Ellen Pompeo's stunning home bar turns a 'risky' color choice into a bold, inviting statement
The home bar in the actress's home takes inspiration from North African design for a beautiful effect – and one color especially stands out
Spaces designed for entertaining should inspire conversation, and Ellen Pompeo's home bar does just that. The room incorporates a variety of different design styles with bold colors for a stunning, instantly impactful effect.
The Grey's Anatomy actress's home bar is a sight to behold. The space, in Pompeo's home designed by celebrity interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, incorporates a Moroccan-inspired theme. Behind the bar, an intricately carved, mirrored arch draws the eye up. Rows of shelves host all of Pompeo's alcohol, rehomed into stylish silver decanters. In front of the bar, a black lattice is mounted against the granite countertops. On top of the bar, Pompeo has silver tumblers and beautifully cut glassware. Bullard has paired the beauty of the space with the ultimate drink-mixing function.
The color scheme is also of note. The intricate latticework of the arch and wood on Pompeo's home bar setup is quite striking, and it's made even more so by one stunning color: black. Jennifer Ebert, color expert and digital editor at Homes & Gardens states: 'Black paint is an incredibly bold choice, and it can be risky. When not done right, black paint can end up making a room look overly dark or small.'
A post shared by Ellen Pompeo (@ellenpompeo)
A photo posted by on
Jen is the Editor (Digital) of Homes & Gardens. Before starting this position, she had completed various interior design courses at KLC Design School, as well as working across Ideal Home, LivingEtc, 25 Beautiful Homes and Country Homes & Interiors as an interiors writer.
She continues, 'In Ellen Pompeo's home bar, the choice to use black paint pays off. The contrast of the black woodwork against the beige granite countertop makes each color look more intense. In this space, black paint brings a modern touch to the traditional woodwork and countertop material, making the room look much more interesting and transitional style.'
Furthermore, the finish of the paint helps to balance Pompeo's home bar. Ebert says, 'The glossy finish of the black paint keeps the room from looking too dark.' She continues, 'It turns the arch from a light-absorbing feature to a reflective part of the room that brights brightness and space enhancing properties.
Shop Our Favorite Glassware
Whether it is a large bar room or a small home bar, building a bar space in your home starts with choosing the best glassware. Here are a few of our favorites.
Decorating a fun space like a home bar provides room to explore bolder and more striking design choices that might feel scary to make in a larger space. Being brave worked perfectly in Ellen Pompeo's home bar. Maybe, it's a sign to take a design risk.
Sign up to the Homes & Gardens newsletter
Design expertise in your inbox – from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups.
Sophie is a London-based News Editor at Homes & Gardens, where she works on the Celebrity Style team. She is fascinated by the intersection of design and popular culture and is particularly excited when researching trends or interior history. Sophie is an avid pop culture fan. As an H&G editor, she has interviewed the likes of Martha Stewart, Hilary Duff, and the casts of Queer Eye and Selling Sunset. Before joining Future Publishing, Sophie worked as the Head of Content and Communications at Fig Linens and Home, a boutique luxury linens and furniture brand. She has also written features on exciting developments in the design world for Westport Magazine. Sophie has an MSc from the Oxford University Department of Anthropology and a BA in Creative Writing and Sociology from Sarah Lawrence College.
-
HVAC pros reveal if you should close vents in unused rooms – the answer feels counter-intuitive but it's true
Closing them could overwork your system and actually COST you money
By Andy van Terheyden Published
-
6 things that make a yard look cheap, say garden designers – and how to avoid making these mistakes for a stylish plot in 2025
Garden experts reveal the dos and don'ts to help breathe fresh life into your yard
By Thomas Rutter Published