A good aperitif corner fits in one square metre: a piece of furniture for the bottles, nice glasses within reach, soft light and a poster that sets the mood. Here are 12 decor ideas for a home bar, from a vintage bar cart to the balcony, with no building work and often for under €100. 🍋
Where should you set up a home bar?
You do not need a dedicated room: an aperitif corner goes where you already entertain, a few steps from the sofa or the table. Choose the solution that fits the space you have.
| Your space | The solution | Space needed |
|---|---|---|
| Small flat | A wall shelf or a tray on a sideboard | 50 cm of wall |
| Living room | A bar cart or a console table | 70 to 90 cm wide |
| Dining room | A sideboard or an old repurposed cabinet | 1 to 1.5 m wide |
| Balcony or terrace | A folding table and two bistro chairs | 1.5 m² |
12 decor ideas for an aperitif corner at home
Somewhere for the bottles
A vintage bar cart
The bar cart is the star of the aperitif corner: it slips into a corner, rolls over to the sofa when friends arrive and holds everything on two trays. A slightly tarnished brass or rattan cart found at a flea market has far more charm than a new one. Allow 70 to 80 cm in width for bottles, glasses and a bowl of olives.
A repurposed console or sideboard
An old wooden console, a low sideboard or a family chest of drawers makes a perfect bar: bottles on top, glasses and napkins in the drawers. Add a tray to gather the essentials and protect the wood from glass rings. It is the simplest solution, and often the most beautiful.
A wall shelf for small spaces
In a studio flat, a simple wooden shelf on the wall is enough: three or four bottles, a few upturned glasses and a small frame leaning against the wall. Put it at eye level, around 1.40 to 1.50 m from the floor, above a small table or a stool that will act as a side table.
Setting the mood
An aperitif hour poster
This is what turns a piece of furniture with bottles on it into a real aperitif corner. A spritz on an Italian terrace, a Spanish sangria or a pastis from Provence: the poster tells the story before the first glass is poured. Hang it above the furniture, with the bottom of the frame 15 to 25 cm above the top, as we explain in our guide on hanging a picture frame at the right height.
To raise a glass above the bar
A series of aperitifs from around the world
Why choose? A spritz from Venice, a pastis from Marseille and a pint in an English pub, lined up above a sideboard, take you around Europe in three frames. Keep the same size and the same frame so the series stays harmonious, and take a look at our tips for putting together a gallery wall.
Soft lighting
The aperitif starts when the light goes down: a small table lamp with a fabric or amber glass shade, a wall light above the bar or a few candles in glass holders. Avoid the ceiling light, which is too harsh. A warm white bulb (2,700 K or lower) gives that late-afternoon café feel.
For serving
Bistro glasses
You do not need a full set: a few mismatched glasses have more charm than a row of six. Duralex’s Picardie glass, made in France since 1954 and found on every bistro table, is perfect for pastis, water or fruit juice. Its coloured versions, amber, plum or grey, go well with stemmed glasses picked up at flea markets.
A tray and small bowls
A wooden, brass or wicker tray gathers everything and carries it from the bar to the coffee table. Add earthenware or terracotta ramekins for olives, almonds and taralli, and a little saucer for the pits. Mismatched pieces collected on your travels tell a better story than a matching set.
A water carafe and an ice bucket
A glass carafe is a must for pastis (one part pastis to five parts cold water) and for those who do not drink alcohol. A metal or glass ice bucket with its tongs completes the bar. Choose them in the same material as the rest, brass, glass or enamelled metal, for a consistent look.
🍸 Good to know: please drink responsibly. A good aperitif corner always has something alcohol-free to serve, just as pretty as the cocktails.
Making the aperitif last
A lemon tree and fresh herbs
A potted lemon tree beside the bar, a few pots of mint, basil and rosemary on the windowsill: you can pick something to garnish the glasses, and the corner smells of summer. A lemon tree loves light and spends the winter indoors, near a window, in a room that is not too warm.
An aperitif corner on the balcony
When the weather turns fine, the bar moves out onto the balcony: a small round table, two folding chairs and a string of lights are all you need. Fermob’s Bistro chair, which first appeared in 1889, the same year as the Eiffel Tower, is the chair of French café terraces. It folds flat and stands against the wall when winter comes.
A lemonade bar for everyone
An aperitif corner is not only about cocktails: a big jug of homemade lemonade, lemons, mint and sparkling water delight children and adults alike. In Limone sul Garda, on the shores of Lake Garda, a village famous for its lemon groves and its limoncello, we had a freshly squeezed lemonade in the street for €5, as we tell in our Lake Garda trip on Rolling Trippers. A taste of holidays to recreate at home.
Which poster should you choose for an aperitif corner?
Choose the aperitif that suits you, or the one from a trip that stayed with you. All our posters come in A5 (€15), A4 (€19) and A3 (€24).
| Your aperitif | The poster | Recommended size |
|---|---|---|
| Italian spritz | L’Ora dell’Aperitivo, Spritz italiano or Spritz on the terrace | A3 above a sideboard |
| Pastis from the South of France | Pastis, Spirit of Provence or Marseille, pastis time | A4 above a bar cart |
| Sangria with friends | La Hora del Aperitivo, Sangria | A4 in an open kitchen |
| A pint at the pub | Aperitif hour, British Pub Mood | A4 in a bar corner |
| Limoncello or lemonade | Limoncello Italiano or Lemonade Time | A5 on a shelf |
For an Italian-style aperitif corner, our Italian decor ideas go further, from Vietri ceramics to the houses of Burano.
Frequently asked questions
How do you create a home bar in a small flat?
A 50 cm wall shelf, a tray on a sideboard or a 70 cm wide bar cart is enough. Keep three or four bottles, a few glasses, a bowl for olives and a poster above it to mark out the aperitif corner.
What furniture works for a home bar?
A bar cart is the most practical, as it moves over to the sofa. A console, a low sideboard or a family chest of drawers also make very good bars, with the bonus of storing glasses and napkins in the drawers.
How do you decorate a home bar?
An aperitif hour poster above the furniture, mismatched bistro glasses, a tray, a lamp with a warm bulb and a potted lemon tree. Flea market finds and travel souvenirs give more character than a brand new set.
How high should you hang a poster above a bar?
The bottom of the frame goes 15 to 25 cm above the furniture. The poster, or the series of posters, should be about two thirds of the width of the furniture: an A3 for a sideboard, an A4 for a bar cart.
A corner to raise a glass, every evening
The best aperitif corner is not the best equipped one: it is the one where you want to stop when you get home, for a drink and a few olives with the people you love. To give an aperitif kit to friends moving into a new home, see our housewarming gift ideas. And browse our aperitif posters to find the one for your bar.
