Now more than ever, we appreciate spending quality time with friends and loved ones, and as we’ve been limited in the past to where we can meet up, people have been getting creative about their entertainment spaces. You may feel that once summer has passed, you’ve missed the boat when it comes to redesigning a space in the home or garden. Well,  this is the perfect time to start planning your home bar ideas!

Gone are the days of a bit of old kitchen unit plonked in the corner of the living room, with a couple of sad optics and comical signage hanging over the leftover Christmas booze. Stun your guests with mood lighting, luxury finishes, and comfort.

Kitchen Cocktail Bar

If you’re lucky enough to have space for a kitchen island or a raised table/breakfast bar, then this is the solution for you! Temporarily change up its use and turn it into a high end bar for your guests.

• Invest in some luxurious bar stools – think velvet, in soft pastels or deep blue/green tones. Brass or brushed metal accents add a hint of glamour. High-backed chairs are best for optimal comfort.
  
• Centrepiece – if space allows, create a centrepiece from a floral display or candles and fruit to set the mood.
  
• Vintage Glassware – pick glasses that will make the most of your delicious looking cocktails. Short crystal cut tumblers for your Old Fashioned, and delicate French champagne or martini glasses for an Espresso Martini. 
  
• Tableware – be sure to take care of your surfaces with suitable mats or coasters – opt for ceramic or marble. Always be stocked up on cute (reusable) metal straws and stirrers. Napkins should also be reusable – choose simple but quality textiles in a colour that compliments the furniture.

Sideboard Bar

If retiring to the lounge after a nice dinner is what you prefer, then opt for a sideboard bar that sits neatly to the side of the room or tucked away just behind the door. 

• Improvise – there are lots of ready built purpose sideboard bars out there, but they can be quite expensive. What could be more fun than sourcing a regular sideboard or cupboard (antiques fair anyone?) and making it your own?
  
• Decorate, decorate, decorate – Restore, varnish, paint. Choose paints that will compliment the room OR make it stand out as a feature. Don’t be scared of patterned wallpaper decoupage, or using metallic effects. Opt for fun shaped handles and fittings.
  
• Zone it – As just mentioned, if you want the sideboard bar area to stand out, zone with the use of a rug or some directional lighting. Mirrors on the wall behind the sideboard (or even inside the cabinet) work well – reflecting the glasses and bottles of spirits and the lighting. Mirrors will also help make a space look bigger (and make your drinks collection look double the size).
  
• Games – if you have room to store, board and card games can complete your at home drinking experience and are a great way to get the conversation and laughter flowing.
  

Drinks Trolley

Maybe you don’t have the space for a permanent fixed drinks area such as a bar or a sideboard? Well then what better way to make an entrance after dessert than to oohs and aahs with a drinks trolley! 

• Revival – Drinks trolleys are definitely having a revival, and the possibilities are endless! Either source a vintage trolley or build your own! All you need is a relatively light but stable small side table with a shelf or a small cupboard and some castors.
  
• Customise – Mirrors do work really well in this instance, especially when used as a base for the surfaces.
  
• Accessorise – Make sure you showcase your finest cocktail shakers, ice bucket and corkscrew. You want guests to see at a glance what is on offer, but think less air hostess trolley, and more high end hotel room service.

Integrated Wine Rack/Cooler

If lack of space is a real issue or you don’t want to make a feature of your bar, then an integrated wine rack or even a wine cooler could be the best solution. 

• Space saving – usually tucked into a cupboard, or filling an otherwise awkward space, racks and coolers come in all sizes and shapes.
  
• Cold drinks – If you’re less of a cocktail drinker and like a cold beer or perfectly chilled wine at a moment’s notice, a cooler is the perfect home bar solution. Lots of drinks coolers have beautiful lighting settings that can complement your kitchen interior wonderfully. 
  
• Clever use of space – always dreamt of appearing on Grand Designs? There’s nothing more exciting than revealing a secret dedicated drinks space to guests. From beneath staircases, to underfloor spaces you can feel like you live in a bond film.

Garden Bar

Outdoor bars aren’t just reserved for the summer months. With some clever heating solutions, blankets and comfy furniture, you can easily throw open the patio doors and have a set up that can be in use all year round. 

• Electricity. First thing is first – if you want lighting and somewhere cool to keep drinks or ice without having to traipse in and out of the house, you’ll need to get a suitable weather-proof energy source.
  
• Comfort – Even on the warmest of summer evenings, especially here in the UK, it will get much cooler when the sun goes down, so consider installing an outdoor heater to keep guests comfortable.
  
• Theme – Not all outdoor bars have to be Tiki themed or made to make you feel you’re at the beach. Consider a look that will integrate well with your garden – English country garden party or Spanish ranch, whatever your vibe, be open to new influences and take inspiration from existing planting.
  
• Rain – Always expect rain, and provide cover from it.
  
• Surfaces – Make sure surfaces and bar tops are not lipped, making them easy to clean and wipe down. As tempting as wood is for a surface, it is very porous and may degrade over time without proper maintenance.
  
• Storage – Integrate (lockable) cupboard space into the bar area and assign space for cushions and blankets for those chillier evenings. Make sure optics and bottles can be shut away – nobody wants to find inebriated squirrels strewn about the garden in the morning…

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Whether you dedicate a permanent space in your home or garden for a bar, or cleverly devise a way to conceal and surprise guests with a pop-up bar, make sure you have fun with it! Personalise with your favourite finishes and stock up well with drinks – you can’t fail to impress your friends and make memories for years to come.