September 2013 - Page 2 of 4 - The Ultimate Home Bar

What Are the Best Home Bars for Small Spaces?

From simple kitchen carts to sports bars and wooden bars, there are many styles and types of home bars available for small spaces. The right bar can make your game room or living room more exciting and add a touch of style to your home. Think about what’s important to you and what components you can not live without. Do you want a more sophisticated bar with a built-in sink and lots of shelves? What about a small bar that can be easily moved from one room to another? Do you like themed bars?

Before making a decision, think about the function of the bar and the space available. A home bar is more than a piece of furniture; it’s a sanctuary. This special place should be warm, inviting, and fun. It should also reflect you taste and make your friends feel welcome. Most home bars can be placed inside the house as well as outdoors in your patio or backyard.

If your space is limited, choose a portable cocktail station or a kitchen cart. This piece of furniture can be stored away or used for decorative purposes when you don’t need it. It’s an elegant, practical way to serve wine and cocktails while entertaining your guests.

Some models have handles and wheels, which makes them easy to move around the house. Others provide additional space for mixing drinks, storing bottles, or keeping beverages cold. Portable cocktail stations and serving carts range in price from $150 to $1,000. They are available in a wide range of styles, finishes, materials, and colors.

If you want to buy a home bar but don’t have the space to build a permanent structure in your home, then a cocktail station cart is a good choice. This type of home bar has dedicated areas for mixing and pouring drinks, storing cold beverages, and serving cocktails with style. It may also feature storage areas for lemons, citrus and condiments. Cocktail station carts have a sleek design and provide increased convenience.

Homeowners can also opt for L-type bars. These models are named after their major component – an L-shaped counter table. They are usually made of wood and come in a variety of sizes, styles, and designs.

Corner home bars are extremely popular due to their convenient shape. They are ideal for small or awkwardly sized rooms. The most sophisticated models are made of sturdy oak with oak veneers, featuring wine racks and cabinets as well as carved detailing, granite serving top, utility drawers, rolled feet, and adjustable shelving. These fine pieces of furniture can slide effortlessly into a themed decor.

5 Non-Essential Bar Tools and Accessories

Bar Accessories, Stocking your home bar

Preparing cocktails and drinks like those available in bars can be fun and easy if you have the right tools. Drink dispensers, bottle stoppers, atomizers, soda siphons, and ice crushers are useful bartending gadgets that every cocktail enthusiast should have. These gadgets can dramatically improve the quality of your drinks. With these tools, you can expand your home bar and prepare sophisticated cocktails that will impress your guests.

Drink Dispensers

Drink dispensers are ideal for keeping yourself and your guests properly hydrated all season long. Most models have a convenient nozzle for pouring drinks. They are made of stainless steel or molded glass. Some feature a cork lid and a polished cut rim, while others are both rust and drip-proof. These bartending accessories are a great alternative to serving punch in a bowl.

Martini Pitchers

Martini pitchers were very popular a few years ago. They are an elegant way to mix up two or more cocktails at once. A martini pitcher is a clean modern cylinder that that can hold about a bottle of wine and sliced fruit. Some models are handmade of glass and look great with sangria cocktails and colorful martinis. They are easy to hold and pour from without spilling.

Atomizers

Atomizers are a great way to up the aromatics on any cocktail. With this cool gadget, you can coat the inside of your glass with a fine mist of vermouth or liquor for extra flavor. This device converts liquid into fine spray. Many bartenders claim that atomizers are some of the best new gadgets out there for creating the perfect cocktail. This is one of the tools every home bartender should have in his kitchen.

Bottle Sealers

These gadgets are ideal for keeping liquors and wine fresh. They are made from grade raw material and can seal any bottle surface. The fun, elegant, and colorful designs available can fit any bar theme. Bottle sealers make the perfect gift for cocktail enthusiasts.

Home Soda Systems

If you’re ready to take your home bar to the next level, get yourself a home soda system. This gadget is perfect for anyone who use uses a ton of carbonated water to prepare fancy cocktails and other drinks. With this tool, you can make delicious carbonated beverages for less than half the price of cans. Home soda systems are convenient and easy to use. There are no heavy bottles to carry or store at home.

