Raise the Bar: how to design a custom basement bar
Basement bars have never gone out of style. Designers and contractors say demand is stronger than ever, with homeowners looking to create polished, functional spaces that rival a night out at their favorite restaurant.
“Basement bars are not a thing of the past by any means,” said Molly Lucas, owner of Maison de Molly, an interior design firm. Lucas said most of her current requests involve updating existing bars rather than building new ones. She is working on a project right now that involves removing an outdated bar and replacing it with a fully functional space that includes a kitchen.
Jim Antal, owner of Custom Craft PA, a general contracting company serving Cranberry Township and Mars that specializes in decks, basements and bathrooms, said custom bars show up in most of the basement remodels his team takes on. “Sometimes people put the bar in out of necessity to fill space in the room,” he said. “But most of the time, they want it included for entertainment purposes.”
Before settling on finishes or features, think carefully about how the space will function. Lucas said clients do not need to arrive with a design vision. They just need to know how they plan to use the space.
“All I need from the client is how they want the space to function,” she said. “Some people are looking for that hangout space, others want it to just be a cool bar, while others might need it to be an in-law suite someday, so they may need it to function more as a small kitchen.”
Antal echoed Lucas’ thinking from a construction standpoint. For entertainment-focused bars, he recommends including seating at a bar top or island, ideally with room for three to four bar stools. If the goal is a secondary kitchen, the focus should shift to maximizing cabinetry over seating.
Lucas also stressed the importance of planning early. When she is working on a full basement design, she incorporates bar planning from the start. “Sometimes it is trickier to add a bar to an existing basement depending on location,” she said. “Is it a concrete slab? Are you able to tap into existing water lines? If not, that’s a significant undertaking to route out the floor and run water lines to the bar.”
Budgets for basement bar renovations vary. Lucas said homeowners should expect to spend at least $20,000 to $30,000. Appliances are the biggest driver of cost, and the brand and features selected can push totals significantly higher.
For those watching their spending, Antal said plumbing is one area worth investing in. “From a practicality standpoint, always having good plumbing fixtures is important, especially in a bar, because they’re meant to be used all the time,” he said. Cabinetry, he added, is a reasonable place to trim costs, freeing funds for a quality stone countertop or an eye-catching backsplash.
Lucas recommends taking a similar approach. If a bar has existing cabinets with an outdated finish, painting them and swapping the hardware can deliver a dramatic refresh at a fraction of the cost of replacement. “If it is a dated, warmer color granite for the countertops, spend your money updating to quartz counterparts or something that’s going to be more durable,” she said.
One of the most-requested upgrades Lucas is seeing right now is a second dishwasher. “People are always trying to add a second dishwasher down there, so you don’t have to carry all your glasses upstairs,” she said. Full-column refrigerators with custom finishes are also trending, giving basement bars the look of a high-end restaurant rather than a retrofitted rec room.
“You can really get into the weeds with it, but the customization with colors and finishes is something people are enjoying experimenting with,” Lucas said.
Antal recommends incorporating a visual focal point into the bar’s design, whether that is a glass-front cabinet, a wine rack or a decorative backsplash. “It should be an attraction piece to the bar that stands out,” he said.
For bar top materials, Antal favors hardwoods like walnut, mahogany, oak or maple if clients want the look of a traditional commercial bar. For the finish, he recommends epoxy as the most durable option.
“It can take a large amount of abuse without the wood getting damaged,” he said. A two-part oil finish with a hardener or polyurethane are more affordable alternatives.
Timelines depend on the condition of the basement. Antal says that if the space is unfinished, preconstruction runs about a month, followed by two to three months of work. An already-finished basement shortens the installation phase to roughly three weeks. Lucas estimated the design phase to take up to two months before plans are ready to hand off to a contractor.
Antal advises homeowners to have architectural drawings in hand before contacting a contractor. It allows contractors to understand the scope of work and order materials faster, leading to a quicker start. He also suggests living in a finished basement for a year before committing to a bar project. “If your basement is already finished, live in that space for a year before you decide to spend a bunch of money on a bar area,” he said. “This will give you an idea of what you want and need.”
When it comes to selecting a designer or contractor, Lucas urged homeowners to treat it like any important relationship. “Working with a designer is like starting a relationship,” she said. “It's important to do some research on designers and contractors.”
She recommends checking social media pages to get a sense of personality alongside reviewing professional portfolios. Antal agreed, suggesting homeowners look for contractors who post pricing information online and speak with others who have completed similar projects.
