One of the best ways to add life and spark to your home is with the addition of a basement bar. Traditionally, cool basement bar ideas are expensive to add, and many people cannot afford them. However, if you have to stick to a budget but still want a basement bar, there are plenty of ways to make it happen.
The key to having the basement bar of your dreams is to have a vision and make a plan. If you know exactly what you want, whether it be a wet bar, a game room with a pool table, or the ultimate man cave, there’s a way you can get it done without blowing your budget.
If you know you want a basement bar but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place for inspiration. We aim to give you 60 of the best and trendiest bar ideas for your basement, whether a large area or a small space. Best of all, each of the ideas we’ll share today is affordable and budget-friendly.
60 Best Basement Bar Ideas on a Budget
The Modern Mancave
Traditionally, man caves are dungy, dark, and moody areas with a TV and sports memorabilia. However, the modern man cave puts tradition to an end. It allows for a wet or dry bar in basements with low ceilings or high ones. The key is to choose fun lighting such as pendant lights that illuminate the bar area and showcase its surroundings.
1 The Cape Cod Style
If you live in a coastal area and want a basement bar to match, try the Cape Cod Style. As with the modern man cave above, you’ll steer clear of dark and dungy furniture and opt for a fishing or boating theme. It’s an area to entertain large groups rather than just watch sporting events.
2 The Classic Man Cave
Any list of basement bar ideas has to include the classic man cave. This semi to poorly lit area that’sis perfect for watching movies or the big game. It should include things like a pool table. While it’s one of the more simple basement bar ideas on this list, it’s a classic for a reason.
3 The Glass Wine Rack
Rather than sports, games, or the bar itself being the focal point of this great basement bar idea, a glass wine rack is the epicenter. While it’s more difficult to do this plan on a budget, it’s still possible if you install the wine cellar yourself.
4 Narrow Bar Idea
Rather than having a big wet bar where you serve drinks and food, the narrow bar idea is for seating only. You can have a stone or wooden bar roughly one foot deep. This will allow just enough room to sit and enjoy your drinks while watching the TV.
5 Bar Plus Play Area
If you have a family with small children, it might be a good idea to design your bar for the whole family. You can still have a wet bar with shelves of liquor and a wine cooler. However, in front of the bar, you should have an open area that serves as a playground for your kids.
6 The Brewery Bar
You should have dark colors mixed with industrial fixtures for the brew bar. Show off the water lines and plumbing pipes that go to your sink or tap, just like at your favorite brewery. This idea is great if you have brick walls that you want to show off in a cool way.
7 Artisan Style
With the Artisan style, rather than having the bar in the middle of the room, it’s pushed up against the exterior walls. This is a great option if you don’t have a large basement and need to maximize your space.
8 The Metro Diner Bar
The Metro is a great way to showcase some of the natural elements in your basement. For example, if you have a stone wall, this option allows you to clean it up and make it the background of the bar. You should also include bright lights, so the area feels welcoming rather than dark because darkness isn’t the goal.
9 Retro Style
If you’re a sucker for the 60s and 70s, design your bar like a classic diner. Go with old movie posters and vintage barstools, and paint your bar a fun, bright color such as red or orange.
10 Rustic
The rustic look is a great option if you live in the country and want a basement bar that emulates that fact. This should include a wood bar with a natural stone countertop and dark colors such as charcoal grays and browns for your furniture.
11 The Clean Look
This is one of the more modern basement bar ideas on this list. It should include clean, white walls, bright, recessed lighting and stainless steel appliances. If your basement allows for it, you should let plenty of natural light in to showcase your bar.
12 Cheers
Few TV shows feature more time at a bar than the show Cheers. If you’re a fan of the show and want a basement bar, then why not fashion it just like the bar in Cheers?! Complete with a circular or semi-circle bar, depending on space, plenty of seating area, and the perfect place to hang out with friends.
13 Sophistication
You can go many different ways if you want a sophisticated basement bar. The main thing to remember is keeping the bar area clean and well-lit and having stylish furniture. The bar itself can get made of wood, stone, or granite.
14 The Open Bar
If you have an entire basement at your disposal with a lot of space and want to add a bar as the focal point, the Open Bar is a great way to go. It includes a single bar made of stone or granite with a wood countertop. Surrounding the bar, you can have arcade games, a seating area, a TV, and even cornhole if you have high ceilings.
15 The Studio Bar
Rather than TVs, furniture, and games being the focal point of the Studio Bar, you should focus on wall art. Essentially, you’re designing your own basement art studio with a wine bar in the middle. It should be well-lit, sophisticated, and inviting.
16 The Garage Bar
The garage bar is the way to do it if you have leftover construction items you want to repurpose. It’s the ultimate budget-friendly bar because you can use whatever you have at your disposal for the walls, flooring, and furniture. It isn’t fancy, but it will get the job done.
