A home bar can mean many things to different people. At its most basic it can be nothing more than a counter, almost a shelf, with a couple of stools and some bottles of alcohol and glasses. At its most sophisticated it can be a stylish and carefully-designed dedicated place fully equipped to cater for its owners and guests. Nothing sums up sophistication in home bars like a dedicated cocktail bar and here are a few ideas to consider when designing one for the home.
Being clear
A true cocktail bar is not like any other. For one thing, producing a range of cocktails requires far more ingredients than any other type of drink. This alone will mean that a cocktail bar for the home will need more storage space than others as well as a good supply of ice and accessories for mixing and serving. The variety of glasses needed to correctly serve cocktails will also need thought about storage. Anyone starting to think about designing a home cocktail bar should be clear that they will need to address these requirements throughout the design stage.
Getting started
As with any other home bar design it’s essential to start with a clear vision. Having decided on a cocktail bar helps but there are choices to be made about whether a retro or contemporary look and feel are favoured, the overall budget, the ultimate size and location of the bar as well as whether it is to be made a permanent feature. Location and space available coupled with budget can often dictate a lot of choices so it is good to start with these.
Seek inspiration
Looking for inspiration is not the same as seeking to copy someone else’s bar. There is such a wealth of ideas and design opportunities available coupled with so many options for materials and construction that it helps to look at what other shave already achieved. There are a number of professional companies such as Dawnvale that specialise in bar design and it may help to look to them for inspiration and even help. The aim of looking around is to start to gather together the elements that appeal and will work together to realise a unique home bar project.
Seating accessories and lighting
There are many elements that combine to make a great home bar but seating and lighting together with accessories are three of the main things to consider. Seating should help to tie the bar in with any surrounding furniture; this is particularly important if the bar is to occupy a corner of a reception room. Lighting can help make the bar a place all of its own within another space, defining and emphasising specific detail. Accessories are more essential in a cocktail bar than others: shakers, mixing tools, juicers, paring knives, ice buckets, dishes; all of these help equip the cocktail bar. It’s important to decide if they will be an eclectic collection or of uniform design and colour.… Read More..