40 Outdoor Bar Ideas For Festive Entertaining

Use Upcycled Bar Stools

This backyard pool house bar from Newport Beach, California based Raili CA Design has a lift-up window and a trio of tree trunk bar stools that add personality and rustic chic style to the outdoor space.

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Skip the Bar Stools

lounge style outdoor bar ideas — Design by Breeze Giannasio Interiors / Photo by Meghan bob Photography

This outdoor bar from Breeze Giannasio Interiors skips the bar stools and includes a comfortable lounge seating area set up around an outdoor fireplace instead. Throw pillows, upholstered seating, a framed painting over the mantel, and a pair of pendant lights defining the bar area makes the covered open air space feel like an outdoor living room.

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Add Boho Style

boho style outdoor bar ideas — Design by Interiors Tulum

Interior designer Mina Duque of Tulum, Mexico-based Interiors Tulum grew up between Casablanca, Morocco and Los Angeles, and this outdoor bar illustrates her Moroccan-inspired take on modern boho style with its combination of clean lines, mixed finishes, Moroccan tiles on the bar island front, and woven accents and decor.

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Install Accordion Windows

indoor outdoor bar ideas — Mark Langos Interior Design / Photo by Meghan Beierle-O’Brien

This corner pool house bar and kitchenette from Los Angeles-based Mark Langos Interior Design has a sink, stove top, oven, and a glass front fridge for beverages. Natural materials like stone, wood, and rattan blend in seamlessly with the natural landscape. White subway tiles, black-framed windows, and dishware add a crisp modern touch. Accordion windows open up all the way when in use to the open terrace and pool house. Outdoor seating facing in toward the kitchen creates an intimate feel for drinks and casual meals.

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Add Colorful Bar Stools

colorful outdoor bar ideas — Michelle Berwick Design

This colorful Canadian outdoor bar shack from Michelle Berwick Design is part of a Georgian Bay, Ontario family cottage. With its simple lines, medium blue painted wood siding, and bright red bar stools, the outdoor bar is a cozy and inviting place to share a drink.

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Install Peninsula Seating

cabana style outdoor bar — Michelle Boudreau Design

This outdoor bar from Michelle Boudreau Design has a chunky waterfall style peninsula that is a comfortable place for drinks and casual meals. The L-shaped layout makes room for bar stools on both sides of the bar to create additional seating around the pool.

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Add a Fire Pit

contemporary outdoor bar ideas — Seed Studio Landscape Design / Travis Rhoads Photography

This San Francisco outdoor bar and lounge area from Seed Studio Landscape Design is built for entertaining, with a central gathering space that includes a fire pit and arbor-covered bar with a fold-down TV for watching sporting events. The cool gray tones of the entertaining space contrasts nicely with the wood fencing and surrounding greenery, creating a sophisticated setting for gathering with friends and family.

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Choose a Garden Setting

This outdoor garden bar designed by Surrey, England-based Rhiannon Williams of Landform Consultants was conceived for a couple. Inspired by the gardens of the Hotel Alma in Barcelona, the outdoor bar celebrates the joys of al fresco living in an urban garden setting.

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Install a Hinged Window

outdoor bar — Design by Studio Life/Style / Photo by Stephen Busken

This chic, understated pool house bar from Studio Life/Style has black wire bar stools that virtually disappear into the blackened facade and a hinged window that opens up to create an indoor-outdoor feel.

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Step It Up

stylish outdoor bar ideas — Design by Ghislaine Vinas / Photo by Garrett Rowland

This Montauk, NY beach house from interior designer Ghislaine Viñas has a fully stocked sunken poolside bar that is a few steps down from the pool. The indoor-outdoor space features a Greek key awning that gives it classic polish and a foosball table just for fun.

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Highlight the View

outdoor bar with a view — Officine Gullo

This penthouse rooftop bar and grill from Florence, Italy-based Officine Gullo is oriented to take full advantage of the wide open Los Angeles views. The well equipped set-up includes a built-in wine cellar, ice chest, and dishwasher with polished chrome finishes.

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Keep It Light and Bright

This light and bright painted brick outdoor patio bar and grill from Marie Flanigan Interiors has a timeless and polished look that will never go out of style.

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Add Bistro-Style Stools

This pastel green pool house cabana bar from Christina Kim Interior Design has a row of bistro-style bar stools that add some timeless French charm to the New Jersey backyard setting.

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Make It Freestanding

This Ibiza home outdoor bar and grill from Fantastic Frank is located steps from the pool patio, a separate structure with a covered roof that feels like its own destination.

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Keep It Minimalist

This minimalist wet bar from interior designer Maite Granda is located on a spacious Florida balcony, with a sink and plenty of counter space for setting up cocktails with a minimum of fuss.

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Make It Family-Friendly

This outdoor bar from Mel Bean Interiors is part of a large indoor-outdoor family home that includes a dining table, lounge space, and kitchen bar area that faces in toward the main kitchen, with a glass-front refrigerator stocked with kid-friendly drinks.

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Open It Up

This outdoor bar from interior designer Susan Spath of Kern & Co. is connected to the main living space. A crisp black-and-white palette flows with the rest of the decor, and contemporary black-framed glass windows can be closed after last call.

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Add Retro Glamour

This Surrey, England outdoor bar from Officine Gullo recalls a more glamorous era with its generous proportions, classic marble flooring, white and polished chrome cabinetry, and a decked out prep area that contains everything from a beer dispenser to an ice chest.