17 The Corner Bar
This bar idea is a good way to fill your basement without making it seem too packed. It allows you to tuck your bar area away in a corner so that it’s accessible without being the room’s focal point.
18 Pillars of Stone
The stone pillar bar is where you have a classic wooden bar complete with stools and drinks, but with stone pillars on either side of the bar. This will give it a regal, manly look. You can also use faux stone if you can’t afford real stone pillars.
19 The Ceramic Tile Bar
If you have a basement with a ceramic tile floor, you should have a bar made of light-colored wood with a stone countertop. This, along with good lighting, will help your bar blend in with the rest of your basement and showcase your flooring.
20 The Farmhouse Bar
You don’t have to live on a farm to have this bar style because it’s one of the most popular bar basement ideas. It should include a bar of wood or stone with a rustic vibe. Your seating, furniture, shelves, and cabinets should match the look and be as rustic as possible. It’s a great option if you’re on a budget because it allows you to find used furniture and repurpose it slightly.
21 The English Pub
While English pubs and farmhouses couldn’t be more different, the two bar styles are very similar. The English pub includes dank, dark lighting, a small bar, and a wood or butcher block countertop. You don’t need fancy furniture or seating to make this look work.
22 Old School Neon Bar
This bar look should include a narrow bar and seating area with shelving that’s racked with bottles of alcohol. Illuminating it all, you should have bright, neon signs of different colors that say different things.
23 Contemporary Wood Bar
The contemporary wood bar idea is perfect if you need to save money with a homemade bar. It involves a small basement bar, a few seats, furniture and decor of rough wood.
24 The Minimalist Bar
If you don’t have the available space or money to build a bar, you can opt for a simple bar cart. A bar cart that gets incorporated into your existing basement will meet your need for a basement bar, but it won’t cost much or take up much-needed space.
25 The Coffee Bar
Rather than having beer and alcohol as the focal point of your bar, you can opt for coffee. This style should have floating shelves lined with syrups, creamers, drink flavorings, and a bar surrounded by hardwood floors.
26 The Wine Bar
You can also make wine the focal point of your basement bar. You can opt for a small wine storage area or a vast, open one with shelves lined with all varieties of wine. The bar won’t cost much, but the wine you supply it with might.
27 Chic Bar
Basement bars can be just as fun for women as for men. You can fashion the bar after your favorite boutique or hair salon if you go chic. You can add bright, stylish furniture rather than rustic leather couches and chairs.
28 Clean Outer Wall Bar
This idea involves clean lines, sleek upper cabinets, and a narrow bar along one of your exterior basement walls. The area should be well-lit with bright furniture, white walls, and plenty of natural light.
29 The All-Black
As the name indicates, this bar idea includes all black furniture, including the bar, the barstools, and the surrounding walls. It’s simple but sharp, especially when you add a splash of white and bright lights.
30 Airport Bar Cart
Another budget-friendly bar idea is to have a simple bar cart that resembles an airplane bar cart pushed around by the flight attendants. It’s simple, cheap, and easy to use.
31 The Mini Wood Bar
The mini wood bar is a neat idea for a small bar that you can open and shut when you’re not using it. You can choose a homemade option or find one for sale if you don’t feel like building one.
32 The Victorian Cabinet
As with the mini wooden bar, the Victorian cabinet is an open and shut liquor cabinet. However, it looks more like a boudoir or small closet than a small bar cart. It’s a great option if you want a wet bar at your disposal but not always on display.
33 The Mixed Bar
Using this concept, you’ll use a mixture of stone, marble, and wood for your bar, the countertop, and the seating.
34 Metal Walls
If you like the industrial look of a microbrewery, metal walls are a good option. They provide a shiny, modern look to the background, whatever bar design you prefer. It’s best to use open shelves if you choose metal walls.
35 The Hidden Bar
The only thing cooler than having a secret room in your basement behind a false wall is filling that room with a hidden bar.
36 The Urban Look
The urban look is a combination of contemporary, modern, and industrial. The walls outlining the bar should be a neutral color and serve as the bar area’s backdrop. You can opt for a wood bar with a granite or marble countertop and open shelving.
37 Unfinished Bar Idea
This idea is great if you have an unfinished basement where the beams, joists, and pipes are left exposed. It allows you to incorporate a farmhouse or industrial bar into your basement without having to finish it.
38 Beach Bar
If you love the vibe of a tiki hut, why not put one in your basement? It’s perfect if you want an affordable bar and you live near a beach or lake!
39 Blue Bar
This idea is fairly simple. You have a traditional basement bar made of wood. Rather than leaving it a bland, plain color, however, you paint the bar blue to give your basement the life it needs.
