After a long day, it’s always a joy to find my favorite spot to indulge in a cocktail. Sometimes I’ll order an Aperol Spritz, and other times, I’m in the mood for a dirty martini with blue cheese olives.

When I travel to a new place, I love sitting at the bar in a chic hotel. Not only to take in the local flair, but to submerge myself in stylish surroundings. Here, I’ve designed a mood board that looks like the kind of bar where I’d like to sit down, relax, and raise a glass with my friends.

This white-and-aqua palette draws its coloring from the beauty of the sky above a cityscape or over the ocean’s white-capped water. A wallpaper ground mimics agate in those same watery and earthy hues. I imagine this to be used on the back walls of the bar, assuming that the front is open for all to see. Don’t hesitate to apply a coordinating tile like this geometric version in ice blue to protect the backsplash from those artful ombre cocktails. A wonderful granite with veins of blue will serve as a durable and dreamy surface for drinks and bowls of nuts. Here’s a quick tip: some great friends and I collect hotel ashtrays for each other, and here I’ve used one for snacks.

Sand tones are a natural against this wallpaper. I’ve brought in textural and woodsy swatches that would make a casual floor. And a swanky bar always has a leather moment. Whether it boasts a smooth finish or is a tactile hair-on-hide, this material is sure to cover bar stool seats with a handsome kick.

Of course, the best of bars always has all those wonderful moments of bling by way of stirrers, spoons, sticks, chic glasses, and a good-looking beaker. A favorite of mine in this scheme is a shiny brass bottle opener studded with a green stone. When setting up a bar at home, choose cocktail napkins that are a little cheeky and reflect your favorite color. I go back and forth between ones that are embroidered with pink zebras, and ones that bear my initials. Guests always love to pinch a box of matches with great graphics, so I keep them on hand and accessible.