6 Home Bar Styling Mistakes That Are Making Your Space Look Cluttered, Rather Than Chic

Having a personal bar in your home really is a luxury these days, and definitely a talking point in any room. And while it offers a level of convenience, to guests, it also tends to indicate a certain sophistication and sense of style.

If you're someone who like to entertain guests, host dinner parties, or evening events at home, stylish home bar ideas are an essential part of that experience. But when you've got everything on display, it's easy to make styling mistakes that can quickly make the space start to feel cluttered, rather than chic.

Being able to curate a bar area that works for you and what you use it for is crucial, so we asked interior designers and experts for the most common home bar styling mistakes that can create problems further down the line. Here's what they warned you avoid, how to fix them, and what you should do instead.

1. Overcrowding your worktop

The worktop of your at-home bar is most likely the place that everybody sees. If you want your bar to be a focal point of the room, it’s understandable that you would want this area to look well-designed. Having all your nicest bottles, glasses, and cocktail utensils on display is great, but you have to remember that when you set up a home bar, it's also a place where you will be preparing drinks for your guests, so it has to be practical as well as stylish.

“What’s important is to not overcrowd the space,” says Jennifer Rogers, a kitchen and bath designer at BKC Kitchen and Bath. “Putting some of the tools you use for making the drinks in draws or underneath the countertop and getting them out only when you need them is often a more efficient use of your space — the same applies to glassware and certain alcohols that are perhaps not used as often.”

Having a working area on the top of your bar will give a cleaner, more functional illusion to your guests. And a cluttered space never feels inviting or looks as attractive.

2. Mismatching styles

Often when it comes to styling a home bar, people like to go for different styles or themes, but unless these are carefully curated and a conscious effort is made to ensure everything is in keeping, they can quickly feel mismatched and look a bit all over the place.

For example, try not to choose a mid century modern bar cart (like this one from Amazon), and dress it with Art Deco-style glasses. Jennifer adds that a big home bar styling mistake is when things don't feel streamlined, not just with other styling pieces, but the style of your home, too.

If you are going for an Art Deco-style bar, really lean into that with your accessories, glassware, and other decor (like these Art Deco coasters from Wayfair). A curated aesthetic always goes a long way, and helps the space feel thought-out and well designed.

3. Neglecting Lighting

“Lighting has the capability to change everything, with the right lighting, you can create a tailor made mood and ambience,” says lighting expert Michael Eftekhar of LBX Lighting. “The whole purpose of an at-home bar is to entertain, but if you don’t get the lighting right in a way where it will complement the space, the whole atmosphere can be thrown.”

Ignoring home bar lighting ideas can result in a space that feels uninviting and dull, Michael continues. “Adding a soft lit lamp to your bar area can dramatically increase the appeal and make the area look more throughout and stylized.”

In fact, table lamps are often overlooked when it comes to styling home bars, even though they tend to work better than overhead lighting in these spaces — especially for evening entertaining when you're trying to elicit a certain ambience. They provide warm, comforting light that feels inviting and cozy, and these days there are plenty of portable options which means you don't even need a power outlet nearby.

4. Not getting rid of empty bottles (even if they are pretty)

Bottles are a big part of any home bar, and when we know they'll be on display, we often invest in the more expensive brands, even if just for their aesthetics. However, just because a bottle was expensive does not mean you should keep it once it's finished, even for styling your space. Although they may look decorative, after a while empty bottles will start to make your space feel overcrowded and cluttered, which is a big home bar styling mistake.

Antonia Winkler Von Stiernhielm from Studio Anton, says that often alcohol brands will release special edition bottle designs once or twice a year. “Why not decant the same alcohol into one that you like but have already purchased,” she suggests, for saving bottle designs you like. “If you do want to buy a new one, always stick to the one in one out policy. This way you can replace the old bottle with the new design that you prefer instead of having both clogging up your bar.”

If you want a more sleek and effortless finish, why not opt for decanting your spirits into a crystal canisters (like this one from Wayfair), as it will definitely add glamour and elegance to any bar area.

5. Overstocking the bar

Having too much alcohol inside and on top of your home bar can also be a styling mistake. You want to be able to offer your guests a varied list of drinks, but you don't need to cater like a cocktail bar.

Stick to the classics, and if there are a few stand out cocktails you and your guests particularly like, by all means stock up on the necessary spirits, but don't feel the need to have every kind of spirit, as it will become difficult to organize and you won't be able to enjoy the experience of hosting from your bar as much.

6. Having too many glasses

And the same goes for glassware. They are an essential part to any at home bar, but we do not need to store and keep too many different glasses disaplayed and within it. Doing this makes the space look cluttered and takes away from the simplicity and beauty of having your favourite ones on display.

“I like to put two of our favourite glasses on the top of the bar for decoration as this makes the bar look inviting,” says Raili Clasen, founder and creative director at Raili CA Design. “As for the rest, store four additional glasses on the shelves inside or the upside down glass holders provided.”

Any additional glassware that you may have should be stored in a glasses cabinet in the kitchen, not in the bar at all. That way you can always accommodate six guests at any time and bring additional glasses to that bar area as and when you need them.

FAQs

How can you make your at home bar look more organized?

One way of making your at home bar look more organized is to have designated sections, a good way of achieving this is by using trays and small bowls to store your objects, this way they will be grouped together in an effortless and efficient way that will look the chicest.

Whether you're looking for home bar and bar cart styling ideas, it's important to keep these common styling mistakes in mind, so you can design a space that adds value and interest to your home, rather than clutter and chaos.