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Consider the Elements

This sprawling outdoor kitchen, lounge, and bar space from Lisa Kahn Designs is ready for all kinds of entertaining, built beneath an airy wood-clad roof structure that allows groups to socialize in comfort protected from the harsh Florida sun (and sudden rainstorms).

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Style the Bar Shelves

This indoor-outdoor bar from Christina Kim Interior Design has a bar counter on the outside and a stocked bar area on the inside complete with shelves that are stocked with essentials and styled with photographs and decorative objects.

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Add String Lights

outdoor bar with string lights — Seed Studio Landscape Design / Travis Rhoads Photography

A freestanding wood bar in a San Francisco backyard from Seed Studio Landscape Design is part of a larger entertaining space complete with a farm style table and lounge space. Edison bulb string lights and a concrete fire pit add warmth on chilly Northern California evenings.

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Create a Bar and Grill

This luxurious Beverly Hills outdoor bar and grill from Officine Gullo is located at a private residence but designed like a restaurant, with extras like warming drawers, a pantry and wine cellar, a dishwasher, and plenty of storage to keep it looking organized and chic.

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Add a Shady Pergola

This poolside bar and grill from Maestri Studio is set beneath a shady pergola, with an outdoor TV mounted on the stone wall behind the bar for those who can’t tear themselves away from the game.

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Start with a Bar Cart

budget outdoor bar — Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Tramp-Ligorria

If you’re working with a small space or still saving up to build an outdoor bar, there’s no shame in setting up a nicely styled rolling bar cart like this one from Emily Henderson Design.

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Add Woven Accents

This crisp and modern patio space from Christina Kim Interior Design features an indoor-outdoor bar with seating for five, and a large dining table for eight. A mix of white finishes and woven accents adds cohesion and contrasts with the gray stone flooring.

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Screen It In

screen porch outdoor bar — Design by Martha O’Hara Interiors / Photo by Spacecrafting

Depending on the climate and insect situation where you live, you might want to consider installing your outdoor bar on a screened porch. This summer home in Maple Lake, MN from Martha O’Hara Interiors has a spacious screened porch that includes an outdoor bar counter facing the interior, plus a dining table and lounge area with a fireplace and TV.

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Modernize the Farmhouse

Blogger Leslie Saeta from My 100 Year Old Home used leftover brick from a chimney demolished in a home renovation more than 20 years ago to build an outdoor bar and cooking station that matches the rest of the backyard brick patio.

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Sideline It

This pool house from Maestri Studio is reached by a winding path, with an outdoor terrace that comprises a bar and grill tucked away on the side so it’s out of the way while staying within close reach.

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Use Upcycled Materials

Blogger Leslie Saeta from My 100 Year Old Home also used leftover slate from a renovation of the mudroom, bathroom, and craft room to build an outdoor bar and cooking station.

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Try Moody Finishes

This Southern California outdoor bar from Raili CA Design demonstrates that your lounge space doesn’t have to be bright and coastal. The moody outdoor space mixes brown wood, black and gray stone, and cognac leather bar stools to create a relaxing feel.

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Add Privacy

This backyard lounge space from NYC-based New Eco Landscapes has bar seating as well as an adjacent lounge area under a shady pergola with a built-in ceiling fan to keep cool during hot summer nights.

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Go Rustic

This impromptu outdoor bar from Raili CA Design can be rolled out and set up when it’s time to entertain, and stowed away when the party is over.

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Keep Your Options Open

This dedicated pool house bar from The Novogratz is modern and cool, with its dramatic veined marble, pale wood flooring, open shelving, black-and-white wall photography, and a wall of glass and black metal bifold doors that give it an open indoor-outdoor feel.

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Mix Concrete and Wood

This backyard bar and grill from Blakes London has bar seating around a built-in waterfall edge concrete bar counter clad in wood that adds warmth and contrast.

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Create a Bar Corner

This spacious Florida kitchen from interior designer Maite Granda includes a corner bar area with storage for refreshments, plenty of counter space, and a sink. A long table under a glass and metal skylight roof can serve as a place to sip a cocktail in a rainstorm as well as enjoy a family meal.

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Hang It Up

If you don’t have the space for a dedicated outdoor bar, take inspiration from Jess Bunge, who designed this outdoor terrace for Emily Henderson Design. The simple and budget-friendly set-up includes a pegboard shelf that houses a minibar with glassware and a few choice bottles located next to a rattan table and small lounge area.

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Keep Clutter Out of Sight

This outdoor bar and grill area from interior designer Maite Granda is built to the side of a Florida backyard that allows the clutter to be hidden from the adjoining outdoor living room and poolside lounge space.

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Install a Live Edge Bar Counter

This rustic outdoor bar from West Sussex, England-based Randell Design Group has a live edge bar counter that gives it a one-of-a-kind look, complemented with natural wood siding, vintage bar stools, and black metal sconces.

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Use Dramatic Stone

This sleek outdoor bar from Studio KT uses slabs of dark gray marble with dramatic veining to contrast with the expansive pale stone patio.

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Own the Kitsch

And for those who like a theme, take a page from Lisa Kahn Designs and go all out with a nostalgic nautical-style outdoor bar that will make your backyard feel like your own private theme park, delighting kids of all ages and making guests feel relaxed and ready for a good time.