Imagine – it’s Friday night and you fancy a well-earned beverage. There’s no need to traipse to the pub because you have your very own bar in at home! That’s right, thanks to the invention of the DIY bar shelf everyone can have a bar in their humble abode.
DIY bar shelves are brilliant for those who are a little tight on space. They allow you to display your favourite beverages, glasses and alcoholic accessories, keeping your countertops nice and clear. They’re compact, cool and perfect for families (small hands can’t reach high shelves!).
If you’ve always wanted your own small indoor bar then this is the article for you. Take a look through our collection of DIY bar shelf ideas and feel inspired. There’s lots of different styles to choose from, all you need to do is decide which liquor to display.
12 fun DIY bar shelf ideas
1. Lighted bar shelves
- Buy your own LED light strips from Amazon
Impress your mates by making a light-up bar! This is probably one of the easiest DIY bar shelf ideas as it levels up a unit you already own. Lyons Owned has done it beautifully with their glowing DIY bar shelves.
Use, or install, shelves in your home then attach these LED light strips to the bottom. These lights have lots of different settings including flash, fade and multiple colour combinations. They’ll give your shelves a funky glow and make it a true party bar!
2. Glass bar shelves
- Buy your own cocktail-making kit from Amazon
Show off your alcohol collection with these beautiful glass bar shelves. Fitting neatly into the alcove, these glass shelves make a fabulous make-shift bar.
Take inspiration from The Life Styled Co and decorate your glass shelves with plenty of accessories. Cocktail shakers, shot glasses and stirrers all bring your DIY bar to life. We love how The Life Styled Co have brought colour to the unit through gold and silver accessories.
Looking for something more family-friendly?
Build a station the whole family can enjoy with our collection of the best hot chocolate bar ideas. They’re kid-friendly and will look oh so festive!
3. Wooden bar shelves
The most simple design in our DIY bar shelf ideas collection is City Soul Southern Heart’s wooden shelves. They may be simple but you can’t go wrong with a classic!
The wood allows the bottles to shine and provides a natural element to an otherwise contemporary room. We love the built-in glass rack which saves space and gives a professional feel.
4. Industrial bar shelf
The industrial look is super on-trend and gives DIY bar shelves an extra edge. Their rugged appeal looks great in modern homes and mimics the feel of a hip London bar!
Ikea Hackers have an easy-to-follow tutorial if you want to recreate this bar. They show you how to give IKEA’s classic LACK shelves a cool, industrial makeover.
5. Floating bar shelves
Looking to save money? Miss Jessica Nicole has the tutorial for you. She shows you how to turn simple plywood into these amazing floating shelves. Yours don’t have to be as big as Jessica’s. Make them as small as you like, then decorate with your favourite glasses and spirits!
6. Marble bar shelves
Add a touch of luxury to your small indoor bar with these marble shelves. They look elegant, impressive and are super easy to clean!
SwoonWorthy has created this gorgeous DIY bar shelf in the corner of her dining room. It fits perfectly in the space and is easy to reach when hosting dinner parties.
7. Corner bar shelf
Transform an awkward corner of your home into a small indoor bar! Clara & Sam from Banner Day interiors built these textured white shelves to make a fab corner bar.
Your corner bar could be several shelves or just one or two depending on your home. Tiering the shelves will help the space feel more like a bar. Play around with heights, swapping bottles around to find the best formation.
8. Circular bar shelf
- Buy your round shelving unit from Etsy
If wine is your drink of choice then this circular shelving unit is the one for you. Created by Decor Interiors, this unit would look perfect in the kitchen, dining room or living room. It holds up to twelve bottles of wine and nine glasses – just enough for a dinner party!
9. Bookcase bar shelf
Our favourite DIY bar shelf ideas are the ones which utilise the storage they already have. Sarah and Dave’s repurposed bookcase shelf does just this. Their bar shelves are worked in and around their books, creating a multi-functional space.
They’ve used small trays to categorise their drinks and accessories, using glassware to really elevate the bar. Their DIY bar shelf is affordable and better for the planet as they’re upcycling furniture they already own.
10. Reclaimed wood bar shelves
The cheapest DIY bar shelf ideas are the ones which transform old wood into stunning shelves. These reclaimed wooden shelves by Making Home Matter have a vintage feel. You can even see the old-grade stamps!
The mixture of plants and metal accessories gives the shelves a wonderfully rustic look. Just swap the vintage teapots for cocktail shakers and mugs for glasses and ta-dah! A DIY bar shelf fit for your farmhouse.
11. Bar shelving unit
- Buy this wooden shelving unit from Etsy
For a quick, easy DIY bar shelf, we’d recommend buying premade shelving. These nifty little units fit a surprising amount inside and take away all the hard work of building and designing.
Our Bar to Yours sells this lovely wooden unit on their Etsy store. There’s enough room for eight to ten bottles and there are eight slots for glasses. It comes assembled and ready to mount to your wall. All you have to do is the fun part – decorating!
12. DIY metal bar shelves
Metal shelves can be turned into a great bar if you just use a little imagination! DIY bar shelves are all about styling, not the shelf itself.
Buy some cheap metal shelves from Amazon and mount them to your walls. Add your accessories and choose spirit bottles which look visually appealing. You could mix and match different coloured glass bottles, vintage bottles or special edition, artistic bottles.
Of course, the addition of a big metal bar sign helps too!
Drink the bar dry with these small indoor bar ideas
Bar shelves are a great option for those living in smaller spaces. Whether you’re renting a studio apartment or lacking storage space, these DIY bar shelf ideas are perfect for you and your home.
We hope these small indoor bar ideas have inspired you to build your own miniature bar. Once you’ve picked your style, you get to do the fun bit – styling! Display your favourite drinks, glassware and cocktail-making equipment. You could also add books, plants and games for a true home bar feel.
No matter what DIY bar shelf idea you choose to build, we hope it serves you well. Cheers!
Not a big drinker?
It doesn't matter if you don’t drink alcohol, you can still enjoy making a DIY bar! Head over to our DIY home coffee bar ideas to build yourself a dream caffeine station.
