Designing your dream home bar
A home bar is a perfect way to add a touch of luxury to your living space. Ideal for dinner parties, girls’ nights in, and more, you can bring a glamorous element to your sitting room or dining area with a well-stocked, stylishly-designed home bar. A home bar with a cosier look and feel is also perfect for a den or ‘man cave.’ And even if you’re not a drinker, you can still add a home bar to your space with a coffee and tea bar or even a breakfast bar!
Get inspiration from your favourite pub, hotel, or classy cocktail spot and spruce up an unused corner of your home in style — and read on for our best tips on kitting out a home bar to add a fabulous element to your space!
Use your home bar to declutter your kitchen
Whether you’re a cocktail aficionado or a coffee fanatic, all the ingredients and accoutrements for specialty drinks can take up a lot of space on your kitchen counter. By creating a dedicated space for your liqueur bottles, espresso machine, kettle, cocktail shaker, ice maker, or anything else you currently have in your kitchen, you not only give yourself additional counter space for cooking, but you also have everything you need for your favourite beverages in one place.
A kitchen island or wide sideboard is a great way to gather and organise these items, because it offers you a countertop to prepare your drinks as well as storage space underneath to keep items organised when they’re not in use.
Add seating for on-the-spot enjoyment
This is probably an obvious tip — after all, what better use for bar stools than as part of a home bar? — but adding seating at or beside your home bar is ideal because it gives you and your guests a place to relax. It also means you don’t have to worry about spillage from having to carry drinks across the house.
If you’re short on space, a few bar stools to perch on while you enjoy your libations is enough, but if you have the room, creating an entire nook gives your group a space to gather that’s separate from the rest of the home. This gives your home bar area an extra special feel, sectioned off from the responsibilities of day-to-day. A small round table can turn it into a cosy breakfast nook, or a couple of squashy pouffes can make it a perfect place to lounge.
Reflect your favourite bar at home with a mirror
A mirrored backsplash is a fabulous addition to give your home bar that nightclub hotspot look and feel. Mirrored or reflective tiles also help create the illusion of space, making your home bar area feel larger even if it’s tucked away into a cosy corner. Metallic fixtures — bronze furniture handles or a gold faucet if your home bar incorporates a sink — can also help to give your home bar that professional look.
If you’re limited in your renovation options, such as if you’re in a rental home or you don’t want to retile your walls, you can get the same effect with a large mirror that features a metallic frame. Moody lighting is another great alternative to permanent alterations; choose lamps with metal shades to create a dusky and dramatic vibe.
Bring your movable home bar to any room
Maybe you don’t have room to set up a full-on man cave or cocktail corner, or maybe you want to be able to bring teatime to your guests wherever they’re hanging out. That’s where a movable home bar comes in. Many drinks trolleys come with built in castor wheels so you can pull them into the dining room for dinner party entertaining, or into the living room for an after-dinner aperitif.
If you have a collection that’s too large for a trolley or if you have appliances that need to be connected to power, you can create a two-part home bar with stationary and movable elements. A sideboard, console table, or display cabinet can hold all your bottles and gadgets; then top with a stylish metal tray to store glasses and garnishes. When it’s time to serve your guests, use the tray for convenient carrying.
Inject your personality with themed decor
A good bar isn’t just about great pints: it also needs a great atmosphere. Themed bars are always a quirky and fun spot for a unique vibe. Some of Ireland’s most beloved bars feature themed decor and drinks, from vintage apothecary vibes to nautical nights out to festival-inspired fun to Lord of the Rings-themed lounging. And themed decor for your own home bar can set it apart from the rest of the room as well as creating an eye-catching look.
It’s easy to give your home bar a theme with simple decor pieces. Turn your space into a tiki bar with tropical faux flowers and vibrant cocktail tumblers — and don’t forget the paper umbrellas! Emulate your favourite local pub with vintage wall art, dark hardwood flooring, and a couple of GAA jerseys. Or choose feminine flair perfect for espresso martinis with the girls, and add some coloured glass vases and rose gold figurines for a romantic and glamorous motif.
Whether you plan to use your home bar to make your morning coffee or your favourite mixed drink, setting it up right can turn it into your new favourite nook or corner in your home. With an array of fabulous furniture and accessories from Corcoran’s, you can enhance your home bar in style. Shop now or get in touch today for help finding the perfect pieces to complement your drinks. Slainte!