3 Tips for Building the Home Bar of Your Dream

Home Bar Building, Home Bar Designs & Planning

Whether you have a small apartment or a big house, you can enhance its appeal with a home bar. This is the ultimate feature for any man cave. And don’t worry — a well stocked bar doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg. You can actually save hundreds and even thousands of dollars by building your own home bar. Here are few ideas to get started:

Pick a Design

Calculate your budget before choosing a home bar design. Think about how much space you have. If you live in a small house or apartment, get a bar cart or a portable home bar. A multi-level cart offers enough space for serving drinks and styling up your barware. Choose a simple color scheme to keep your home bar from looking too busy. Add themed accessories and framed art to give your bar a little character.

There are many ways to customize a home bar. You don’t have to be an experienced bartender to bring the party home. Start by choosing a home bar design that reflects your taste, and then get the tools needed to build it. Depending on your budget and space requirements, the perfect bar may consist of anything from a simple kitchen cart to a sophisticated wood bar with built-in sink, glass racks, and matching stools. Your personal taste as well as your home decor are all important when it comes to design.

Get the Tools Every Bar Needs

Once your bar is ready, go shopping for glassware and bartending gadgets. For the start, you’ll need some simple tools such as a shaker for stirring drinks, a peeler for citrus twists, a muddler to smash ingredients, and a set of cocktail glassware. You should look for bar spoons, jiggers, cocktail strainers, tumblers, champagne flutes, wine glasses, shot glasses, martini glasses, beer tankards, and measuring cups. Don’t forget about juice extractors and blenders. Get some lovely cocktail napkins to add a touch of style to your home bar.

Decorate Your Home Bar

Decorating and accessorizing your bar can be a lot of fun. Think about favorite pub – what sort of artwork is up on the wall? Vintage posters? Retro paintings? Sports memorabilia? Custom mirrors? For a classic bar, choose floor-to-ceiling mirrors and metal sculptures. For a sports bar, get some framed sports posters and trophies. You can make your home bar as simple or as elaborately as you want.

How to Set Up a Home Bar for Parties

Parties & Entertaining

Are you planning a party at home? Serve up fancy drinks and entertain guests with a well stocked bar. First of all, decide where you’re going to set up the bar – in the kitchen, in the basement, in the living room, or in the backyard. Pick a room that has easy flow from more than one direction. The kitchen is a perfect spot to place your home bar, providing there is enough room. Evaluate your budget and decide whether you should buy or build a home bar. Think about the tools and gadgets you will need for mixing cocktails. There are a few mixers, spirits, glassware, and spices that any bar should have.

Select the type of bar that is right for you. Consider your budget, as well as your space requirements. The bar can be as big or as small as you’d like. One of the best things about having a home bar is that you can pick your favorite theme and customize it according to your taste. This piece of furniture will complement your house and reflect your preferences. Even if you live in a small apartment, you can still have a home bar for parties.

Once you build a home bar, decide what drinks you wish to buy. Preparation will require a trip to the supermarket or the liquor store. If you want to throw a themed party, you’ll need special decorations and accessories. You may also have to serve your guests with themed drinks like a Blue Hawaiian or a rum punch. For example, if you’re having a tiki party, decorate your bar with tiki torches, Hawaiian leis, luau balloons, luau piñatas, and exotic flowers. For a western party, use metal horseshoes, rustic mirrors, western clocks, tin signs, cowboy hats, and sheriff badges.

Don’t forget about barware and glasses. Your home bar needs some basic tools for mixing drinks and serving guests, such as cocktail shakers, ice bags, muddlers, bar spoons, strainers, jiggers, ice cube trays, tall glasses, short glasses, wine glasses, and bottle openers. You will also need up to 12 basic stemmed wine glasses. If you’d like to go one step further and impress your friends, get a citrus zester and a bar knife for adding garnishes to cocktails. Use scoops and large spoons to serve ice. Do not use your hands. Stock your home bar with gin, vodka, scotch, whiskey, and vermouth. Make sure you have alcohol-free drinks available.

