Had a tiring day at office and need a rejuvenating break with some drinks? Need to throw a party for friends and colleagues and doubt a perfect setting to lure them in? Got an upcoming soccer final to watch all night and require just the right space and air for it? We offer you a one-stop solution – include a Home Bar within your interiors.
With a home bar, you wouldn’t need to walk down the street to the pub, and wouldn’t need to book an elegant tavern to host your friends on a birthday night. But before you already plunge into your dreams of owning one, do have a look at a few suggestions for having a pleasant bar to yourself.
Tips on How to Create A Beautiful and Spacious Bar
1. Where you Should Place the bar
Designing a permanent home bar requires some planning as far as its location within your house is concerned. One of the technical factors that determine the location of the bar is the presence of water and electricity supply lines in the space.
Plumbing lines are important so that you could incorporate a sink in the place; and electricity lines for good lighting and ventilation, and electrical appliances like refrigerator, sound system and mixers.
You might choose to locate your bar within the four walls of your house, or even outdoors. For an indoor bar, the options could be in a special entertainment den close to your drawing room, in the basement, or even in the kitchen. An outdoor home bar could be housed within a gazebo or on a covered patio. The bar needs a wall for exhibiting and stocking up bottles and other paraphernalia.
2. Budget for Creating a Game
The budget is of prime importance when deciding on the design of a bar. The money you can spend on the space would decide its size, suitable materials and furniture. The electrical appliances, if any, also count in. Also make sure you consider bartending supplies while planning the budget. The more you are ready to spend, the more lavish your bar would be.
3. Bar texture and Tone
Deciding on a texture and theme for the appearance and feel of your bar is a crucial step of the design process. You might want to go all metallic – this would lend a very sleek finish to the bar. You might want to try wood rather, and go for a more rustic, natural vibe.
Tiles, marble, granite are further options. The tone is equally important – someone might prefer dark colours with dim lights for accentuating the relaxed setting. Lighter colours are a great idea if you wish to use the bar as a family breakfast area in the early hours. The counter could bear a sleek look.
4. Materials
The material you choose for the different components of your bar have a huge say in defining the air of the space. Bars typically embrace wood for their interiors – a fair choice for you too. The design of your bar could put to use stainless steel and glass interiors as well.
For bar counters, you might also plump for granite, which is good for damage-prevention. Formica is another alternative if you have a tight budget. Hard wood is a non-porous, not-easy-to-stain substitute.
The key is to use materials that do not stain easily and can resist maltreatment. Go for something durable, as well as stylish. Try maintaining uniformity or some vivid patterns when it comes to materials – you don’t want any oddity in the must luxurious haven of your home.
5. Shape and Size of the Bar
Depending on the space you are converting into a home bar, its size, shape and orientation may vary. The bar, in terms of layout, could be rectangular, curved, round, L or U shaped. You could also choose to space out a corner of your room for the bar counter.
The minimum sizes to be kept in mind while designing a bar are crucial – standards for all are available on the internet today. The bar, typically, shouldn’t take up much more than 25-35 % of a leisure den it is housed within.
There should be room for free circulation and furniture. The size of the bar should be enough to accommodate enough storage space for different appliances and ingredients.
If you plan to throw big parties and expect guests to come up to your bar for some fun, you better leave some more space behind the counter, and also around the bar.
6. Bar Stools and Seating
We could go really creative with this one. The seating of the bar is one important factor as far as the feel and look of the design is concerned. Bar stools come in a wide array of options, and it would do you well to browse up and find what works best for you.
You could choose from basic to fashionable stools, from those with backs to those without them, and so on. Try going for something that absolutely suits your home decor. All you have to do is make sure the seating is comfortable and not too congested.
7. Bar Storage Area
The liquor bottles, the wine glasses, the blender and the ice maker, the flavours and essences – all such items need proper and separate storage within the bar. While designing a home bar, it is of utmost importance to guide the storage and placement of all these paraphernalia.
Use good-looking shelving for storage and also employ polished and glazed showcases. You could include a refrigerator within the bar if you can devote that much space to it. Going for some creative ideas for the purpose of shelving and storage is a welcome idea.
8. Livening up the Decor
Good interiors are nothing without good decor. A bar is that area of your house where you could invite those guests for a drink or two and hence it needs to be very lavish in look and feel. Hang in statement art pieces if bold is what you believe in.
Go for a brilliant sound system to jazz up fun evenings with your colleagues. Go for glass hanging racks to add an element of wow. Go for disco balls, maybe, or opt for intrepid vases. You could choose to introduce some form of landscaping, but try keeping it to a minimum.
9. Lighting in Layers
We all know good lighting is an extremely crucial factor for a good bar design. Dim lights that can add some sparkle to the mood of your guests is what you favour. But have you considered layered lighting? Sounds new? Well, layering lighting refers to blending a number of different types of lighting to achieve a concoction of complementary lights and colours.
You could blend wall-mounted and recessed lighting with ‘task lighting’ for your racks and counter. Finally apply accent lighting to achieve an attractive look of the bar.
– Sakshi Singh
