Trendy & Unique Basement Kitchen Bar Ideas

The addition of a basement to a house is an opportunity for you to expand your living space. More so, it enhances your lifestyle and adds style and finesse to your house and housing conditions in more ways than one. Of course, every house should have a kitchen; I mean, where else would you keep the groceries, make your meals, eat space, etc.? But what of the basement kitchen?

It is not uncommon that some homeowners furnish their basement to serve as a room for a member of the family who prefers optimum solitude or simply for a guest. In such scenarios, even though the basement kitchen is not an ordinary house feature, it sure has its advantages. There are other ways a basement kitchen can be helpful, but we will touch on this later on. However, at this point, if there is any reason why you would like a second kitchen (to finish your basement with), read on to find some beautiful ideas you could employ.

Basement Kitchen

The basement kitchen (also referred to as kitchenette), as the name implies, is a kitchen in the basement. Recently, many more people are beginning to have insights into converting their basement from the regular deserted part of the house or a room for keeping less frequently used materials into living and entertaining rooms. Basements don’t need to be where you find scary creatures anymore (as portrayed in some horror movies) but can be a perfect place for having fun, hosting nights, and many other available options. In this way, you can add a food preparation area (a kitchen, of course), a seating area, and a stylish home bar – a kitchen bar.

A basement kitchen can serve several purposes. Apart from the purposes mentioned above, like party space and entertainment-ready kitchen, others include allowing you to rent out the basement, especially if the basement has its separate entrance; the return on investment (ROI) of upgrading your basement.

According to Remodeling magazine, the cost per value projection of a basement shoots up to around 70% with the addition of a kitchen bar and bathroom. A house with a beautiful basement that adds style to the home’s general look will attract more potential buyers than one with a regular basement feel and outlook. Conversely, a poorly designed basement is sure to put off specific buyers.

A basement kitchen adds value to your house and does so at great convenience, giving it a modern look. For instance, the basement is already close to the house’s drains, so installing new pipes for drains may be unnecessary; hence, adding a kitchen should be a hassle-free endeavor and incur a little cost. In this way, you can top its sophistication by adding a kitchen sink, washing appliances, and a (wet) bar. These can be done with the already existing utilities, such as gas, water, electricity lines.

Good to Read: High Tech Kitchen: Choice of Materials, Layouts and Colors

Basement Kitchen Bar

Your basement kitchen does not have to be only for food; if you are hosting entertainment meetings, you can spice up your basement kitchen with a small basement bar.

A bar? That’s right. Now, when you think of a bar, you’re not wrong if all that’s on your mind is drinks. But in this case, adding a bar to your basement kitchen is more about the plumbing. There are two bar options to consider: dry and wet bar.

What’s the difference between a wet bar and a dry bar? A dry bar makes use of a countertop needed for preparing drinks; usually, it is adjoined to a small bar fridge to keep the drinks cold. A wet bar, on the other hand, has a sink with running water. Ice is not an uncommon practice in many recipes; it’s easier to discard the nice in the sink before serving the drink if need be. Without a sink, you’d have to endure the stress of returning to the kitchen to dispose of them.

The addition of a kitchen bar can be considered a luxury upgrade, one that might be impossible due to the state of your basement. However, some basements are already in a finished state that requires only a few tweaking to include a kitchen bar, consequently incurring a small fee for the upgrade. It’s therefore imperative to properly plan what it entails and the cost of building a kitchen bar into your basement.

Good to Read: Kitchen Countertop Trends

Considerations for Planning a Basement Kitchen Bar

There are some vital considerations you must check before planning a kitchen bar into your basement; they include:

• Size

The size of your basement should probably be your first consideration because it determines the basement kitchen designs. A basement kitchen is also referred to as a kitchenette because, more often than not, it does not have all it takes to make a proper kitchen like the one found in the main house. So your basement size would determine if you have plenty of space for a full kitchen or a kitchenette.

In some other cases, the size of the basement is not the issue; it’s the size of the family or the size of the budget. It’s not rocket science to know that a spacious basement that can conveniently accommodate four people will look choky with fifteen. So, considering your family size, what basement kitchen bar design will best fit?

