If your idea of alfresco fun includes mixing drinks and pulling pints, consider adding a bar to your outdoor entertaining space. These popular setups can be as simple as a couple of stools pulled up to a bar cart or as tricked-out as an indoor-outdoor pavilion outfitted with retractable doors, a kegerator, an ice maker, a wine fridge and multiple televisions. Get a taste of what’s possible by perusing these picks from the Houzz photo feed.
Beth Dotolo
2. Keep It Cool
At a lakeside home in Texas, this colorful party deck has a quartz-topped bar with a slim ice bucket built in.
What to Know About Adding an Outdoor Bar or Counter
2. Keep It Cool
At a lakeside home in Texas, this colorful party deck has a quartz-topped bar with a slim ice bucket built in.
What to Know About Adding an Outdoor Bar or Counter
Garden Studio
3. Corner Bar
Beside an Orange County, California, pool, sliding doors retract to completely open up a light and bright tiled bar to an adjacent covered lounge area with a fireplace.
3. Corner Bar
Beside an Orange County, California, pool, sliding doors retract to completely open up a light and bright tiled bar to an adjacent covered lounge area with a fireplace.
DeGoey Designs
4. Easy Does It
This freestanding bar and grill station in Iowa is relatively low-tech but highly functional, with well-placed hooks for bar tools and mugs and space for a bucket holding some cold ones on ice.
Shop for outdoor products
4. Easy Does It
This freestanding bar and grill station in Iowa is relatively low-tech but highly functional, with well-placed hooks for bar tools and mugs and space for a bucket holding some cold ones on ice.
Shop for outdoor products
9th Avenue Designs
5. On Another Level
This sprawling entertaining area at a private residence in Cleveland, Ohio, has a NanaWall system that retracts to create an indoor-outdoor bar big enough to accommodate the whole neighborhood.
5. On Another Level
This sprawling entertaining area at a private residence in Cleveland, Ohio, has a NanaWall system that retracts to create an indoor-outdoor bar big enough to accommodate the whole neighborhood.
Tipton Spires Design/Build
6. Swim-Up Style
In Houston, this sensational spa-bar cabana with swim-up seating brings new meaning to the idea of a sunken bar.
30 Stunning New Pools and Poolscapes
6. Swim-Up Style
In Houston, this sensational spa-bar cabana with swim-up seating brings new meaning to the idea of a sunken bar.
30 Stunning New Pools and Poolscapes
Liquid Interiors
7. Top of the World
On a compact rooftop deck in Hong Kong, a small bar counter with two stools provides a place for perching while sipping wine and enjoying spa and city views.
7. Top of the World
On a compact rooftop deck in Hong Kong, a small bar counter with two stools provides a place for perching while sipping wine and enjoying spa and city views.
Morgan Howarth Photography
8. Mix It Up
A substantial pergola with two built-in fans defines the space and provides respite from the heat in this Washington, D.C.-area bar and kitchen. The design features a mix of materials and textures, including stone cladding, shake and paneled siding, painted and stained wood, and various metal and stone finishes, but it all works together thanks to a neutral color scheme.
8. Mix It Up
A substantial pergola with two built-in fans defines the space and provides respite from the heat in this Washington, D.C.-area bar and kitchen. The design features a mix of materials and textures, including stone cladding, shake and paneled siding, painted and stained wood, and various metal and stone finishes, but it all works together thanks to a neutral color scheme.
Pu-uwai Design & Construction
9. Tropical Oasis
At this tropical-style hangout on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, you can sidle up to a live-edge bar and watch the game on TV underneath a reed thatch ceiling — or you can swim up to a pool stool and hope someone brings you a drink.
9. Tropical Oasis
At this tropical-style hangout on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, you can sidle up to a live-edge bar and watch the game on TV underneath a reed thatch ceiling — or you can swim up to a pool stool and hope someone brings you a drink.
Patterson Custom Homes
10. Pool House Party
In Orange County, California, a wood-clad corner of a pool house has sliding windows that connect a bar with drink and snack stations to the surrounding deck and pool.
10. Pool House Party
In Orange County, California, a wood-clad corner of a pool house has sliding windows that connect a bar with drink and snack stations to the surrounding deck and pool.
Double B Design
11. Home Turf
Slices of turf bring the lush backyard right into this crisp Austin, Texas, outdoor kitchen-bar.
10 Ways to Refresh Your Outdoor Dining Area for Summer
11. Home Turf
Slices of turf bring the lush backyard right into this crisp Austin, Texas, outdoor kitchen-bar.
10 Ways to Refresh Your Outdoor Dining Area for Summer
Pineapple Interiors
12. Tiki Time
A thatched roof and pendant light give this tropical-style bar set in a London backyard vacay vibes.
9 Ways to Make Your Yard More Fun and Functional for Summer
12. Tiki Time
A thatched roof and pendant light give this tropical-style bar set in a London backyard vacay vibes.
