Cheers to the Holidays: How to Set Up a Stylish Bar in a Small Space + A Holiday Cocktail Recipe

In this post – I’m sharing how I set up a festive holiday bar plus a favorite cocktail recipe.

Today I’m partnering with my blogging buddy MaryJo from Master”pieces” of my Life in our latest installment of Styled 2 Ways. We’re sharing fun ideas for styling a holiday home bar. Can’t wait to see what MaryJo is cooking up!

Be sure to check out her post A Festive Bar Styling Idea for the Holiday Season.You can also find her on Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook & @masterpiecesofmylife.com.

Setting Up a Home Bar Space

The holiday season is all about celebrating with loved ones, and what better way to keep the festivities alive than by having your own stylish bar setup? If you’re working with a small space, don’t worry—cozy corners can still shine with creativity and clever design. If you don’t drink alcohol, this set-up would also work well for a hot chocolate bar!

Select a Spot

If you don’t have any counter space to spare, a narrow console table in the hallway, a corner of your dining room, or even a bar cart tucked against a wall can become the perfect base. If you’re really tight on space, consider a tray-based bar that you can place on a countertop or shelf and move around as needed.

We have a small countertop on one side of our kitchen that we don’t need for food prep. It’s the perfect spot for setting up a bar area. For this project, I used things I already had, except for this adorable stag cocktail tool set from Pottery Barn that I just got on sale. Yay for Black Friday!

Pick a Theme

Since this is only our second Christmas in our Bay Area place, I’m still figuring out the best spots for our holiday decor. I plopped all the things I thought I might use for this project on the counter when unpacking our decorations. I used most of what you see here to create a winter wonderland scene.

Start With a Clean Slate

To start, I cleared everything off the counter and gave it a good wipe down. After that I placed a faux white fur runner down along the back of the counter top to mimic a snowy scene. No need to panic – it’s washable I have an extra one just in case. The front part of the counter top is still bare for mixing drinks. For a similar look you can also use some quilt batting for the snow.

Set the Scene

To add some height in the center of the display I tucked a long charcuterie board underneath the runner. I have a collection of bottle brush trees of various shapes and sizes that I like to display all together every year. I added a few of the trees on both ends of the counter and then spaced them randomly across the length of the counter.

Next, I added some ceramic houses that I’ve had for a few years now, plus an adorable little Santa I just love. I always display him with my tree collection.

Add the Spirits & Accessories

I filled the empty spots with bottles of spirits, some simple syrup and bourbon cherries. In the center I propped a cute Santa tray that I found at HomeGoods last year, with my new antler cocktail tool set in front of it. I also added some lowball glasses and cocktail napkins, a cocktail shaker and a stirring spoon. Some cute peppermint candy napkin rings were repurposed to dress up the bottles.

More Festive Flair

I have a collection of Rudolph ornaments that I’ve used in lots of different ways throughout the years. This year I decided to use them to add a fun touch to the bar area. I tied narrow velvet ribbons to the top of each and hung them under the cabinet with Command hooks. I love how they look!

With a little creativity and thoughtful planning, you can transform even the smallest space into a festive bar that will wow your guests. Cheers to creating memories, sharing laughter, and enjoying the holiday season in style—no matter how cozy your quarters!

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A Favorite Festive Cocktail

We love a good pomegranate cocktail and this one doesn’t disappoint, especially if you like whiskey drinks like we do.

What’s your go-to holiday cocktail? Share it in the comments below!

More Holiday Bar Inspiration!

Be sure to check out MaryJo’s post  A Festive Bar Styling Idea for the Holiday Season. She’s sure to inspire!

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