Upcycled Cocktail Cabinet: The Must-Have Trend for your home

Whether you are a wine, cocktails, whiskey or even mocktails drinker, to elevate your home bar experience there is one item you must have.  The growing trend is to have an upcycled cocktail cabinet in your living space. You can call it a cocktail bar, whiskey cabinet, or simply the drinks bar. Whatever you call it stylish cabinets are the must have eye-catching accessories for the home entertainer.  No matter your style, there is an upcycled cabinet that will match your personality.

So, say goodbye to cluttered countertops and used kitchen space.  Say hello to organized functionality.  Welcome your guests with the decorative centerpiece of your home.

The rise in popularity of Upcycled Cocktail Cabinets

The popularity of cocktail cabinets are soaring.  Why?  After the years of covid and restaurant and bar closures, people have discovered the joy of mixing their own drinks.  We are ready to entertain guests in our home space. Going out will always remain popular.  But entertaining in one’s own home is back!

Gone are the days of pulling a drink out of the fridge and pouring it into whatever glass is clean in the cupboard.  Entertaining means having the right glasses and spirits available for mixed drinks.

Popularity in upcycled cocktail cabinets is increasing. 

My top selling items are the upcycled cocktail cabinets with potential customers reaching out and asking when I may have new ones available. I can’t refinish them fast enough!

Once bar carts were all the rage, but tastes have changed. The bar cart does not provide adequate space for mixing drinks, nor showcases their collection in a personable way.

Drink cabinets are designed today with storage solutions in mind, such as adjustable shelves, built-in racks for stemware, and compartments or drawers for your bar tools. Essentially giving you everything you need to mix the perfect cocktail is within arm’s reach.  It is about making the process more efficient and enjoyable.

Choosing the perfect cocktail cabinet for you

When it comes to finding the perfect upcycled cocktail cabinet for your home, you need to consider a few key elements.

What is the space you want/ have to devote to your cabinet? 

Due to the average size of homes in the Netherlands and especially in the Randstad, I find that the smaller format bars are more popular than those in a long format like a buffet.  I have a gorgeous hand painted 180 cm long buffet style cocktail bar that despite getting positive feedback and interest on, has failed to find the right home.  The reason?  The length.  Prospective customers were not able to get this size of cabinet into their apartment with stairs.

Considering the interior of your home, what style of cocktail bar would you be looking for? 

Are you searching for a traditional look, then opt for a vintage wooden cabinet with an aged patina.  Searching for eye-catching design, consider a cabinet with colour and intricate detailing. Or maybe you are looking for something sleek and modern, then a glass or metal cabinet might be the perfect choice.

Consider what your current drink collection contains.  

Is it just a few wine bottles and glasses?  Well, a smaller format with wine glass rack may be perfectly sufficient for you.  Or do you have a large cocktail collection with multiple styles of glasses that you wish to have stored out of view?  Then you will need to search for a large cabinet with multiple doors which you can place your glass collection behind.

Where to buy cocktail cabinets

While I wish I could produce all the drink cabinets I get requested. It is simply not feasible.  

Therefore, if you are looking for an upcycled cocktail bar, I recommend checking out thrift stores and looking online at websites. Places like marktplaats.nl or Facebook Marketplace will have plenty of cabinets which can be transformed.  In the Netherlands, check out this list on how to source your vintage furniture. 

When looking at vintage furniture, I recommend that you create a checklist of what features you want your cabinet to have. Look at general cabinets for which their use can be adjusted.  For example, a small buffet with a shelf behind doors could be upcycled to a vintage cocktail bar.  When looking at vintage furniture, consider these additional points (coming soon).

Restyling or upcycling your Vintage find

To restyle the cabinet, you can and add a wine glass rack, a light that turns on when the doors are opened, and antique felt to line the drawers.  What was once an unwanted buffet can become a unique and vintage cabinet that adds a touch of character to your home bar area.

Not keen on doing any upcycling or refinishing work yourself?  Reach out to your local furniture refinisher who can help advise you on what is possible when working with them.  I am sure that they can create the upcycled cocktail cabinet of your dreams.

So don’t be shocked when at that next dinner party to see the host making use of a cocktail cabinet. With their unique designs and storage solutions, these cabinets offer a stylish and functional way to showcase favorite drinks while optimizing the space. Whether you have a small apartment or a spacious home, there is a cocktail cabinet that is perfect for your space. So why wait?

Want to know more about cocktail bars I’ve created? You can read about each furniture transformation in more detail below, or check out my portfolio page for previously created work.

Small Cocktail Bar – Art Deco Style
Small Cocktail Bar – 3d Cubes
Large Cocktail Bar – Quilt Pattern
Small Cocktail Bar – Paint Pouring