How to design residential bar with ready-made kitchen cabinets

Stay tuned if the topic of bar counters installed in kitchens is relevant to you. The article will present specific data on what it is, what kinds of counters exist, whether it is suitable for a small kitchen and whether it will fit into a spacious kitchen at home. And clear examples in the form of photos with designs will help to visually imagine how the bar counter will affect the interior of the room.

Bar counter for the kitchen: what, how and for what?

Not a small number of modern kitchens are equipped with such a design functional element as a bar counter. This is an oblong countertop, which originates from the wall or cabinet of the set, or is installed as a separate element of the kitchen room.

The essence of the bar counter in the kitchen is the same – to gather people for a quick snack or a glass of wine. Because of its small size, it is not suitable for lavish feasts. If the room is spacious, then this kitchen element is also designed for storing drinking utensils: glasses, glasses, cups. But if the counter is located in a miniature flat, then it is used as a dining table and cooking area.

In addition to its main purpose, the bar counter performs the following functions:

• save space in a small kitchen;
• separate the work zone and the living room.

If you have decided that in your kitchen this item should be, you need to decide on the following: whether to buy a ready-made version or to order according to your measurements. For non-standard on the layout of rooms or small kitchens, it is advisable to order a bar countertop. In other cases, you can pay attention to ready-made. It is important that it was in harmony with the overall design of the kitchen room.

Varieties of bar counters by type of construction

The bar counter for the kitchen will become a bright accent on its territory. In order for the overall design to be harmonious and bring its owners maximum comfort, it is necessary to choose a suitable modification of the bar countertop. And there are several such modifications:

• Classic. Preferable for spacious kitchens. Presented as an independent unit, independent of the rest of the furniture in the room. Located, such a counter can be anywhere, but not docked with the wall.
• Combined with a headset. Such a counter is typical for some models of kitchen sets and represents the continuation of the worktop, which slides out or unfolds. The length of the combined counter is small.
• The attachable design is appropriate for small kitchens. It represents a tabletop on a support on one side, and on the other side it rests on the wall. The location comes in two types: perpendicular to the wall and along it.

Varieties of bar counters by shape

This piece of kitchen furniture is varied in its shape:

• corner ones.
• in the form of the letter U.
• rounded.

These options are characteristic of both individual bar counters, and combined with the countertop of the kitchen set.

Is the bar counter compatible for a small kitchen?

In a small kitchen, literally every inch is valuable, so installing a bar is a win-win option. A small kitchen with a bar counter instead of a table solves several problems at once:

1. Highlighting the dining area.
2. An additional work surface.
3. A place to store small kitchen utensils.

Since the functionality of the rack is extensive, it should be as convenient as possible for the owners. First, its height should not be more than 90 cm. And to save more space it is worth choosing a bar counter either sliding/folding, or equipped with a lot of drawers and shelves for storing kitchen appliances.

Modern designs “turn” conventional bar countertops into full-fledged dining tables. And the design is so simple that it allows you to unfold the counter in seconds and also easily fold it back.

A small kitchen with a bar counter of simple design, that is, one that does not transform, will not lose in space-saving at least because it will allow using the space under it, for example, to store chairs. Located near the wall, the design will allow you to store under it and other large things.

Presented item of kitchen furniture perfectly writes in the room is not just small, and narrowed, in which to fit a regular table – a task impossible. But to set the bar counter will work. The design of “island” type, which is located separately from the set, will not work, but the models attached or combined will fit perfectly.

Design of kitchens with a counter by the window

Bar countertop, located at the window – this is another option that allows you to save space or at the expense of the window sill to expand its parameters. The owner of the kitchen gets a spacious dining table bar with a view of the street.

There are several modifications of racks near the window: 

• Window sill-based. In some apartments, window sills are so wide that they are already a bar counter. For a small kitchen, this is already a huge plus. It is enough to change the countertop for a more presentable and durable one, and if necessary add legs for greater stability. But even in this option is not excluded disadvantages. The layout of residential apartments is such that radiators are installed under the windows, which will cause discomfort to those sitting at the bar. In addition, it is not uncommon for window frames to let in a draft. If desired and financially possible, all these nuances can be eliminated. Some models of kitchen sets provide for countertops with a design to be placed on the window sill. In this case, you will need to raise the level of the window.
• Above the window sill. The kitchen with a bar by the window involves the installation of a countertop slightly higher than the level of the window sill, and the latter remains completely untouched.
• The wall type of bar implies a simple installation of an already finished structure near the window. If the window sill is not wide and does not go beyond the window cutout, the bar will stand along it and do not need to remove or cut anything. But if the boundaries of the bar countertop and window sill are different, then you will have to resort to overlaying the countertop on top of the sill to align and bring everything to the general appearance.