Go Back in Time with a Retro Home Bar

Home Bar Designs & Planning, Home Bar Themes

Have you ever considered building a retro home bar with vintage glassware and classic drinks? A vintage bar can be your biggest asset during the cold season. There are plenty of stores online that stock retro bars, chairs, and cabinets at an affordable price. You can even build your own bar using a few basic tools and themed decorations from antique shops and thrift stores. If you already have a home bar, you can customize it with prints and framed wall art, tin signs, wooden signs, vintage posters, wall decals, and old fashioned candies.

Creating your own retro bar is a rewarding project. Go online to inspire yourself, or hit the flea markets, antique stores, yard sales, and salvage yards in your area. Visit websites like Etsy and eBay for cheap era-reflective finds. Make sure you have all the necessary tools for serving old-school cocktails and martinis. Some online shops offer custom retro bars that are designed for commercial use, but are classy enough for any home. There are lots of manufacturers who provide complete bar sets including sinks, lighting, retro bar stools, vintage tables, water hookups, neon signs, and all the accessories that you can think of.

If you’re on a tight budget or have limited space, remember that your home bar doesn’t need everything that exists in a real pub. Determine how much money you can spend. You can either opt for a massive fridge or a small one that fits under the bar. If you afford, get a draught beer system. Fill your bar with retro glasses of all varieties. Choose your liquor wisely. Many homeowners want to be sure that their bar has dozens of spirits and wines for every taste. While this may be a good idea, it doesn’t mean you should buy five different types of gin or vodka. For the start, get a bottle each of gin, rum, scotch, whiskey, and bourbon. You can prepare hundreds of different cocktails using a few basic drinks.

Decorate your home bar with cool vintage accessories such as canvas prints, popcorn machines, retro phones and clocks, old fashioned dartboards, kitchen jars, framed retro art, neon sculptures, and vintage appliances. Consider buying retro booths and stools for your home bar. Install miniature LED spotlights under the bar top. Keep in mind that you’re building a bar, not a pub. With the right decorations, you can turn your home bar into a perfect party spot.

Create Your Own Sports Bar in a Few Easy Steps

Home Bar Building, Home Bar Designs & Planning, Home Bar Themes

Every man dreams of having his own sports bar. Though most sports bars have a fancy design with neon signs and multiple TVs, you can scale down the basic idea to create a small home bar that fits your living room or basement. All you have to do is to choose a design, add some themed decorations, and install the bar. With a little imagination, you can turn any room into a real man cave.

Sports bars are great places to gather and have fun, or simply relax after a long day. They provide drinks, food, and televised sporting events in a casual atmosphere. When choosing a home bar design, think about its primary purpose. Do you want a game zone, an authentic sports bar with pool tables and dartboards, or a party spot? Decide whether you want to hire a contractor or do the work yourself. Consider your budget, as well as your skills. Start looking for themed decorations and accessories.

This type of bar is designed to house music, sports, and celebrity memorabilia. It can have automated lighting, media wall, projection screen, leather-backed chairs, billiard tables, and a stunning full bar with all the amenities. A sports home bar is the ultimate man fantasy. Start with a basic design, install one or two televisions, and add some gaming units. Keep guests entertained with electronic dart machines, shuffleboard tables, foosball tables, pool tables, and hockey games.

A sports home bar requires extensive decoration. You can add signed guitars, jerseys, sports memorabilia, trophies, medals, golf balls, tennis balls, soccer balls, and stools with baseball bat legs. For a traditional look, buy some mirrors painted with beer logos. Decorate your home bar with brass fixtures, retro uniforms, varsity letter jackets, vintage golf shoes, boxing gloves, and baseball helmets. If you afford, buy a professional audio system and a large flat screen TV.

Many homeowners will design their bars around their favorite sport’s team. Others use collectibles and sports memorabilia. Small touches, such as bar accessories, sports gadgets, and artwork, can reinforce the theme of your home bar. Use adjustable lighting and fullback bar stools for a more stylish look. If your room has enough space, add a foosball table or a dartboard. Paint the bar in your favorite team’s colors. Your guests will enjoy looking back on fond sports memories while enjoying a cold beer or a cocktail at your home bar.

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