Home Bar

There are plenty of reasons why people go in for a home bar. For some, it could be turning a long cherished dream of having one's own custom-made home bar. Others may like to showcase their wine collection and prized possessions, the Collins Glass, Highball, Lowball, wine and champagne flute. Quite a few may like to show friends and family that their cocktail abilities aren't just limited to tapping a keg. Do you yearn to own a home bar to romance, announce your love or celebrate by break out the champagne? Or simply, refurbish existing home bar in order to keep pace with the new home bar styles?

It is not difficult to set up a theme-based home bar. Just smartly mix and match home bar features from the varied options available today. Home bar isn't anymore a privilege of the super rich alone. Here is a guide to designing home bar and innovative ideas for cool decorations to jazz it up. Incorporate your ideas and have a charming home bar setting. Bring home a real bar.

Home bar advantage

Home bars aren't a new trend. When people restrained entertaining guests at home and preferred to move out to entertain and socialize, home bars lost their popularity to some extent. Also, decent cocktails were easily available at pubs and good restaurants. But having a home bar has many advantages. It facilitates spending leisure time the way you want, without leaving home.

Further, home bar is a worthy investment. You can relax at home; entertain your select group in style. You don't need to commute and venture into a nightclub. You save time and you don't have to buy over-priced drinks. You can watch your favorite show and nurse a leisurely drink. It ushers beauty and elegance to the entire home décor.

Home bar basics

The process of setting a home bar starts with finding an answer to a basic question - Do I need a permanent home bar, semi-permanent, should it be indoor, outdoor or portable? Answers to these are the deciding factors in terms of location of home bar, budget, convenience, design, material and size. Do consider how often you would like to spend leisure time and entertain guests.

Now, go on to consider the site and the extent of space available. Make provisions for the basics - a bar, a sitting area, a good size television and a refrigerator. The dimension of space available at your disposal, the budget and the theme need to be accounted for. It could be your living room or your study where you can set up the bar. Consider options such as remodeling the kitchen in order to create some area for a small home bar. This set-up facilitates grabbing a bite too. A home bar can either be tucked in an unused awkward corner of a room, in teenage dens, recreation or game rooms, on the top floor of large houses, or along the pool side or you may even allot lavish space.

This leads to the next step. Should I buy a new ready made home bar, or build a new theme-based home bar? Wine bar décor, martini décor, sports bar, automotive theme, a retro look, a tropical theme, contemporary style are some popular home bar themes. Selecting themes may well be compared to selecting ice cream and cake flavor. Draw inspiration from the various bars you have been, the décor and ambience that caught your attention and allow your creativity to dominate.

Home bar themes

Sports home bar: You may or may not have a favorite team or sport. Also, you needn't necessarily be a sports enthusiast. A sports theme home bar allows you to enjoy the atmosphere of a sports arena without leaving the comforts of home. Building a music home bar is very similar to that of a sports home bar. These are different ways to entice friends.

• Select a team or sport.
  
  
• Prefer a bar made of wood- black, cherry, maple, mahogany, oak etc..
  
  
• Match up with wood stools.
  
  
• Every aspect of the bar can represent the sport or team.
  
  
• Compliment the setting with accessories like neon signs, team pennants.
  
  
• Paste posters of sports personnel. Hang jerseys.
  
  
• Find items like logos if already at home that represent the team or sport.
  
  
• If not, collate information and shop around.
  
  
• Provide for a case to display items related to the theme.
  
  
• Collect recordings of past games to watch on a VCR/home theatre.
  
  
• Distribute popcorn and peanuts to enliven the atmosphere.
  

Tiki home bar: Tike home bar theme is most suitable for an outdoor home bar set-up. A tiki hut and a tiki home bar in your backyard or patio involve creating a tropical feeling within the confinement of home. As tiki huts can withstand heavy rains and wind and provide relief from summer heat, tiki home bars can be used on decks, patios and even beside the pool.

