Designer Annsley McAleer Transforms an Extra Room Into a Private Bar
The Boston-based interior maestro readies a Cape Cod home for a season of summer entertaining with a stylish new cocktail bar.
Photo by Michael J. Lee
When a family of four tapped interior designer Annsley McAleer to update their Osterville summer home, they knew they needed to create a space that could handle a seasonal influx of visitors. “The house is generally a hub of activity,” says McAleer, who crafted an aesthetic that was airy, fun, and simple. Among the core goals was making the house functional for the family and houseguests. McAleer’s creative solutions included turning an extra room off the kitchen and family room into a chic bar area.
The homeowners were admittedly in favor of a greener color palette for the home, “but the husband had his heart set on a navy grasscloth,” McAleer says. So they went with a textured Phillip Jeffries wallcovering for the bar space, as well as custom marble-topped cabinets that match those in the adjoining kitchen. Industrial shelves made by Rhode Island–based Palmer Industries show off the family’s eclectic glassware collection, and brass sconces and hardware accent the bar.
As for the furniture, a pair of Chelsea Textiles chairs made in India (“They took a long time to make it across the ocean,” McAleer says) complement a Made Goods “Jada” coffee table crafted from hand-laid banana bark and make for an ideal entertaining space. “This room is really multi-functional because there is a game table and chairs, as well as direct access to the pool,” McAleer says. “[The bar] is the perfect spot to kick back with a friend and have a cocktail or play cards.”
Interior Designer
Annsley Interiors
First published in the print edition of Boston Home’s Spring 2023 issue.
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