Designs vary with prices, too; putting pen to paper to calculate the cost a particular plan will incur in comparison to your pocket is a wise move for any responsible and prudent house-owner.

Another size to consider is the size of the appliances. The layout of your basement kitchen has a lot to do with the type and size of appliances found there. For instance, you want to choose the right stool height.

Generally, you want to design your basement kitchen bar so that everything is within reach without having to walk much distance. It is general knowledge that the ideal bar space for a single person is about 900 mm; you’ll be able to move about, doing your business, without feeling trapped or restrictive.

• Ventilation

You can trace the basement back to Renaissance architecture; it is the lowermost structure, partly or wholly below ground level. So, naturally, basements do not get proper ventilation, making it a vital factor that demands your attention, lest you have to deal with odors, fumes, and breathing problems when you have more than a few people in there. Determining the best type of ventilation suitable for your basement may require you to consult a contractor, and this is advisable.

• Furnishings

There are many furnishing ideas for basement kitchen bars from which you can make your choice of design. We will share some furnishing ideas for your kitchen bar later in the next heading.

However, you should pay more attention to the materials for your furnishings than the designs. For instance, the type of tile for your floor can either keep up with the elegance of sitting at a bar, be subject to easy damage, or be challenging to scrub and clean.

Some drinks can stain while some are acidic (lemon, for instance), so a wood workshop may not be the best choice. Still, if you’re one of those who like the patination of stains over a period, reminiscing about stories behind each stain, then maybe it’s no big deal; a dark wood should be the best option. However, if you want spotless, then a granite or quartz worktop is a preferred option because it’s less likely to stain.

• Storage

In setting up a basement kitchen bar, you must also consider storage. A kitchenette kit often comes with its own storage spaces; however, adding open shelves, cabinets is a very welcome idea, especially for storing drink-related items.

• Appliances

Although size is a significant factor, appliances are good to increase the functionality of your basement kitchen bar. If your idea is for a full basement kitchen and your basement space supports it, worry less. Nevertheless, there are small bar fridges, for instance, for kitchenette designs.

In addition, you shouldn’t consider low-quality materials or appliances for use in your basement kitchen bar, but hardy and easy-to-clean materials. That way, cleaning up after a fun time (or after a spill on the bar top or appliance damage like glass breakage) won’t constitute a hassle.

• Lighting

At the mention of the basement, the picture on one’s mind is most likely a dark, musty small space, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Even though basements don’t get proper natural lighting, there are myriads of options to light up your basement with style. Aside from natural light, other examples of lighting options include:

• Under-cabinet lights.
• Neon lighting overhead lighting.
• Strip lights.
• A standing lamp for use at the bar.

Also, nothing stops you from using lights of different colors as long as it doesn’t come out looking like Joker’s attire.

• Cost

The cost of infusing a kitchen bar into your basement is not a hard and fast price because it depends on different factors. Costs differ with the varying designs, quality of furnishing, and finishing available. Generally, one may place the cost of a decent quality finish (including a proper design) between $2000 and $4000.

Good to Read: Traditional Kitchen Trends, Designs and Ideas

Basement Kitchen Bar Ideas

Are you thinking of remodeling your basement? A basement kitchen bar should be on the top list; the underused space can turn out to be of immense value if done correctly. For example, it could become a space for entertaining guests, a somewhat man-cave, or a getaway from children for your wines and cocktails.

Be that as it may, the basement kitchen bar requires planning, some of which we have mentioned earlier, sparking up the right mood. Now, we will look into some great basement bar ideas:

• Unique Lighting

There are three essential lighting types you should consider: accent, ambient, and task. For an elegant yet practical finish, you can combine the three types. However, do not tire of finding flawless incorporation lest the lighting comes out less than the intention. An example is to have your spotlights recessed in the ceiling, your favorite pendants lighting the bar area (including the worktop and stools), and finally an LED light under the shelves – all these making your basement bar shine. Note that you can employ a complementary color to conceal the spotlights further and that dark colors should probably be avoided.

