DIY Basement Speakeasy Bar and Lounge

One Room Challenge - The Basement Bar & Lounge

I took on quite the big project for the One Room Challenge: a complete DIY basement wet bar build and a bold basement lounge space with a DIY fireplace. I spent countless late nights and weekends working on the design, construction and styling of the space and it’s almost hard to believe it’s finally done.

Spoiler: I’m obsessed with the finished space!

Before we get to the good stuff, let’s start with a look at the original state of the basement…

basement before — Before

We had the basement finished as part of our home build, meaning the drywall and floors were complete and the plumbing and electric were roughed in for the bar. Other than that, the space was a blank canvas.

modern speakeasy bar design — MODERN SPEAKEASY BAR DESIGN

I knew I wanted a speakeasy / art deco vibe in the bar space. It was a chance to step outside of my normal design comfort zone and lean into deep colors, warm metals and dark wood tones. I wanted it to feel elevated beyond the typical home bar so it would really feel like a special escape or a boutique hotel bar.

BASEMENT LOUNGE DESIGN
I wanted to continue the elevated vibe and rich tones into the lounge space, but I wasn’t quite ready to paint the entire basement dark. So I carried the Farrow & Ball Hague Blue over to the back wall as an accent. An extra wide DIY electric fireplace was always on my list of mandatories. As for the furniture and decor, it was a fun exploration of high quality pieces and family-friendly fabrics that could withstand nacho cheese spills and still look sexy. In keeping with the trend of designing outside my comfort zone, I challenged myself to use playful pattern, brass metals — oh and velvet (for the first time!)

— THE DIY PROJECTS —

Before I serve up eye candy of the finished space, I’ll fill you in on the key DIY projects to watch for…

Front bar and waterfall wood countertop — I designed and constructed the entire front bar and prep bar out of wood and sourced the stunning walnut wood for the waterfall countertop from Kettle Moraine Tree Services.
DIY antique mirror backsplash wall
Installation of tin ceiling tiles — gifted by American Tin Ceilings
Refinishing of pool table — purchased on facebook marketplace
DIY electric fireplace — featuring the absolutely stunning, statement-making Ignite Linear Fireplace XLF60 from Dimplex (gifted) and a Portola Paints roman clay finish. I plan to write up a blog post with more of this process soon!

You can find detailed steps for these projects on my Instagram stories. Feel free to comment below with any questions or shoot me a DM on Instagram!

THE FINISHED BASEMENT BAR & LOUNGE

DIY Basement Bar Design and Renovation — Partner Sources Pictured: Farrow & Ball Paint in Hague Blue, American Tin Ceiling tiles, Iron Abode brass and glass hanging cafe shelves, BLANCO sink and faucet UNIT, Emtek hardware, Cafe Appliances, Loloi Rug, Blueprint Lighting, Edloe Finch sofa, Dimplex fire insert, Minted art, Kardiel chairs

Tin Ceiling & Hanging Brass Cafe Shelves

When I think of a speakeasy design, I think of tin ceilings. American Tin Ceilings provided the most beautiful, handmade tiles for our space and I love how the design is both modern and classic. My husband and I installed the whole ceiling in just a few hours!

Chic hanging shelves were one of the first items in my design plan for the bar. They were a feature in every snazzy boutique hotel bar I had saved to my mood board and they totally take the space to a level above the typical home DIY. Iron Abode gifted two of their Riviera Glass Units to make the dream a reality. I cannot say enough about the handcrafted, custom quality of these American-made shelves. I kept repeating, “Wow… wow!” to myself as I unboxed and installed them (which was easy-peasy!)

I built the back wet bar with IKEA cabinets and then fancied them up with satin brass hardware provided by Emtek. I was so excited to pair the wide pulls and extra hunky knobs with backplates to make them feel even more substantial! It’s like jewelry for the bar. I also love how the Loloi Layla Brick/Blue runner warms up the back bar space and gives a vintage vibe.