Enhancing your kitchen bar can be fun, but as with any home improvement project, there’s still a couple of work involved. In fact, a poorly designed bar can do your kitchen more harm than good. How do you make sure your bar is up to the job? Here are some things to remember.

Bar types

You can purchase ready-made bars at several home improvement depots, but this only works if your kitchen is built to standard sizes. If you want full control over the design of your bar, it’s recommended to have it custom-made. There are four main designs to choose from:

Straight back bars are normally positioned at the far end of the kitchen area, stretching most, or all, of the back wall. Refreshments, bottles, glasses, and other items are contained in a cabinet built under the counter. There’s typically enough seating for three people in a straight row.

Back bars are comprised of three parts: a straight bar with under-counter storage, an open middle portion, and an over-the-counter shelf which can either be open or closed. Back bars make wonderful display pieces, so they’re a good choice if you want to show off your wine or glass collection.

L-type bars are set against a corner, making them a great work place and also as a resting area. They work best for little kitchens, which may not have enough space for an island-type fixture. The shorter side normally holds a sink and spigot.

Corner bars are the smallest and most space-efficient option. Most of them are just built-in cabinets made for storing drinks. It makes use of the bottom and top compartments, so you can store more with less floor space.

Countertops

The countertop is ordinarily the most striking feature of your kitchen bar. There are several countertop materials to choose from, but the most common are wood, laminate, and granite.

Wood countertops have a warm, rustic look that blends nicely with most kitchen themes. They hold up well as long as you don’t use them for regular kitchen work. Maintenance can be a problem, though, especially for light woods such as birch and pine. If you choose a wood countertop, expect to clean it every week and wipe the tops after every use.

Granite is the material of choice for most high-end kitchen bars. It is more expensive than wood, but will last for several years—some say a granite counter will last longer than the house itself. It comes in a wide range of shades, from jet black to pale white to vibrant reds, greens, and blues. There are also other stone types such as soapstone, marble, and engineered stone.

If you’re on a tight budget, a laminate countertop may be your best choice. Laminate is created from layers of craft paper pressed together to form a single dense material, and wrapped in a rigid, synthetic sheet. The top layer can be printed in any color and design, so you can easily match your kitchen décor. Faux wood prints are the most popular.

Bar Furniture

Naturally, no kitchen bar is complete without a great set of bar stools. You can have the bar stools made with the bar itself to ensure that you get the perfect match. Comfort should be your priority when selecting bar stools. Adjustable stands are practically essential, as every person prefers a different sitting position. Spacious seats with a bit of lower backrest are usually the most relaxing.

Another essential question is how many bar stools you need. You don’t need to provide seats for everyone; a jam-packed kitchen bar can look cluttered and unpleasant. As a general rule, leave at least twelve inches in between seats to provide every person ample arm and leg movement. Three or four stools should be enough for an average-sized kitchen bar.

I would have preferred brown leather pieces, but I got a great deal on the black set. My furniture is an expresso finish. I’ve seen this paired with black leather in other furniture (chairs and bar stools) and have seen a similar table paired with a black leather set and a rust colored carpet, so I know they can worh together, but dont know how best to “marry” the brown and black pieces. I’m guessing I should use throws and pillows, but not sure what colors would be best.

The sofa, loveseat and chair are black leather. Furniture is expresso. Walls are eggshell white. Carpeting is a taupe. (this is a rental so I’d prefer not to paint the walls)

What colors would be a good choice? Any suggestions where I can buy the throws and pillows?
Just to clarify the brown expresso furniture that I’m referring isn’t another couch or chair. The expresso pieces are wooden side tables, coffee table, and a tv stand.