A home bar is the perfect way for you to enjoy your favourite tipple in comfort. Not only is it great for entertaining, you can design it to show off your personal style. Read on for a primer on building your own bar at home. Become the ultimate host or hostess, or just have an excellent place to kick back with a drink for yourself.
Location
Decide where your bar will go. The dining room, living room, or kitchen are popular locations, providing access to working surfaces for drink mixing. A basement or pool room also work, or up the ante of your backyard entertaining with an outdoor bar.
Think about how you will use your bar. Fond of making cocktails? Then a wet bar could be convenient, and you may need to get a plumber to set up running water and drainage. For drinks that require refrigeration, ensure you can connect to a power source. Consider protecting your walls from happy hour mess with a tiled backsplash.
If you’re having guests, will they be sitting at the bar, or will you relocate to another room in your home? This will determine the furnishing needs for your bar area.
Space
How big will your bar be? Is there an unused nook in your home where a small bar could fit?
Traditional L-shaped bars take up a lot of room. You can save space by setting your bar against the wall. A full back bar looks professional but may not be necessary for your needs.
Island bars allow for your freedom of movement and can be easily set up if an island has already been built into your kitchen.
Do a run through of how you’ll use your bar. Test where you think you’ll stand to plan convenient supply placement and a comfortable counter and shelf height.
If you’re renting and can’t install new cabinetry, you can purchase a freestanding bar as a movable option. If you’re short on space, a bar cart is compact and portable.
Storage
Built-in storage looks impressive but it is the most expensive option. If you go down this avenue, you can contract a carpenter to create something customised for your space.
For alternatives, try using tables, free-standing cabinets, or book shelves. Cabinets with windows are a great way to display your glassware without it accumulating dust. Even objects like old suitcases can be converted into quirky liquor storage solutions.
Style
When designing the look of your home bar, you don’t have to follow a theme, and doing so could even be inadvisable as the theme might age badly. This is your chance to inject some personality, whether you’re into the classic pub aesthetic of dark timber floors and walls or something more contemporary.
Look to your favourite watering holes for inspiration, or gather ideas from interior design blogs or TV shows and movies. Give your bar some pizzazz with some accessories. Hunt through antique stores and op-shops to find pieces with character. Your bar is meant to be enjoyed, so start with some essentials you’ll love (that goes for liquor, too) and cultivate your bar with additions over time.