40 Outer Space Bar
Incorporate some of your favorite sci-fi themes to give your bar a futuristic and otherworldly feel. Mixing dark colors, purples, and silver, along with funky seating and hidden lighting, should do the trick.
41 The Cabin Bar
With this idea, everything should get made of logs, including the bar, the countertop, the furniture, and the shelving.
42 Concrete Bar
This idea is for when you have a basement floor made of polished concrete. You should have modern bar seating and a bar lined with metal. This look works best with a wood countertop and brick walls, but they aren’t mandatory.
43 The Casino Bar
As the name implies, this idea will have your basement bar looking like something out of Las Vegas. You can use whatever bar design you like from this list and fill the surrounding area with craps, poker tables, roulette, and other popular gambling games.
44 Choose a Theme
You can fashion your bar after anything from Star Wars to the Lord of the Rings to your favorite arcade game or movie.
45 A Standing Bar
Rather than have your bar built at the appropriate height for people sitting down, construct your bar as a standing bar. The top will be slightly higher, but your materials and theme can be whatever you want.
46 Modern Inviting Bar
Like many other modern basement bar ideas on this list, the modern, inviting bar includes sleek designs, clean lines, and open shelving or cabinets without handles. Your walls and floors should be light and bright, and you should also have plenty of lighting.
47 Artsy Fartsy
If you want to save money, the artsy fartsy bar design is for you. The style and materials you use don’t matter. You build everything you use with the bar, including the cabinets, shelves, bar top, and the bar itself. Typically, this style involves mainly wood.
48 Make It Pop
This idea allows you to let your wild side show. You can incorporate various colors into this design, including red, orange, yellow, and anything else you desire.
49 Watery Bar
This idea works best with a wood bar and stools that are backsplashed with brick or stone walls. However, in the middle of the wall directly behind the bar, incorporate a large fish tank with some of your favorite fish.
50 The Mountain Bar
The mountain bar should look like something you’ll find at a ski lodge or mountain resort. It should feature natural stone walls and a wood bar with a marble or stone countertop. It should be warm and comfortable, yet cold.
51 Garage Door Panels
Using sheet metal or wainscot panels as the ceiling above your bar is prevalent. Using garage door panels is more budget-friendly, and you can paint them whatever color you like.
52 Timeless
Trends come and go, which means that building your bar according to what’s popular at the time isn’t always a good idea. Choosing a classic, timeless theme that’s warm and simple might be the better option.
53 The Hunters Bar
If you have a trophy animal mounted in your home, you can incorporate it into this bar design. Hang your mount on the wall behind the bar as the centerpiece, and have the surrounding walls lined with your favorite firearms.
54 The Lit Bar
It’s popular to have lighting built into steps and landscaping. You can use this concept with your bar and build lighting into it. This is a good way to make your bar shine and be the focal point of your basement.
55 Working Bar
When you go to a bar, the last thing you want to do is take work with you. However, when it’s in your home, your bar might be a good place to incorporate a small workstation to maximize your time at it.
56 Fireplace Bar
Nothing will warm your basement bar up more than having an open fire pit next to it.
57 Globe Pendant Light Bar
Lighting is a big part of any bar design. Choosing the right light fixtures will help determine your bar’s style and what will work best with it. If you want to use glass globe pendant lights above your bar, they should get made of stone or marble.
58 Library Bar
Rather than having the open shelves behind your bar lined with liquor bottles, line them with your favorite books.
59 Cowboy Bar
If you live on a farm or ranch or simply love horses, you can make them the centerpoint of your basement bar. Build it out of dark woods and use stone or granite as the countertop. Also, you can use saddles for your seats instead of traditional barstools!
60 Zombie Bar
If you’re a fan of the Walking Dead or Resident Evil, then why not fashion your bar in its image. You can even create custom cocktails named after your favorite characters. This is a great way to be creative and have a unique basement bar.
Related Questions
What is a good size for a basement bar?
While you can customize your basement bar to whatever size you wish, the average height to the bar top is around 42″, and the average depth is around two feet. You should choose the width and length of the bar according to the basement space you have to work with.
Do basement bars add value?
A custom bar in your basement is a great way to add value to your home while building a room you can enjoy. It’s important to design your bar to appeal to the masses, however, and not just to yourself. Otherwise, it could be a liability.
How do you layout a basement bar?
The way you layout your basement bar is entirely up to you. It usually depends on your preferences and the space you have to work with.
How much does it cost to build a basement bar?
Basement bars can be very expensive if you go all out and purchase expensive furniture and bar pieces. However, if you’re willing to do some of the work yourself and shop for affordable pieces, you can install a basement bar for between $200 and $1,000.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this article gives you the inspiration you need to design a basement bar on a budget. Because there are so many different ways you can design your bar, it’s important to have an idea in mind before getting started. Otherwise, you could quickly wind up off course and over budget.