Kitchen interiors with a breakfast bar

The modular model is one of the simple counters, which is a narrow counter of the attached type. It does not shine in design sophistication, but it perfectly saves space and can be moved from one place to another.

“2 in 1” – a bar counter combined with a dining table. An interesting modification is the fact that one side of it is more elevated above the level of the other – this is the counter, and the opposite – the dining table. The object is bulky, so for small rooms will not suit.

For a kitchen that resembles the shape of the letter “U”, it is applicable to use both the dining table and the bar counter at the same time. However, such a combination is more likely to overload the interior. For more “lightness” it is better to give preference to a bar counter, which is either installed near a wall or window, or goes in conjunction with the kitchen set.

Interior with a bar counter for the kitchen of the form of the letter “G” will fit a small kitchen. The economy of space in this case is ensured.

Next we will present a kitchen with a bar counter in projects with photos in various designs.

Owners of a kitchen room in the trendy loft style will not find it difficult to choose a suitable bar counter. It should look in a minimalist design, not infrequently in a rough finish with a predominance of wood and stone.

A Provence style kitchen, delicate, refined and “blooming,” calls for a wood bar in delicate pastel or wood tones.

Elongated bar top will fit perfectly in the style of minimalism. Not overloading the interior, it will easily take on the functions of the dining table and storage space.

Bar counter in a studio apartment

Popular nowadays, studio apartments do not have a layout that divides the room into zones. And here a kitchen with a bar counter would be very helpful. The latter is suitable for separating the kitchen zone from the living room. And here you can let your imagination run wild, but not to the detriment of the rest of the space.

For the studio it will be more appropriate to put a multifunctional counter, which will not only replace the dining table, but will also serve as a place to store various kitchen utensils. Such designs imply the presence of many shelves. More often in such rooms install wall-mounted structures or stand-alone.

Bar for a private home

If the bar in a small kitchen can be called a necessity, in the spacious kitchens of residential houses it will be a stylish design solution. Here are a few options on how, with the help of a bar, you can stylishly transform the interior of the kitchen.

A glass countertop, leveled higher than the countertops of kitchen cabinets. This modification will not only give an expensive interior, but also allows you to connect the bar counter to the back of the kitchen cabinet of island type. There are models of glass multilevel, that is, which in addition to the main tabletop have small shelves. Bar of frosted or clear glass will look advantageous in any interior.

If the square of the kitchen at home allows it, you can install a closed type bar. It is a one-piece narrowed structure of an oblong type, resembling a bureau. Their advantage is that they allow you to place a larger number of people behind them or to arrange various kitchen items on its surface.

Semicircular bar counters at home from any kind of material will fully replace the dining table.

What materials are bar counters made of?

What the bar for the apartment kitchen is made of will affect its appearance, price durability and quality. To date, there are many materials, namely:

1. The cheapest option – particleboard. But the material allows you to imitate any expensive material, be it marble or stone. In the “wood” version, particleboard looks better, with the appearance being in perfect harmony with the material, while the look of marble and wood to the touch causes confusion. The quality of the material corresponds to the price.
2. Natural stone is expensive, durable, moisture-resistant. The price of the rack in this version is great, but by incorporating it into your interior, the owner will give it even more expensive. Pleasant to the touch, smooth cool surface is another plus of such countertops.
3. Acrylic or stone imitation. This is a suitable material for bar counters that are connected to the countertops of the set. Thanks to the smooth base, docking is carried out without seams, creating the appearance of a monolith of kitchen furniture.

Conclusion

As you can see from the article, the bar counter is not a fad, but a necessary piece of furniture for the kitchen. It costs inexpensive, but it solves a lot of problems created because of the size or layout of the room.