8 Awesome Bar Design Ideas
If you enjoy making drinks to share with friends and family, consider adding a bar to your home. Home bars are great entertaining spaces and serve as a hub for all your cocktail-making needs.
Consider what elements your home bar should have so people will want to gather there instead of going out. Plan the types of drinks you want to serve, how large you want your space, what decor you want, and how you will entertain people.
There are many ways to create a bar in your space that shows off your personality and provides an awesome experience for your guests. Here are eight great bar design ideas to incorporate into your home.
Photo by Rachel Claire
1. Provide Different Types of Seating
There’s nothing like sitting down and relaxing with your beverage of choice, and you can make that a reality in your home bar by providing various seating options.
You can create a comfortable speakeasy atmosphere by providing some plush chairs and throw pillows. Add a rug and side table for your very own lounge.
If you want a different feel, try adding barstools and an area to eat, drink and interact with your guests. You can place bowls of snacks along the bar and add a television above for the perfect game day.
These touches can make it feel like you’re at a cozy pub without even leaving home.
2. Install Your Own Beer Tap
If you prefer a lager or IPA, you can amp up your home bar by installing your very own beer tap.
You can connect the tap to a keg with your favorite brew inside. Purchase one online or from your local brewery. You could also fill one with your own homebrew.
Install a tap by connecting it to your keg through a kegerator. You can adjust the pressure to ensure your beer has the right carbonation. Take it even further by adding more than one tap, so guests have a choice. Repeat this process for each beer you want to serve.
Set up your bar around your tap, creating an experience your guests will remember.
3. Diversify Your Glasses
It’s easy to pick up a package of identical glasses and be done with it. However, consider mixing and matching your drinkware to get creative. Buy different glasses you enjoy and create a display with them. You can use them as stand-out art pieces or identify whose drink belongs to which guest.
Drinkware is as important as the drinks themselves, with plenty of traditional and non-conventional options. Various mugs, cups, and glasses give everyone at your home bar a unique experience.
Specific glassware is necessary to serve different cocktails properly. Shot, margarita, and martini glasses help you with serving sizes and give the drinks their signature appearance. Be sure to stock up on pint glasses and copper mugs for mules.
Knowing which cocktails you intend to offer at your bar helps you identify what glasses and cups you should have on hand to measure your ingredients and serve the drinks.
If you plan on having large gatherings, don’t be afraid to bring out the plastic cups. They provide as good a vessel as any and make for easy cleanup.
4. Utilize Small Spaces
Not every home has room for elaborate bar space, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a personal beverage station.
With imagination, you can transform almost any space into a home bar. Line your favorite tray table with drinks and a few glasses for a pop-up tavern. The best part is moving this setup around and tearing it down until your next gathering.
If you want something more traditional, consider purchasing a bar cart. You can choose one that fits your home decor and roll it wherever you need it. Take it outside to a patio or into a game room. You can even purchase a cart dedicated to your outdoor space, making it perfect for barbecues, tailgates, and other outdoor festivities.
You can even place your bar in spaces others might not expect. Entryways or staircases can make great areas for a tray or bar cart. In your home, anything goes.
5. Add Garnishes
Every great cocktail needs a garnish, and having the appropriate fruits and accessories can elevate your home bar.
A good cocktail pick can hold garnishes in place while adding an aesthetic touch to your cocktails. They also make it easy to retrieve things that fall to the bottom of drinks, making them multipurpose.
Keep a bowl of fresh fruit for different cocktails. Citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and oranges are staples in many drinks.
As you prepare your cocktails, slice up your fruits and add a pick to create an authentic experience for your guests.
6. Dress up Your Walls
Once you have the perfect bar, you need an ideal backdrop. Dressing up your walls can take your home bar from dull to lively.
Don’t just rely on drawers to store your items. You can place supplies and decor on floating shelves behind your bar to make your wall more interesting. Have fun with your backsplash, and don’t be afraid to experiment with bold colors and patterns to make your bar fit your unique style.
Artwork is another worthy addition to any home bar — choose pieces that speak to you or fit your theme. Vintage signs for your favorite drinks are a nice touch to your bar backdrop.
Recipe books are a necessary addition for any aspiring bartender, and you can display your offerings by placing them on a shelf or counter behind your bar. They also provide entertainment for your guests as you prepare their beverages.
As a finishing touch, consider purchasing a neon sign to make your bar feel like a real hangout.
7. Add Electronics
You need more than drinks if you want your home to feel like a local tavern. You need music and television.
Mounting a TV onto or above your bar allows guests to watch sports events or your favorite shows.
You can also mount Bluetooth speakers around your bar. Quality speakers can give your area a full sound that you can’t achieve with a phone or computer alone. If you want to get really fancy, you can invest in a small sound board to mix your favorite songs to your liking.
Adding the right tech will make your home bar the go-to spot for friends and family to gather.
8. Add Games
Bars are a great place to watch games, but you can also enjoy playing with each other. Darts is a classic bar game that doesn’t need too much space to play, making it an excellent choice for a home bar.
Consider a shuffleboard or a pool table if you have the space. A pinball is a popular option, and you can buy retro machines at various online retailers. You can find miniature tabletop versions if you don’t have space for a standard-size edition.
Dutch shuffleboard is a fun tabletop game. It involves sliding discs through arches, making it a great addition to your bar space.
Setting up Your Perfect Home Bar
A home bar is great for entertaining your friends and family in a private, relaxed setting. It’s an ideal addition to your home if you enjoy hosting events or having a few drinks with friends at the end of a long workweek. You can use these bar design ideas or look for more to find your ideal setup.
Author Bio: Jack Shaw is a writer in the men’s lifestyle niche. He writes about interior design, men’s style, travel and more.
