If you like to unwind by sipping on a drink after a long day at work, then you most likely don’t mind a home bar to welcome you home. While building a proper home bar sounds like an uphill task, all you need is a budget and a plan.
Plus, it’s a good way to make new friends and meet colleagues outside of work.
And not only that, a home bar is the perfect setting if you want to learn how to mix drinks and fashion cocktails, all in the comfort of your home.
In this article we have mentioned everything from elements you can use to enhance the bar, to what kind of bitters and spirits you should definitely own!
Setting
1. Under the stairs
Contrary to the Dursleys, who used the stairs to make room for Harry Potter, you can use the area beneath the staircase in your house to add a cabinet for drinks and a shelf for glassware. Add a countertop and some bar stools to complete the look and voila! A cute and compact little bar to entertain your friends and family.
2. Balcony corner
Who doesn’t want to sip pina coladas while enjoying a good view? If you happen to have a balcony with a picturesque view, consider having an outdoor bar or drinks mixing station, it doesn’t get better than this.
3. Just a tray
Pretty bottles don’t need to be stashed away! Keep your collection out in the open on a tray in your dining or living room atop a dresser or cabinet.
4. With a drinks trolley or bar cart
A bar on wheels is a simple way to arrange drinks, and glasses and can be wheeled wherever you want it to be. A drinks trolley keeps the glam factor high and is also simple to store. To up the ante, consider adding some crystal decanters and silver ice buckets.
5. On the shelves
Utilise the living room shelves to display a custom bar. With integrated drawers and a mix of open and closed storage, there’s lots of room to store your liquor without giving up floor space.
How to upscale your home bar?
If you want to go for a club-like ambience, you need to spend on upscale furnishings, animal print carpeting or mats, and snazzy art, simply having drinks and fancy glasses won’t do it. Here’s some ways you can amp up your game.
1. Wallpapers
A painted brick theme wall can be used for a warehouse-like aesthetic. Another pro tip? Utilise a mirror over the buffet to increase the appearance of space, and adding gold accents will light up your room and give it a swanky party vibe.
Make sure the bar area has enough space to let you socialise and entertain your guests and that there are enough places to sit and chill. Having a foosball table or little table for snacks will make your mini bar seem more inviting.
2. Must-have bitters
Bitters are fragrant additives that will truly enhance the overall drinking experience; only a tiny pinch and you’ll be feeling on top of the world in no time. Bitters can be added to cocktails such as the Manhattan and whiskey sour, as well as sodas. Keep classic bitters like Angostura, Regan’s Orange, Peychauds, and Bittermens on hand; and you can build the perfect cocktail and have a memorable night.
3. Must-have bar tools
As you delve deep into the art of mixology, and experiment with various spirits, its important to have the right tools to get started. You need to have tools that are practical and stylish when you pour out drinks for your guests
Shakers: Shakers are the most common and easy tools to use, you can get one with a silver or copper finish, whichever suits your aesthetic. Many bartenders suggest buying shakers from Cocktail Kingdom which are efficient and are perfect for beginners.
Seamless Mixing Glass: A sturdy glass that you can use to mix beverages in without worrying about breaking it is a must-have purchase. Make sure the glass has a spout so you can pour without making a mess.
Fine mesh strainer: Use a fine mesh strainer to keep the citrus pulp and little ice chips out of your shaken cocktails so they don’t wind up in the glass and spoil the appearance of your drink.
Microplane: Whether you’re zesting oranges or grating chocolate, a microplane will help you add a touch of refinement to your delicious concoctions.
4. Must have spirits
A bar isn’t complete without the essentials: gin, rum (for making mojitos and daiquiris), whisky, bourbons, vodka, sodas for mixing, and champagne for special occasions.
Make your drinks with freshly squeezed fruit juices, making sure to squeeze the juice just before using it.
In summary
You can set up a home bar in pretty much any space around the home. Whether that is as part of your garage, kitchen or dining area, or making use of smaller spaces.
And of course, every bar should come well stocked with great drinks and your home bar is no different.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to setting up a home bar. Let us know your own experiences in the comments below 🙂
