Bottoms Up! Celebrating the New Year in Style

The week between Christmas and New Year's Day is, historically, one filled with parties and fun outings, culminating in a big bash New Year's Eve (and quieter brunches and open houses on New Year's Day).

Our favorite celebrations are the ones that take place not out in a bar or restaurant, but at home. And our favorite homes are ones that are well-stocked for entertaining, with pantries full of fun snacks (we love these bacon-wrapped dates and these potato chips topped with goat cheese, red pepper jelly, and bacon) and well-stocked bars.

So in honor of the new year, we're checking out some of our favorite bar set-ups, like the one at the left. This room, which is designed by Amy Lau, has such a cool, retro look and - wow - what an amazing bar! We love the way it's hidden from view, but totally convenient. Love that cocktail cart, too.

We think the room is cozy as it is, but it would be even cozier with the addition of a throw pillow or two. We think the Kenya pillow in Brick Red, Burnt Orange, Blue Iris, and Ginger would pick up all the great colors in the space (check out the inside door of the bar) and give the room a little extra warmth:

Cocktail carts have such a great vibe, don't they? We love this one for its sharp angles and 1930's feel:

We also love those crazy birds (the owl, especially) on the black laquered plates hanging on the wall. They're perfect next to the strong red chair. We think they'd be even more perfect with an intense pendant lamp, like the Granted pendant in Black and Dark Goldenrod.

The goldenrod perfectly complements the warm elements of the pictures and the black keeps the overall look strong and powerful.

When we think about wet bars, our thoughts often go to spaces with a decidedly retro vibe - but bars come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. We think this serene butler's pantry makes for a great bar area: We love the cool color scheme and the subtle texture of the linen walls. Can you imagine a more peaceful spot to fix a New Year's morning mimosa?

In a space like this, lighting is especially important. After all, you need to see how your cocktail looks! We love all the natural light that huge window brings in during the day, but at night, we'd brighten up the spot with a three-pendant lamp in Robin's Egg Blue:

We love the way the blue works with the vase tucked in the corner of the room and we think the simplicity of the design complements the room as a whole.

We love making the most of every inch of the house, so we're always excited to find useful nooks tucked away in surprising places - like this small bar area, nestled in a large built-in armoire. We think the space might have been originally intended for a big TV, but the owners repurposed the spot when they upgraded to a flat panel.

Whatever its original use, we think turning the space into a bar is a fantastic way to turn "dead" space into something useful and attractive.

We like the dramatic black paint, too, but would like the walls even more with a cool pattern on the walls, like Yin Yang Paisley in Black and Silver:We think the paisley is even more dramatic than black paint alone - so it's perfect!

Whatever your plans for New Year's, we hope you have a happy and safe one!

[Photo credits: Bars from Houzz.com. Lamps, pillow, and wallpaper from Alluminare.]