5 Ways To Set Up A Home Bar (by: Leanne Brooks)
Drinking is such a universal human past time that different kinds of alcohol exist all around the world. While many opt to drink in social situations, others prefer a glass or two at home after a day’s work. In this instance, it’s better to store alcohol and barware equipment at home for easy drink mixing. A home bar is a great way to store and organize drinks and bar equipment. Here are a few home bar ideas that might get your started.
- Bar Cart
If you’re pressed for space at home and could simply not afford to build a bar, or you just prefer a bar that’s mobile and easy to maintain, a bar cart is going to be perfect. There are a lot of bar carts available for purchase online and in furniture stores. They come in a variety of finishes and styles. A cart can be an ideal area for making drinks, especially for informal events. Since bar carts are open, it’s important that it be organized well and correctly.
- Console Table Home Bar Ideas
If you have an extra console table lying around useless or found one that’s cheap usable, that can be converted into an awesome home bar. The numerous cabinets and drawers are perfect for storing bottles, glasses, and other equipment for mixing drinks. A console table/bar will come in handy if you have a lot of bartending tools that need proper storage. When not in use, you can put lamps and vases on the console table to keep it functional.
- Bookshelf
The same way a console table can become an awesome home bar, a bookshelf with all its available shelf space can also be a great way to store bottles, decanters, bitters, and other drink essentials. Just arrange the items accordingly so it doesn’t look disorganized and messy. If you don’t have a whole bookshelf to convert into a bar, you can go simple and dedicate a tray on top of a piece of furniture. Add a bit of decor around the tray like picture frames and other knick-knacks if you don’t want your drink tray to be the focal point.
- Built-in Bar
A built-in wet bar is what many people aspire to have for a home bar. It means there’s foresight in including the plan during the construction of the house. With this, there’s really no excuse not to practice your mixology skills. Make sure your wet bar has all the essentials. It has to have enough space to store all the bottles and decanters. It also needs to have a rack for hanging a bar towel and a dedicated sink to rinse your utensils and glasses.
- Bitter Essentials
No bar, home or dinner restaurant, is complete without bitters. These are a type of high-proof alcohol that has been infused with roots, herbs, and spices. Gone are the days when only one bitter overshadows all else. It’s common to find a wide variety of bitter options in your local liquor store. Bitters, ironically, are used to adding flavor to a drink by just a couple of dashes or drops. Although these bitters have high-proof alcohol content, because they’re used in small amounts, the final drink has relatively low alcohol content.