British pub culture and the glamour of American cocktail lounges.
As life has shifted towards more home-based living where homeowners are investing more in their spaces and prioritizing comfort, the home experience for everyday living has changed. With this came the resurgence of in-home beverage centers that bring with them a sense of nostalgia. At Twilly & Fig, we’ve seen firsthand how a well-planned beverage center can transform a space into a tailored spot for elevated everyday living.
An upscale beverage center should blend beauty and organization in a way that feels seamless. Drawing inspiration from Ferguson Home’s insights, consider built-in wine coolers, under-counter refrigerators, and integrated shelving that keeps everything at your fingertips (Ferguson Home).
Designing a home bar requires first settling on how the space will be utilized – will it be for mixing cocktails, a soda station for the kids, preparing your morning latte or a mixture of all? Not only will this help determine how the space will be used, but also what type of storage will be required. Intentional designations for open and closed storage as well as placement of electric for a blender, coffee machine or the like are essential to creating a beverage center that works for you.
Consider not only where the drink station will be located, but also how much you wish to show off. For our Modern Art Deco Revival project in Dallas, we opted for a mix of display and hidden storage where the use of the fluted glass keeps the space feeling open and adds a touch of whimsy. We further elevated the wet bar by incorporating it into the overall built-in alcoved by an elliptical archway, adding to the sophistication and lounge environment of this den.
In a glimpse of a recent project located in Plano, Texas, this beverage center is in the main kitchen and is meant to work around the clock for the family. With little kids running around, we opted to include a tall pull-out cabinet with a lock to hide the adult cocktail mixers. Who says hidden storage cannot be beautiful?
Embrace Making a Statement
A beverage center is an excellent opportunity to bring in the personality of those living in the home and lean into whimsy. As detailed by House Beautiful, it’s about creating a sense of atmosphere through texture, color, and thoughtful design details that make a statement yet feel personal and inviting.
Whether through an eye-catching backsplash, artistic accent lighting, or a bold color palette, this approach not only creates a focal point but also enhances the overall atmosphere, making the beverage center an inviting and soulful space.
In our Old Town McKinney Victorian Restoration project, we flanked the glass and brass shelving above the sink with custom glass mosaic windows that play with light and color, adding a whimsical touch to the otherwise sophisticated space. Paired with unlacquered brass fixtures, the beverage center captures the perfect balance of old-world charm and modern innovation.
In the kitchen of the Modern Art Deco Revival, we custom-designed an ombre-inspired backsplash using Fireclay tile. Each tile was specifically selected and laid out before installation, creating a unique splash of personality in a hard-working space.
Entertainment at the Heart of Design
The beverage center is more than a functional space — it’s the heartbeat of your home’s hospitality. According to the Seattle Times, a dedicated beverage station allows guests to serve themselves and frees up the kitchen for culinary magic.
In our design, the layout was meticulously planned so guests could gather and interact without disrupting the main kitchen flow. From custom glassware storage to open shelving for decorative barware, every detail was honed to enhance both livability and upscale design. The ladder – that is usable both in the central kitchen and the drink bar – allows for maximum access to the ceiling storage that is now more easily accessible.