• Wood or bamboo frame, side panels and thatched roof constitute a tiki hut.
  
  
• Dried palm leaves are used for the roof.
  
  
• Shop for tiki home bar materials in the local building supply outlet.
  
  
• Draw a plan. Use tiki home bar building guide.
  
  
• Provide for counter cupboards, space for mixing drinks and electrical fittings.
  
  
• Shop for tiki accessories such as funky colored string lights, nets, shells, and lanterns that project a typical tropical climate.
  
  
• Prefer tropical print fabric colors or palm tree print for the bar stools.
  
  
• For a perfect tropical experience, serve drinks in coconut shaped or eye-catching colored glasses. Top the glass with an umbrella.
  

Wine theme home bar: A party without wine is unimaginable. Wine is often referred to as the elixir of happiness. It would be most appropriate for a true wine enthusiast to select a wine theme home bar. Wine theme home bar create a perfect sophisticated atmosphere for wine lovers to connect.

• Pick intricate handcrafted wine tables, wine stools, wine racks and wine consoles.
  
  
• Hang wine prints on the wall.
  
  
• Use different shaped wine glasses to serve red and white wine.
  
  
• Exquisite handcrafted wine stoppers to top wine bottles are a must-have.
  
  
• Add a bit of flair to the wine glass. Sass up wine glasses with personalized wine charms; it is easier for guests to identify the glasses.
  
  
• Complete decor with accessories like connoisseur wine waiter, bellhop wine rack or age-inspired vintage pieces.
  

Traditional Bar

If you are looking out for a cozy atmosphere, to engage in positive interaction and have a hearty experience the traditional home bar set-up will fit in. The unique design of the pub offers a comfortable set-up to carry on conversation. Usher a traditional home bar look with the Irish or English Pub set-up.

• Use wood bar, trim with mahogany stain.
  
  
• For an authentic look, shop for English pub signs, chessboards, and Staunton chess sets.
  
  
• Hang paintings of famous British or Irish landmarks.
  
  
• Include pub glasses, pint glasses or jars with the Imperial seal, Guinness or Bass.
  
  
• Create a pub sign. Incorporate in words as well in pictorial representation.
  
  
• Play music-Pub rock, pub songs or folk music.
  

Home bar tips

• Basic stock of a home bar consists of drinks, mixers and accoutrements.
  
  
• Eight basic liquors of a well-stocked home bar are Vodka, rum, bourbon, gin, tequila, brandy, scotch and Canadian whisky.
  
  
• Three basic flavors which are a must-have in a home bar to make a variety of cocktails are almond, coffee and orange.
  
  
• Look out for themed home bar kits which include the ice bucket, stirrers, strainers, measuring jiggers, bottle openers and the bar knife.
  
  
• Shop for themed additional home bar equipment like bottle stoppers, shakers and mixing glasses.
  
  
• Look out for theme based garnishing tray, coasters and even napkin holders.
  
  
• Always stock your favorite drinks.
  
  
• Understand the tastes of guests beforehand and stock accordingly.
  
  
• Bar designs: A straight home bar design is suitable for a bar that will be set-up at the end of a room. L type wet bar design with an L shape plan is most suitable to accommodate washing requirement in a wet bar. Corner bar design is most resourceful when space is an issue. The bottom and top cabinets offer maximum storage space.
  
  
• Fix your budget. If personalized and ordered, it can cost $500 to $ 10,000 depending on the size, the level and the decorative look.
  
  
• Save space and money by shopping for a home bar with a built-in refrigerator to keep drinks cool.
  
  
• Right light effect can transform the whole atmosphere. Create the right mood with appropriate lighting. The lighting requirements for indoor and outdoor home bars vary.
  
  
• Bright light, dim light, corner lights, floor lights, lights only on bar - try various options to set the tone to bring home the same experience of your favorite bar.
  
  
• Complete the party preparation by inviting guests to come over dressed in accordance with the home bar theme. You are all set to enjoy style and fun without leaving the comforts of home.