Chester ThomasBespoke Furniture
Backlit oak bottle shelving and glazed wall cabinets behind a home bar with integrated under-counter fridges

Home Bars

Bespoke Drinks Cabinets

Not every home wants a full bar. A well-planned drinks cabinet gives you the same functions — storage, display, a surface to work from — in a single piece scaled to the room.

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Drinks Cabinets, designed around the room

A drinks cabinet sits somewhere between furniture and infrastructure. It has to look settled in a living room or hallway, and it has to work properly when someone is actually pouring a drink at the end of the evening. We design the interior first, around the bottles, glasses and habits of the household, and let the exterior follow from that.

Bottle storage varies more than people expect. Spirits generally stand upright on a shelf sized to their height; wine kept in the same cabinet is usually happier lying on its side, away from light and vibration. We plan shelf spacing and depth around what you actually keep, rather than assuming a single generic bottle size will do for everything.

Glassware wants a home close to where drinks are made, ideally where it can be seen rather than hidden away in a cupboard. Open shelving, glazed doors or a mirrored back panel all bring glassware into the room visually, and lighting — usually warm LED strip set into the top or shelf edges — does a great deal to make a cabinet feel considered rather than functional.

Stone or timber tops give the cabinet an actual working surface, useful for building a drink without marking the furniture beneath it. Where there is room, we can build in a small refrigerated drawer or under-counter unit, though this depends on ventilation and power being available at the location — something we check at survey stage rather than assuming.

The last decision is how much of the cabinet is on show. Some households want everything visible, treating the bottles and glassware as part of the room's decoration; others prefer doors that close over the lot, leaving a quiet piece of furniture until it is needed. Both are entirely workable, and we will talk you through what suits the room before drawing anything.

Part of our home bars collection

What can be included

  • 01

    Bottle storage

    Shelving sized for spirits standing upright and, where needed, angled or racked storage for wine kept in the same cabinet.

  • 02

    Glassware display

    Open shelving, glazed doors or mirrored backs to bring glassware into view rather than leaving it in a cupboard.

  • 03

    Interior lighting

    Warm LED lighting set into shelf edges or the cabinet top, usually on a dimmer to suit different times of day.

  • 04

    Mirrored panels

    Mirror-backed sections to add depth and reflect light back into bottles and glassware.

  • 05

    Stone or timber worktop

    A durable surface at a practical height for mixing a drink without marking the cabinet beneath it.

  • 06

    Concealed drawer storage

    Felt or fabric-lined drawers for tools, coasters and the smaller items that clutter an open surface.

  • 07

    Refrigeration provision

    Space and services planned for a small fridge drawer or under-counter unit, where power and ventilation allow.

  • 08

    Integrated preparation surface

    A section of the top given over to pouring and mixing, separate from the display areas either side.

  • 09

    Choice of open or closed fronts

    Everything on show behind glass, or fully closed doors that leave a quiet piece of furniture when not in use.

  • 10

    Hardware and finish detailing

    Handles, hinges and finish chosen to sit with the rest of the room rather than picked from a standard range.

From our work

  • Home bar counter with an oak criss-cross panelled front, dark timber top and floating illuminated oak shelves

Every commission begins with a conversation about the room, how it is used and what needs to be stored or shown.

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Built for the architecture you already have

Wall and alcove dimensions
The cabinet is set out to the exact width and depth available, whether that is a full wall or a single alcove.
Proximity to seating
Positioned where drinks can be made and served without crossing the room, ideally within reach of where people gather.
Power and ventilation
Sockets and any ventilation needed for lighting or refrigeration are surveyed before the cabinet is drawn, not fitted around afterwards.
Natural light
Cabinets holding wine or spirits sensitive to light are positioned or detailed to keep direct sun off the bottles.
Existing joinery and finishes
Timber tone, paint colour and hardware are matched to skirtings, doors or other furniture already in the room.

Materials & finishes

Specifications are developed with you during the design stage and sampled before anything is built. Not every option suits every commission, and we will say so where a material is the wrong choice for the room or the use.

  • Oak and walnut veneers

    For carcasses and doors, matched for grain across the width of the cabinet.

  • Hand-painted timber

    Sprayed and finished frames in a colour taken from the room.

  • Stone worktops

    A durable mixing surface in a material chosen to resist marking and staining.

  • Mirrored and bronze glazing

    For display sections, giving depth and a warmer reflection than clear glass.

  • Brushed brass and blackened steel

    Handles, rails and trim detailing to suit the room.

