Stylish DIY Bar Shelf Ideas for Every Home Space

Whether you are boozer or a coffee snob, designated beverage stations are one of my favorite ways to add custom flair and functionality to a space. And because no home bar is truly complete without stylish storage, today, I am sharing 13 of the best DIY shelving ideas…

While I used to consider the notion of a home bar to be a bit superfluous, once such a luxury was taken away from me, my perspective radically changed.

Like so many heartbreak ballads go…you don’t know what you’ve got, til it’s gone.

Well.. what I learned during my latest move is that you don’t know how awesome it is to have a self-serve beverage bar until you freakin’ don’t. You see…

Back at my former 1980’s fixer upper home, I had converted an awkward space directly off of my kitchen into a DIY butler pantry meets coffee bar of sorts…

While it was not technically a wet bar, it included DIY cabinetry, a coffee maker, wine fridge, a Berkey water filter and DIY open shelving. It may be hard to believe, but for under $300, my husband was able to build virtually everything you see here (including the base cabinets, countertops and shelves).

Not only does this DIY project prove that you don’t have to be a booze hound to make use of a beverage bar, it demonstrates that as long as you are frugal with your material selections, home bar designs don’t have to cost an arm and a leg .

So now that I have sold you on this interior design feature, let me share with you 13 of the best home bar shelf ideas (for large and small spaces alike)which you can totally build DIY-style.

1. DIY Open Shelving for Under $50-

Back at my own home bar meets butler pantry, utilizing some cheap primed pine boards and metal shelf brackets from my local hardware store, my husband was able to build these diy bar shelves for under $50.

Elevating the simplistic design of the shelving, we installed stylish gooseneck sconce lights to illuminate the shelf decor and create a captivating focal point in an otherwise utilitarian space.

Because I already had a bar cart displaying liquor bottles in my dining room, here in the space, I mostly reserved these particular shelves for “pretty” styling -mixing decorative accents with functional glassware.

2. DIY-ish Floating Wood Shelves-

In this stunning basement wet bar, Stefana Silber combines form and function with these gorgeous floating oak shelves. Saving herself the headache of getting the perfect wood stain formulation for the bar shelving, she decided to go ahead and invest in pre-made white oak which she then decided to install herself.

The wood shelves she incorporated into the design of this space is the perfect pop of warmth in an otherwise high contrasting color scheme of black cabinets and white tile backsplash. The masterfully edited styling here just goes to show that a basement bar is anything but kitschy.

3. Industrial Shelving Unit Built From 2×10’s-

In this impressive DIY home bar by Pine + Polar, a cost-effective shelving solution is crafted from 2×10 pine boards and metal L brackets. Allowing for additional storage ,black metal brackets were added to the bottom of one shelf to store wine glasses.

With plenty of storage for anyone’s drink of choice- whether it be liquor, wine or sodas- this is the perfect home bar for anyone working with limited floor space. When square footage is sparse, remember to milk your vertical domain for all it’s worth!

4. Staggered DIY Floating Shelves-

You don’t need expensive, custom cabinetry and built-in shelves to create an operational bar area in your home. Just take a look at the creative way in which Charleston Crafted made use of a a buffet table and diy bar sheves in her dining room.

With nothing more than 1xs, screws and wood glue, the DIYers built these fabulous floating shelves. To create a bit more interest and movement, I like how each floating shelf was artfully staggered. Displaying liquor bottles, neatly corralled by a decorative tray, creates an inviting atmosphere for guests.

5. Wood Alcove Shelving-

If you have an underutilized alcove or closet in your living area, why not convert it into a DIY home bar like Dave and Jenny Mars did here in this incredible space?

I love how the moody black backsplash and under shelf led lights further elevate this bar- giving it an edgy, modern look. With wall to wall open shelving, you have plenty of extra storage space for wine bottles, cocktail shakers, an ice bucket or other useful bar accessories.

Tip: Even if you can’t afford plumbing for an actual wet bar, you can still build a designated beverage area. Simply build some DIY floating wood shelving and cabinets out of plywood. This will save big time on the cost of materials.

6. Do-It-Yourself French Bistro Shelving-

Whenever I get the moolah saved to upgrade my kitchen and build my own bar, I am totaling copying this gorgeous French Bistro moment from Eclectic Twist. Using copper pipes for the frame of the unit and pieces of glass for the actual shelves, you would never guess these beauties were DIY-ed!

Between the bling of the metal pipes and the sleekness of the glass shelves, a chic and elegant storage element is born!

7. DIY Wooden Wine Rack Shelf-

If you are limited on wall space but love wine as much as I do(total wino here), perhaps you could use a simple wine rack to define a home bar zone. Using plywood and dowels, Pine + Poplar built this beautiful wooden wine storage for her walls for under $50.

8. Brass Rail Shelf Built from Railing Pieces off of Etsy-

Getting back to French Bistro vibes, when it comes to swanky home bar decor, shelving with brass detailing is where it’s freakin’ at.

And while this look could get expensive fast, Alice and Lois cleverly built this shelf themselves for a fraction of the cost of buying one already made. Using brass rods and brackets sourced from Etsy, they totally hacked this rich b*tch look on a DIY budget.

9. Durable Floating Shelves for Outdoor Use-

If you love the nuanced detail cable railing brings to wooden shelves but need a finish strong enough to endure the elements often inflicted on an outdoor bar, take a look at this incredible outdoor kitchen designed by Brooke Wagner.

En lieu of fussy brass, black metal cables add the perfect modern touch to these gorgeous floating shelves. I don’t know about you, but I am ready for a cocktail!

10. Industrial Pipe Open Shelving DIY-

If you want your bar to lean a bit more on the masculine side (perhaps for a man cave or game room), you really can’t go wrong with an industrial aesthetic. Using metal pipes (available at most local hardware stores) and pine wood, Wildfire Interiors totally DIYed this stylish shelving herself.

11. Glass Shelves Paired with Wall Mounted Wine Rack-

If you have a large space to fill (but no plumbing budget for a wet bar), take notes from this incredible scene designed by the Lifestyled Co.

With no window or sink to visually break up the monotony of expansive shelving, mount a metal wine rack (readily available from big box retailers)in the center of the open shelf configuration.

Not only does this create an obvious focal point, it allows for even more places to stash your booze! With all of the beautiful details going on in this design, you don’t even notice the lack of a sink feature.

12. Repurpose Barn Wood for DIY Shelves-

If you have a passion for upcycling, you are going to love these repurposed barn wood shelves by Designed Decor. This DIY shelving is the perfect project for anyone looking to create a charming coffee bar in their home.

With plenty of storage space for mugs, coffee and tea, this area would be great to have in a kitchen, office or even bedroom nook.

13. Build Your Own Recessed Bar Shelving-

While Tree Farm Design Co. originally built these DIY recessed shelves for a bathroom, they would look amazing applied to a home mini bar design as well (perfect for you modern farmhouse lovers).

Building the shelving from only pine board and reclaimed wood, this is a custom look with major wallet friendliness (AKA a match made in heaven)- further proving my point that custom bar shelving does not have to cost an arm and a leg.

So there you have it my friends… plenty of DIY bar shelf ideas that won’t send you into massive debt.

I hope you found this post inspiring, and thank you so much for stopping by this week!

It would mean the world to me if you could share this post with a friend or on social media (it makes such a difference in the growth of this small business)…

Now get out there and design some good vibes along with a fabulous life!