The Chinoiserie Wet Bar

Mary Beth Wagner Interiors

Isn't this the most beautiful wet bar? The wallcovering is a custom colorway in Gracie Studio's French Deco. I love the gorgeous marble counters and brass hardware. The brass and glass bar is stunning.

Creating a Chic Bar

John Fondas - House Beautiful

I absolutely adore a glamorous bar. This was once a closet in a Palm Beach apartment with accordion doors, drop ceiling, and fluorescent lights. Look at it now!

The Sophisticated Tiki Bar

Phoebe Howard - House Beautiful

 My daughter is planning a tiki bar in their new Annapolis home. Now for many of us, the concept conjures up visions more tacky than chic. But this is a wonderful example of a chinoiserie/tiki bar with style and sophistication. The rattan bar is new, but inspired by vintage rattan bars from the 50s and 60s that are highly collectible. The swivel stools are vintage. Note the rattan door behind the bar.

Art Inspiration

Suzanne Kasler

 

OK, I officially have art envy - a gallery wall of Slim Aarons. The coral pink is a stunning wall color and so Palm Beach. I love the idea of art ledges so the art can be moved around and switched out at will. Note the white frames - I have started framing everything in white - so fresh, clean, modern and perfect for a Florida beach house. The mini bar is so fun - I always find myself trying to see what booze bottles are on bars. LOL. The only hard pass is the potted "plants" that I find downright creepy. 

The Chinoiserie Kitchen

Colleen Bashaw - House Beautiful

 

There is so much to love in this space - the bar is perfection with its blue and white tile, glass and brass shelving, fun mirror, beautiful cabinets, counters, and hardware, and great styling. The dining area has an amazing rattan chandelier, jute rug, Saarinen table, and Quadrille chinoiserie fabric on the Louis chairs. I love the bare windows and gorgeous ceiling.

I found my tile and furniture yesterday for the lanai and will order and schedule everything ASAP. Everything just fell into place. 

Enjoy the Super Bowl tonight. I love football and am a huge Tom Brady fan and Tampa is just up the road. Go Bucs! I can't wait. Tonight he will absolutely cement his place in history as the greatest quarterback of all time in case there was any doubt.

I found more photos of this fabulous space.

The Beachy Bar

Amanda Lindroth

 Whether alcohol or limeade, here are some chic decorating ideas for a beachy bar. A wicker tray and lots of wicker accessories, candles, limes, orchids, a palm etched hurricane, and my fave - filling an ice bucket/Champagne chiller with a collection of seashells.

Palms and Seashells

Amanda Lindroth - House Beautiful

Recently I have posted about incorporating seashells and palm fronds in my Florida home. Here is more inspiration by interior designer Amanda Lindroth. And I spy a pair of John Derian vases in the armoire - I have the same one in my wet bar. The potted orchids add Chinoiserie style - I have orchids everywhere in the Florida house - and I love them surrounding the jacuzzi in the master bath and the spa in the lanai. I recommend Trader Joe's for orchids - my go-to place.

My Wet Bar

Eclectic Mix

Ruthie Sommers

This elegant bar includes a large blue and white ginger jar and a huge pagoda.

Happy Memorial Day

Christopher Maya - House Beautiful

Red, white and blue for Memorial Day with cobalt blue de Gournay wallpaper, red woodwork and a chic bar.

The Chinoiserie Bar

Ruthie Sommers - Lonny Magazine

Styling the Chinoiserie Bar

Lonny

A vintage Chinoiserie cabinet is perfect to convert to a bar. Here are some other great examples.

Alessandra Branca

Laura Cattano

Styling the Chinoiserie Bar - The Ginger Jar

Mark D. Sikes

A very elegant example of how to style the Chinoiserie bar using a blue and white ginger jar and a potted white orchid.  I love how the bottle of Bombay Sapphire Gin picks up the blue - I AWAYS have a bottle on my bar.