• Natural-Themed Fresh and Ventilated Space

There’s an appeal that nature makes to the core being of a person; you can play that advantage by using lots of foliage – the addition of bio-inspired furnishings is a trendy bang in many bars and restaurants in recent times; your basement bar doesn’t have to be an exception.

In a natural-themed design, your style (down to the choice of appliances) would be more appropriately bio-inspired. For instance, a pineapple-shaped wine cooler, coconut cups, flamingo string lights, to name a few. You could also add some glamour by placing a mirror and black tiles behind the bar for art decoration.

• Classic British Pub Theme

The Brits are fine drinkers. So you can recreate their bar style in your basement with a traditional pub. How? With the use of natural wood floors, painted paneling, and freestanding furniture.

• Try the Industrial Look

The Industrial look is an appropriate choice if you have little time on your hands to decide on a kitchen bar design because it fits basements with different shapes and sizes. In addition, it supports a low ceiling basement and a mixing of styles and materials.

A way to create the industrial look is to reserve a portion of the basement space and mount a wine rack on the wall, forcing a stimulating effect. A marble or wood counter with a brass or metal pendant light will be the appropriate choice for the bar.

• Man Cave

You’re likely to find more men than women; bars are often associated with men. So, if you’re going to have a basement kitchen bar, a masculine style or appearance might be the best fit. How? You can start by setting up a stacked liquor shelf, especially if your basement has a low ceiling, and then accent it with globe or pendant lights.

For a perfect match of a masculine touch, steel or brushed metal bar stools and blue paint for the brick walls are smooth options.

• Playful Basement Bar

Instinctively, we have since looked into this subject from an adult perspective, but interestingly, basement bars are not only for adults; kids can have their share of fun in basements too. Nevertheless, because of the inclusion of a bar¸, we are not mainly talking about youngsters or teens, but adults who can still be childlike.

You can infuse a bar cart or shelf into your basement kitchen bar and perhaps stuff them with your favorite toys. 3D wallpapers can create an embossed effect, or you could use subway tiles for a unique experience. In addition, separating a bar counter for playing with the toys should add an extra layer of style to your basement bar.

• Garage Style

Perhaps you have leftover building materials that can be repurposed for the basement kitchen bar, such as wood trims, marble sheets, galvanized iron, granite. A garage-style basement bar would be a good option also save you some spending.

Maybe you’re more of a rugged person who likes a raw atmosphere; this could also be your taste of style. The galvanized (or corrugated) metal adds the rawness you want, and you don’t have to worry about heat conduction as the wood accents are there to keep the space warm.

• Farmhouse Style

For a comforting farmhouse basement bar style, consider using wood barrels (in your wine cellar), stone and brass accents, and wood aesthetics. You may decide to go all-wood, but a touch of a bit of metal, such as glass cabinets and metal wheels, also contributes to the beauty of a farmhouse design. A finely finished cabinet (for storing wine glasses) and a beer keg seal add a top-notch personal touch to your farmhouse basement kitchen bar style.

• Vintage Neon Bar

I like vintage materials, ranging from clothes to shoes, some house furniture, etc., and I’m sure there are many out there who are big fans of vintage. A vintage revamp for your basement bar will be breaking the monotony of bars and their appearances, and who doesn’t like the unusual? Neon signs and lights by the bar cart will be a great addition. With the proper accent lighting and furniture, such as mid-rise chairs manufactured with faux leather (and advisably a wet bar), it’s going to be a mind-blowing basement bar design. Make use of mosaic tiles or natural stones for the floor, separating the bar from other basement sections.

Final Words

It is not a gainsaying that the basement doesn’t have to be a forgettable, unused available space in the house; you can turn it into a vast space for hosting guests, and that with the inclusion of a kitchenette and a bar. The basics for a basement bar are shelves (or the trending open shelving design), cabinets, countertops, stools, racks, and definitely, drinks.

To raise a basement bar doesn’t have to be complicated or an idea accompanied by overbearing hassle. While this may be true, it requires planning, and you can draw some inspiration from our suggestions.