If you enjoy stirring up your own cocktails, or the idea of having a home bar excites you, or if you love having friends over for a drink, this article is for you.
Setting up an elegant bar at home can be incredibly exciting, but stressful at the same time. These are a few pointers for you to keep in mind: after that, it is just about choosing the right elements for your home bar, and you are good to go!
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Firstly, these are few of the tips you need to keep in mind before setting up your bar furniture:
- Flooring: You can use light wooden flooring, ceramic or porcelain tiles to demarcate your bar area.
- Painting: The paint as the backdrop of your home bar is very important in bringing out the ambience You can consider subtle tones or metallic wallpapers for the bar area
- Panelling: You can also use veneer panels to add more dimension and texture to your bar walls
- Consider investing in a bar cabinet. If you are planning on a bar table, you can consider having contrasting bar stools or chairs.
- Use apt lighting for the home bar area
- Bar cabinets are of various sizes and types, so be cognizant of the type of bar cabinets you invest in
- Make sure the bar is placed in a relatively cooler place. Spirits generally require cool ambient temperatures. You can consider investing in a wine cooler, if required.
Types of Bar areas at home
There are two main types of home bars - a wet bar and a dry bar:
A dry bar:
A dry bar is designed to hold and store all barware. This includes liquor bottles, glasses, and other accessories (such as shakers and mixers). Dry bars also have a fridge which is used to store beer and wine. The main feature of a dry bar is that it does not come with a sink. It can be built into a room (such as your living room) or can be completely mobile (as a portable bar cart). It is suitable for smaller number of people. The biggest advantage is that it can be located in any part of the house and is ideal for smaller groups of people. In most cases, a dry bar should suffice for your needs.
A wet bar:
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A wet bar is complete with a sink and all the paraphernalia that a dry bar has. Such a bar easy to clean up if drinks are spilled. It provides more amenities to prepare drinks. Of course, these spaces are more expensive than dry bars and cannot be shifted around the house.
Space required for a bar
The size of the bar depends on the space you have available in your house for your home bar. You can make home bars in several styles, such as:
- A separate room with a bar and other amenities (such as pool table, TV or a video gaming zone)
- Bar counter styles: U-shaped, L-shaped or a curved bar counter
- Bar within a small cabinet for smaller spaces
Design Styles
You can choose how you want the home bar to look: The feel of the bar must match the feel around the house so it does not look out of place. You can go for a modern, traditional or transitional look, depending on your tastes! Some design tips include:
- Use mirror backsplashes to boost the sophistication in your home bar
- Customise your bar as per your requirements. For instance, you can have a hidden door in your kitchen with a small bar cabinet if you have a smaller home. This will also boost the mystery and amp up the intrigue amongst your guests!
- The positioning of your home bar is equally vital. A good home bar can be strategically positioned near the living room or the kitchen, so it is easier for you to coordinate the drinks for your guests during the party!
- You can add spare shelves in the bar to increase storage space for your glasses and other bar accessories
- Disguised bar consoles are deceptive, yet fun. This allows you to have a normal functioning space which can be flipped into a bar
- Purchase a bar cart to increase mobility of your drinks during a party at your house
- You can use customised wallpaper (such as metallic wallpaper) if you have a separate area for your home bar, to distinguish it easily as your bar space
- If you are a wine connoisseur, you can consider investing in a wine cellar to place adjacent to your bar cabinet
- The accoutrements are essential in a home bar! This includes cigars, cigar boxes, ashtrays, bottle openers or unique glasses which you can show to your guests, making for fun conversation starters
Types of Bar furniture
Mini Bar
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A mini bar seamlessly combines style and storage. Fancy a barbeque party with a side of customised drinks? Then, this one is the perfect option for you. A mini bar comes with many advantages:
- It has great flexibility as it can be moved wherever required without much hassle.
- Mini bars are budget-friendly! If you’ve got a tight budget but still fancy a mini bar at home, this is a great option.
- Mini bar helps store every essential bar equipment in one place and in an organized manner. Shakers, jiggers and a hawthorn strainer - All of them can be found in a single place
Bar Trolleys
Bar trolleys make serving drinks a lot easier when the party is huge. Simply whip up the many drinks that need to be served, and roll your trolley over to the guests! Bar trolleys come in a plethora of designs and styles from a basic metal bar cart to a beautiful rose gold cart. This means that anyone can buy a bar cart that fits their space as well as their budget!
Benefits of a bar trolley:
- Bar trolleys are not only an incredibly functional piece of bar furniture, but they also make a style statement! Minimalistic, rustic or luxurious, there are a number of designs available to fit every decor.
- Another added advantage of a bar trolley is their versatility. These bar trolleys can be turned into a bar when needed but can also be used as a bedside table when not in use!
- Bar trolleys have an ample amount of storage space which helps keep all the bar essentials within a neat space. Plus, if and when this trolley gets converted into a makeshift bedside table, storing your bedtime essentials wouldn’t be any trouble
Bar chairs/stools: If you are going to set up a home bar, bar stools or chairs are a must! But when you look at the internet or go to a store, there are several options which can confuse you. These are some of our tips in picking the right bar chairs and stools:
- Ensure the height of the bar chairs matches with the bar table or the countertop. The maximum difference that you can afford to have between the height of your bar chairs and your table is 300m. Also, focus on the height of the arms of the chairs so your guests aren't uncomfortable sitting on them!
- Pick features which suit your fancy for your home bar. This can range from backless bar stools/chairs to rotatable chairs
- The color of your bar stool must be complementary to your bar space, and muted colors work well in such cases. These can be white, off-white, black or brown
- You can use your creativity to pick creative designs for your bar stools. This can help you show off your style and aesthetic at home
Bar table/countertop: You can buy bar tables which can complement your bar stools and your overall room. The material of such tables can vary based on what you like:
- You can also use laminates or veneers which are basically thin layers of wood. Although they are beautiful to look at, they are not very resistant to chipping
- Some other materials you can use for your bar table are faux leather, glass, marble and granite
- Other than this, you can also consider premium materials such as marble, onyx, granite or quartz for your bar countertop
Bar shelves: Bar shelves can be of many types and you can customise these according to your needs and wants. You can add additional shelves as and when required. You can also add a center shelf with some art pieces and expensive liquor bottles which you can break out during special occasions!
Lighting: Lighting transforms the vibe of your home bar. Consider investing in layered lighting and soft lighting, or even include lights in your bar cabinet! Some styles of lighting for your home bar can be:
- Recessed lighting
- Rope lighting
- Light pendants above bar counter
If you already have a fair idea of how you want your bar area to be, this article will help you finalize your plans and work on the design. Remember, a flashy bar area is not a must in every home and that you can find ways to convert a small nook into a subtle bar.