Thanksgiving Series - The Chinoiserie Dining Room

Lonny

A folding tray table makes a great bar for entertaining and is even more chic with a blue and white Chinese garden stool standing by.

The Chinoiserie Bar

Bar Styling with AnthologyHouse

Lonny

 There is nothing more chic to me than a beautifully styled bar. As you see from all these examples, beyond the essentials, one of the best ways to infuse your bar with style and personality is by adding some vintage pieces. Vintage glassware, ice buckets, and pitchers are functional as well as elegant choices. Also be sure to add a fun vintage piece or two like a brass animal, foo dogs, a pair of Chinese figurines, a pineapple - whatever reflects your style. I have a giraffe, a hippo, and a pineapple on my bar cart.

One of the best sources anywhere for vintage pieces for your bar (and for stunning vintage bar carts) is AnthologyHouse. I hope you have already visited their wonderful Etsy store here. They have also just partnered with Chairish for larger items, furniture, and high end vintage pieces. Very exciting news! Chairish is an online consignment marketplace for design obsessed people to buy and sell exceptional pre-owned home furnishings. Chairish has been featured in many magazines including House Beautiful, Elle Decor, and Country Living.

Below I have included some of my favorite AnthologyHouse vintage decor for styling your bar. With holiday entertaining around the corner, this is a great time for it.

Glitter Guide

Society Social

Southern Living

Society Social

Tilton Fenwick

Vintage Gold Bar Cart

Vintage Gold Chrome Bar Cart with Ice Bucket Insert

Mid-Century Barware and Pitcher

Vintage Barware with Glasses, Pitcher, and Bucket

Vintage Regency Zodiac Glassware

Vintage Teal Drinking Glasses

Vintage Brass Pig

A Pair of Large Vintage Brass Swans

Vintage Asian Couple

Vintage Elephant Tea Pot

Vintage Toucan Salt and Pepper Shakers

Asian Couple Figurines

Kate on Chinoiserie Chic - Styling the Chinoiserie Bar Cart Inspiration Board

Here are my picks for styling the Chinoiserie bar cart. For more of my tips on bar cart styling click here and to follow me on Pinterest click here. Have a great weekend!

Update from Beth - Check out my new February Houzz Ideabook on Styling the Chinoiserie Bar. You can find all my Ideabooks by clicking on the Houzz link in my sidebar.

The Hayworth Bar Cart

Gold Zag Tray

Twig Tongs

Tortoiseshell Ice Bucket

Tortoiseshell Martini Glasses

Faux Bamboo Straws

Greek Key Cocktail Napkins

Elephant Shot Glass

New Year's Eve Series - Kate's Bar Cart

My daughter Kate's bar cart was recently featured in the Washington Post Express. Here are some of her tips for styling your bar:

1. It helps to start with a great bar or bar cart. I scored this classic bar cart, a reproduction of an Art Deco one at Target a while back for under $200. The original version on 1st dibs sold for $2,000.

1st dibs original on left and mine on right

2. I love colorful accessories - I am always on the lookout for cocktail napkins, bar tools, even mini Champagne bottles in bright colors. A colorful tray is a great way to organize things on your bar - mine is pink scalloped stripes and houndstooth.

3. Vintage barware is very chic - I scored these great gold rimmed glasses at a flea market. Vintage cocktail shakers are also very collectable.

4. I like to buy classic top drawer liqour and liquers like Grand Marnier, Beefeater Gin, and Maker's Mark Bourbon to add to the style of my bar cart.

5. Don't ignore the wall behind the bar - I framed three sheets of Chinoiserie paper from Paper Source in colors to coordinate with my bar cart accessories.

6. Have on your bar cart a cocktail recipe book like Mrs. Lilien's Cocktail Swatchbook - both practical and chic.

7. Everything need not be strictly bar related - I use Kate Spade mini posy vases to hold straws. You might use a pair of foo dogs, a plant, a small piece of art. I use lots of pink and green for a preppy girly vibe.