Whether fun or formal, create a functional space for food and drinks to help you entertain. A home bar can be placed almost anywhere in your home and be personalized to your style. Make it as simple or elaborate as you need.
Bars are most commonly located in areas of your home used to entertain: kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms, basement rec rooms or garage man caves. A home office may also be a good choice, recalling the decades when cocktails were common office supplies.
You may not need a lot of space if you only mix up the odd after-work drink. If you regularly host friends and family, though, you may need a longer countertop to serve a spread of beverages and snacks.
From a practical perspective, selecting a location near existing plumbing and electrical will reduce costs if you intend to install a bar sink and appliances.
Cabinets and cabernets
Cabinets and countertops are the most versatile to accommodate a mixture of storage, appliances and plumbing.
- Storage: Showcase or conceal and protect everything from glassware to bottles to utensils with a mix of solid doors, glass doors and open shelves. Use a built-in wine rack to store your favourite bottles.
- Appliances: Depending on size, bars can contain fridges, microwaves, TVs and even dishwashers.
- Plumbing: Conceal plumbing for a bar sink or the setup for your beer tap.
Home bars are a common place to gather. If you have the space, play bartender with an island or serving counter with stools. This can be a permanently fixed structure or moveable piece of furniture.
On the rocks
Use warm wood grains to provide the intimacy of the neighbourhood pub or cool stone and glass for a contemporary look. Either way, there should be some consistency between the bar and the rest of your home.
Think about what material you will use as a backsplash between upper and lower cabinets or on the entire wall if you are using open shelves or nothing at all. You can paint an accent wall with a bold colour or chalkboard paint or install tile, barn board or even stone.
Consider installing LED lighting to highlight any special features of the bar. Not only do LEDs stay cooler, preventing bottles and glasses from heating up, certain products have the ability to change colours to create moods for any season.
If you’re not ready to make the leap into a reno, consider a smaller home project. Place a narrow table against the wall and install shelves above it. Or transform a small unused closet into a feature space by painting the walls a dramatic colour and installing shelves to hold bar elements.
No matter the style, a home bar is practical for entertaining and is something you should enjoy. Just don’t make it too nice otherwise your guests may never leave. Cheers!