  • Felt and fabric-lined drawers

    For tools, coasters and smaller items kept out of sight.

  • Integrated LED lighting

    Warm, dimmable lighting set into shelves and the underside of the top.

Designed and built bespoke

We survey the intended location for power, ventilation and available wall or alcove space before drawing the cabinet's interior. The piece is built in our Derbyshire workshop and installed by the same team, with lighting and any refrigeration connected on site as part of the fit.

Read our full process

Drinks Cabinets — your questions answered

What is the difference between a drinks cabinet and a full home bar?
A drinks cabinet is a single piece of furniture giving you storage, display and a small working surface, suited to a living room or hallway. A home bar is a larger built area with a counter, seating and often plumbing or refrigeration. If you are considering the larger version, our home bars page covers that in more detail.
Can a drinks cabinet include a fridge?
It can, provided the location has suitable power and ventilation. We check this at survey stage and design the cabinet's interior around a fridge drawer or under-counter unit where it is practical, rather than assuming it will fit into any space.
How do you decide on bottle shelf spacing?
We ask what you keep — spirits are generally taller and stand upright, while wine is better lying flat. Shelves are spaced and sometimes angled to suit your actual bottles rather than a single standard gap that wastes height or crowds taller bottles.
Can the cabinet be lit from inside?
Yes, warm LED lighting is commonly built into shelf edges or the underside of the top, usually on a dimmer so it can sit low in the background or brighter when the cabinet is in use.
Do you build cabinets with mirrored interiors?
Yes, a mirrored back panel adds depth to a display section and reflects lighting back into the bottles and glassware, which suits an open or glazed cabinet particularly well.
Should the cabinet be open or have closed doors?
That depends on how you use the room. An open or glazed front suits a household happy to treat bottles and glassware as decoration; closed doors keep everything out of sight until needed. We will talk through both before drawing anything.
Can you fit a drinks cabinet into an existing alcove?
Yes, we regularly build cabinets scribed to fit an alcove on either side of a chimney breast or within a run of existing joinery, surveyed individually since alcoves are rarely a uniform width or depth.
What worktop is best for mixing drinks?
Stone is popular for its resistance to marking and staining, though a well-sealed hardwood also performs well and brings more warmth to the piece. We will recommend a surface based on how the cabinet will actually be used.
Can glassware be stored and displayed in the same cabinet?
Yes, glassware is usually best on open or glazed shelving close to where drinks are made, while less-used pieces or spares can be kept behind a closed door elsewhere in the same cabinet.
Do you match the cabinet to existing furniture?
We can match timber tone, paint colour and hardware to furniture or joinery already in the room, working from a sample or the piece itself, though an exact match to factory-finished furniture cannot always be guaranteed.
How much space does a drinks cabinet need?
A compact cabinet can work within a single alcove or a modest run of wall; there is no minimum footprint beyond what is needed to fit your bottles, glasses and a small preparation surface comfortably.
Can a drinks cabinet include wine storage as well as spirits?
It can, though if wine is a significant part of your collection it is often better served by dedicated storage — see our wine rooms & cellars page for cabinetry built specifically around bottle counts and racking.
What areas do you cover for bespoke drinks cabinets?
We design, build and install from our workshop in Coton in the Elms, Swadlincote, covering Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and the wider East and West Midlands.
How long does a drinks cabinet commission take?
Design is usually agreed within a few weeks, followed by manufacture in our workshop and a straightforward installation. We provide a written programme once the design and specification are confirmed.
What does a bespoke drinks cabinet cost?
Costs depend on dimensions, materials, finishes, hardware and any lighting or refrigeration included, so we do not quote a figure without seeing the room. Get in touch through the contact page and we can discuss your requirements.
Can you build a drinks cabinet as a standalone piece rather than fitted?
Yes, a freestanding drinks cabinet finished on all sides is entirely possible, and suits a household that may want to move the piece in future rather than commit it permanently to one wall.
Will the cabinet need any ongoing maintenance?
Timber and painted finishes benefit from the same care as other fine furniture — avoiding direct heat and excessive damp. Stone tops are generally low-maintenance; we will advise on care specific to the materials chosen for your piece.

Related bespoke services

Areas we work in

Everything is designed and built at our Derbyshire workshop and installed by our own team across the Midlands, including Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, Four Oaks, Lichfield, Birmingham, Burton upon Trent, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, Leicestershire.

Areas we cover

Speak to us about your project on 07542 822456 or send us the details.

Angled view of a navy painted drinks wall with lit oak wine racking, open shelving and panelled cupboards beneath a marble-effect counter

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