How to Style Open Bar Shelving: 5 Expert Tips for a Chic & Functional Setup
February 26, 2025
Open bar shelving: it’s chic, it’s functional, it makes you look like a person who knows how to shake a cocktail instead of just panic-pouring a vodka soda. But styling it? That’s where things can go south real fast. One minute you’re setting out a few bottles, the next thing you know, it’s giving "frat house after spring break" vibes. We’re here to prevent that.
The key to killer bar shelving is balance—it should feel curated, intentional, and a little bit like it belongs in a fancy cocktail lounge where the bartender wears suspenders unironically. Here are five easy tips to get that perfect mix of cool and functional, without accidentally recreating the clearance section of your local liquor store.
Bar-Related Is NOT A Requirement
Yes, it’s a bar shelf. No, it does not need to be exclusively filled with bar things. Shelves stacked with nothing but glassware and liquor bottles feel like an obligation, not a vibe. The trick? Mix in some non-bar-related objects to make it feel more designed and less like you're stocking up for the apocalypse. A cool sculptural piece, a funky candle, a tiny piece of art, a gold hand sculpture giving the bird (we like to keep things spicy around here). Basically, accessorize like your bar shelves have a personality—because they should.
Quirky Details = Main Character Energy
If your bar setup doesn’t include at least one weird, unexpected, or totally unnecessary-but-fabulous object, what are you even doing? We’re talking a vintage airplane-shaped cocktail shaker, solid marble lip sculptures, a ridiculous neon sign, a wine stopper shaped like a T-Rex, or that one flea market find that makes people go, "Wait…what is that?" These little touches give your bar some personality instead of making it look like an overly ambitious Pinterest board.
Stop Overcrowding
It’s time to accept that just because you own 32 cocktail glasses doesn’t mean they all need to be on display. Negative space is your friend. Give your items some breathing room—arrange things in curated little groupings instead of cramming every square inch with stuff. Trays are your secret weapon here: they pull everything together while keeping it from looking like a chaotic explosion of glassware and whiskey bottles. And if you must hoard barware, at least put some of it in a cabinet.
Layer Heights (Flat = Boring)
If your bar shelves are looking a little one-dimensional, chances are everything is the same height. That’s an easy fix. Stagger your bottle heights, add a stack of books, throw in a ceramic vase, layer in some metallic accents. Mix glass with stone, wood, or brass. Basically, make sure your shelves don’t look like a row of sad soldiers standing at attention. You want levels, layers, and a little bit of controlled chaos.
Functional (But Still Sexy)
Yes, it needs to look good, but if your bar shelving setup is a logistical nightmare, what’s the point? Group your most-used items together, keep things accessible, and don’t bury your favorite gin behind six decorative objects. Trays keep small things organized, cool storage boxes hide the ugly-but-necessary stuff, and a little intentional arranging makes sure everything stays beautiful and practical. Because trust us—you don’t want to be that person frantically digging through decor just to make a Negroni.
The Art Of Looking Effortlessly Cool
The best-styled bar shelves look like they just happened to come together perfectly, even though we all know there was strategy involved. Mix in unexpected objects, embrace negative space, layer textures, and keep things functional—but never boring. Your bar setup should make you feel like the kind of person who owns a cocktail shaker and knows how to use it. Even if you still panic-order vodka sodas at the bar, at least your shelves will tell a different story.
