When it comes to celebrating holidays or birthdays, hosting family reunions, or just having friends over for a visit, you might place much of your focus on your kitchen, dining, and living room spaces. While these traditional hosting spaces are certainly a great spot for a little fun, it can also be a welcome change to have somewhere special to help unwind and relax while spending time with company- or even just some quiet time by yourself.
Home bars, once a staple in homes in the 50s-60s-70s, are now having a resurgence in today’s homes. Some homeowners are choosing to revamp their underutilized dining rooms into a dual-purpose room incorporating a trendy home bar or lounge into the plan.
If you’ve been thinking about setting up your own home bar, or just want to give your preexisting bar a quick and easy makeover, here are a few ideas to help you make the most of your space.
- Set the atmosphere – When it comes to getting cozy, it’s all about creating the right atmosphere for your space. A good place to start is with colors. Different colors and shades can have different effects on the atmosphere of your room: from cooler shades of blue that help stimulate relaxation, to shades of red which can help build excitement. Darker colors can help give a cozy and intimate feeling, to lighter and neutral shades which can help the space feel more sophisticated and spacious. The other key element which will help determine atmosphere is your lighting. The options for lighting your bar seem endless. Ultimately the color and lighting depend on the vibe you are seeking for the space.
- Sophisticated Seating – For a home bar it is ideal to have seating that is comfortable and welcoming. Also consider, if space is available, adding a table or even a booth, for that lounge-style atmosphere. Darker finishes for your furniture can help add to that cozy atmosphere, although you could also go for unfinished metal to create an industrial look, such as what you might see in a brewery.
- Stock Up – Just like your kitchen, you’ll want your home bar to be fully stocked well in advance of the guests arriving. From your favorite drinks and mixers, to all the tools needed like shakers and corkscrews. And what is a bar without a selection of something small to eat. Consider something a little more elaborate by making your own homemade bar snacks!
- Entertainment- Board games or even a deck of playing cards could be the start of hours of fun and enjoyment. If space permits, include a Big Screen TV to watch the game or host movie night. Blue tooth speakers or a sound system will offer a chance to add some music to the ambiance.
- Make it Mobile – While it’s easy to think of home bars as a single dedicated room, more enterprising home hosts have created bar carts that allow you to bring the fun and games anywhere in the house - be it in the living room, out in the garage, or even into the backyard.
Home bars are seeing a resurgence in mainstream appeal over the past few years. While the wood paneling of home bars of decades past may be out, the idea of hosting at home is certainly in vogue. Make the most of your home bar and remember- it’s all about having a good time!