9 Ways to Make Your Yard More Fun and Functional for Summer
Tidal Interiors
13. Concrete Example
This streamlined bar setup at a bluff-top home in the San Diego area has an advantage that’s hard to see from this angle: The slim waterfall countertop that’s open underneath doesn’t get in the way of the view.
13. Concrete Example
This streamlined bar setup at a bluff-top home in the San Diego area has an advantage that’s hard to see from this angle: The slim waterfall countertop that’s open underneath doesn’t get in the way of the view.
Harrell & Co. Architects
14. Drinks Ahoy
Even if you’re not a sailor, you can drink like one at this outdoor bar resembling a ship’s bow.
14. Drinks Ahoy
Even if you’re not a sailor, you can drink like one at this outdoor bar resembling a ship’s bow.
Gabriele Sotgiu Fotografo
15. Mediterranean Mood
This corner bar festooned with woven ball lights and encrusted in fish scale-like tiles is just one of the delights that comprise a dreamy Italian villa overlooking the sea.
15. Mediterranean Mood
This corner bar festooned with woven ball lights and encrusted in fish scale-like tiles is just one of the delights that comprise a dreamy Italian villa overlooking the sea.
Mehditash Design
16. Surf’s (and Bottoms) Up
What’s the bare minimum for a bar design? Near the coast in California, a little bar counter and two bar stools squeezed next to a compact outdoor kitchen might qualify.
16. Surf’s (and Bottoms) Up
What’s the bare minimum for a bar design? Near the coast in California, a little bar counter and two bar stools squeezed next to a compact outdoor kitchen might qualify.
Harold Leidner Landscape Architects
17. It’s Lit
This Dallas rooftop owes much of its razzle-dazzle to its color-changing lighting, which includes a glowing bar behind a giant outdoor chess set.
17. It’s Lit
This Dallas rooftop owes much of its razzle-dazzle to its color-changing lighting, which includes a glowing bar behind a giant outdoor chess set.
Dan Francis Photography
18. Industrial Strength
This bold red-and-black pool house bar opens to a concrete bar counter and stools on the outside via a garage door-style pass-through window.
18. Industrial Strength
This bold red-and-black pool house bar opens to a concrete bar counter and stools on the outside via a garage door-style pass-through window.
SHM Architects
19. Double Trouble
Two televisions mean everyone has a view of the game when seated at this poolside Dallas bar.
19. Double Trouble
Two televisions mean everyone has a view of the game when seated at this poolside Dallas bar.
Hey Wanderer
20. Always Happy Hour
White metal stools, colorful textiles, rustic wood and cafe lights lend bohemian flair to this cheerful backyard bar. Check out the cute stock tank pool too.
20. Always Happy Hour
White metal stools, colorful textiles, rustic wood and cafe lights lend bohemian flair to this cheerful backyard bar. Check out the cute stock tank pool too.
Arch-Interiors Design Group
21. Resort Life
Clad in stucco to match the house, this well-equipped poolside bar-kitchen addition in Los Angeles has a durable Dekton countertop and a Douglas fir pergola.
Tour the rest of this yard
21. Resort Life
Clad in stucco to match the house, this well-equipped poolside bar-kitchen addition in Los Angeles has a durable Dekton countertop and a Douglas fir pergola.
Tour the rest of this yard
Burkett Architecture
22. Tee Time
Who needs the country club when you have a putting green beside your own poolside bar? This Spring, Texas, pergola-covered bar and kitchen even has a pizza oven.
22. Tee Time
Who needs the country club when you have a putting green beside your own poolside bar? This Spring, Texas, pergola-covered bar and kitchen even has a pizza oven.
Erica Bryen Design
23. Rainbow Connection
At a builder’s own home in Huntington Beach, California, sliding glass doors can be tucked away to connect the kitchen with a covered patio that includes this Black Rainbow granite-topped bar.
Tour this house
23. Rainbow Connection
At a builder’s own home in Huntington Beach, California, sliding glass doors can be tucked away to connect the kitchen with a covered patio that includes this Black Rainbow granite-topped bar.
Tour this house
April Balliette
24. Tied With Tile
In Florida, an outdoor kitchen-bar is covered in the same tiny square mosaic tiles that accent the adjacent pool, which has a unifying effect.
24. Tied With Tile
In Florida, an outdoor kitchen-bar is covered in the same tiny square mosaic tiles that accent the adjacent pool, which has a unifying effect.
Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors
25. Well-Rounded
Built as part of an outdoor kitchen, a circular bar area with footrests rounds out the seating areas of this traditional-style Chicago-area patio by Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors.
25. Well-Rounded
Built as part of an outdoor kitchen, a circular bar area with footrests rounds out the seating areas of this traditional-style Chicago-area patio by Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors.
Source: www.houzz.com
1. Margaritaville
There may be a frozen drink machine at the ready, but all of the cocktails are served on the rocks at this stone-clad New Jersey bar.
For this and the other pictured spaces, click on the image to see more photos of the project.
Find a landscape architect in your area