Setting the bar high

An intimate corner with an elegant bar cart and a cosy, layered blue setting makes for the perfect sophisticated spot.

Whether it’s a cocktail or a mocktail, everyone enjoys a cheeky glass to finish the week off. And what’s better than entertaining a tipple in your own home bar? To make your space elegant and sophisticated, layer tonal blues and incorporate metallic accents.

The walls in this graceful nook are painted in the mid-toned hue of Resene Seachange, a soft Scandinavian blue with a touch of slate grey. Mid-toned or mid-valued colours are in the middle of the tonal spectrum, neither light nor dark. Typically, these types of colours aren’t the first choice for large-scale use, but this elegant room is an example of how a mid-value wall colour can be rich and luxe when layered with lighter and darker tonal hues.

In this case, Resene Seachange is paired with another lighter mid-blue, Resene Awash, on the curved wall feature, and a smoky grey blue with a slight purple edge, Resene Rhino, on the table and pot plant. An even lighter blue with notes of lilac and grey, Resene Breathless, features on the floor to complete the elegant tonal look. This lively blue colour palette is repeated again in the photograph of the sea on the wall, which picks up on all these shades, plus a few more.

Metallic accents are the perfect choice to add a sophisticated and elegant look to a space, and in this room, brass has been utilised as such. It features on the dining chair legs, is picked up in the bar cart and repeated again in the accessories on the floating shelf – remember, if you want to make it a feature, repeating it three times in a space will help do so.

The bar cart itself has a distinct Art Deco vibe, which instantly makes sense in the richly blue space. The arch painted on the wall in Resene Awash also gives a nod to this glamorous era and serves to simultaneously define the area as a place to relax and enjoy oneself while working to link the other curved elements in the room together. From the table, to the pot, to the bar cart and finally the pendant lights, these rounded items bring a soft, welcoming vibe to the rich space.

Top tip

Not only will the incorporation of an arch create a reference point for the sinuous shapes that characterise the Art Deco movement, but it will also elongate your room through its tall, simple shape. A painted arch is also a fantastic way to separate one space from another, or to highlight one area, without making any structural changes to your home.

Indoor plants are a great addition to any room. In this space, in particular, the indoor plant helps to create an intimate, elegant vibe. If your plant’s pot doesn’t quite fit the aesthetic you’re leaning towards, a fresh coat of paint will do the trick. This pot is painted in Resene Rhino with a stripe in Resene Breathless and a triangle motif in Resene Awash. The shapes on the pot take their cues from the shapes found in the rug.

Top tip

If your pot plant is made of terracotta, apply a coat of Resene Aquapel & Terracotta Sealer to the interior and exterior to prevent water from penetrating the pot’s porous surface before using as is or painting in your favourite Resene paint colours.

Don’t be afraid to layer. This is your secret to a richly textured and sophisticated space. Whether it’s colour, accessories or furniture, adding depth and layers will help you to create the intimate bar space you need to retire to after a long week.

Project by Melle Van Sambeek. Images by Bryce Carleton. 2021