2019-06-09
Author: Belfan
From this article you will learn:
- What are the features of a home minibar?
- What are the different types of home bar designs?
- What furniture can you buy for a home bar?
- How to properly position your home bar
- What style should you use to decorate your home bar?
- How to create DIY home bar furniture
In a luxury apartment, a home bar is considered one of the main attributes of luxury. However, this is not only a beautiful and eye-catching accessory, it is also very practical. The presence of such a bar in the house allows you to keep drinks in order and is an important element of the culture of their consumption. A bar with drinks will be especially relevant for receiving dear guests. In this article we will talk about what kind of furniture there is for a home bar and how not to make a mistake in choosing it.
Features of a home minibar
It may seem that furniture for a home bar must certainly be massive and take up a lot of space. This stereotype arose due to the fact that in public establishments the bar is a high counter with glass shelves.
Often, such furniture looks out of place in an apartment, and there is simply not enough space to accommodate it. But there are many options for compact storage of alcoholic beverages.
A popular option is the minibar, which bears no resemblance to traditional bar furniture. It can be made in the form of a cabinet, barrel or globe.
Such miniature racks are quite light, and their height does not exceed one and a half meters. Inside, a space is created with shelves and niches where you can store bottles and glasses.
There are several reasons why you should choose this type of home bar:
- Compactness. Since the piece of furniture is small, it can be placed even in a small apartment. Also, if necessary, the minibar can be easily moved to another place.
- Low cost. At an affordable price, you can not only purchase a standard home bar, but also order it to be made to your own dimensions.
- Originality. The presence of a minibar immediately makes the interior more interesting.
- The ability to free up useful space. It is much more convenient to store bottles and drink containers here, which usually take up space in kitchen cabinets.
- A combination of functionality and aesthetics. A home drink bar is both useful and beautiful.
When choosing furniture for your home bar, consider how many bottles you plan to store. A minibar looks best when there is practically no free space in it.
Stationary minibar
If it is not possible or necessary to allocate an entire room for storing alcohol, you can arrange a stationary minibar in the apartment. By type of design it can be:
- built-in;
- closed;
- open.
The most unexpected empty spaces in the house are suitable for installing a built-in minibar:
- niche in the wall;
- free space under the stairs;
- empty opening;
- free space between rooms in an apartment, for example, between the kitchen and living room;
- the space between the roof slopes.
In any of these places you can install a rack or shelves for bottles and dishes, decorate the area in a bar style - mirrors, lighting, posters - creating the appropriate atmosphere.
To place a built-in bar in the interior of an apartment, you can use upholstered furniture, for which armrests, backrests or specially built-in niches are usually used.
Types of home bar designs
Furniture for a home bar should fit into the interior of the room and become its component. Therefore, its style directly depends on which room design was chosen. Generally, the placement of the bar does not require any rearrangement since it does not require much space.
The built-in structure for storing drinks will not displace existing furniture. If this does not suit you, the location for installing the home bar should be chosen so that there are no wall cabinets or other heavy objects above it. If something falls on the bar, the entire alcohol collection will be lost, and in addition, fragments will fly everywhere.
There are several types of home bar designs:
- Open – racks, shelves where all the contents are visible. This is a kind of smaller analogue of ordinary bar furniture.
- Closed . The meaning is the same, only the bottles inside the rack are closed with a screen and doors. This option is considered safer. Having a screen is a must when choosing a bar if you have children.
- Portable . These “babies” are made specifically so that, if necessary, the bar can be moved to another room or even outside. They are easy to move thanks to the presence of wheels.
If it is not possible to buy special furniture for drinks, you can allocate one of the kitchen cabinets for a minibar. The advantage of this option is that you don’t have to redo anything in your interior and look for a place where you could place a home bar.
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Where should I start?
Firstly, you must decide on your strategy, what do you want from your home collection - is it always in plain sight or hidden from prying eyes? There are many options available that, depending on your preferences, may fit differently into your home decor.
For example, perhaps the most expensive, but very interesting option is to allocate an entire room or part of a room for a bar. Typically, such a home bar is set up in the best traditions of city establishments - a bar counter, special high chairs, and display cases in which your favorite drinks are stored are installed. There are also nice glasses, all kinds of tools for creating cocktails, syrups and similar “lotions”.
Naturally, due to the fact that the majority of our population does not have such an impressive living space to dedicate an entire room from it to a stationary home bar, there are many other options for pampering yourself with something similar, but at a lower cost.
If you don’t know where to place a home bar, then start small, for example, with built-in furniture, usually mini bars, sofas with built-in niches, bar cabinets, and so on.
If you have little space in your house or apartment, then this will be an ideal option, because such home minibars are not just a place to store alcoholic drinks, but also a whole design object that will stylishly complement your interior.
Typically, such minibars are placed in the living room or kitchen, that is, in the place where you most often meet friends or like to relax. Minibars built into upholstered furniture will always be hidden from prying eyes; they usually move out of the armrests of the sofa or its back; more advanced models can be equipped with a remote control. Typically, such niches have several recesses for bottles and glasses.
Types of Home Bar Furniture
Nowadays, you can buy home bar furniture in a variety of shapes and designs. The minibar may include only one small cabinet with a lid, which when folded resembles a secretary. Also, alcoholic beverages can be stored inside the bar counter, in a special rotating compartment.
Expensive and sophisticated furniture for your home bar will help you please yourself and surprise your guests. A solid wood cabinet with a classic design, an original model in the shape of a globe or a piano - choose to suit your taste.
- Unusual models.
Manufacturers are coming up with more and more exclusive models of minibars. Nowadays you can find home bars in the shape of a globe, a musical instrument or a wooden barrel.
- Compartments in furniture.
There are countless options for how to equip a home bar, even if the area of the apartment is very small. You can purchase, for example, furniture for the living room, which includes drawers for storing bottles and bar accessories. This arrangement of the bar may be unexpected, but it is quite practical.
- Counter bars.
If there is a lot of free space in the house, you can think about a full-fledged bar, consisting of several pieces of furniture: a tabletop with legs, several high chairs, as well as a convenient storage system in the form of special compartments and shelves. Such furniture for a home bar is multifunctional, because it can be used for preparing drinks and snacks, as well as for eating.
There are practically no restrictions regarding the design of the facade. Designers working on the design of bar furniture offer a variety of options to suit every taste. Choosing a model that matches your interior will not be difficult.
- Wardrobe bar.
Fine wine and expensive cognac can be stored in a bar designed in the form of a cabinet. Such furniture is made from various materials, the most popular of which are natural wood and chipboard. Inside the cabinet there are compartments for glasses and bottles of different heights. Cabinet-bar models may differ in size, appearance and functionality. But if you decide to purchase such an original accessory, it will definitely delight you with its practicality, and will also cause surprise and admiration for your guests.
The main function of any home bar furniture is to store alcoholic beverages. However, the bar cabinet may have some additional features.
Manufacturers offer a wide variety of options, including:
- corner;
- similar to an ordinary wardrobe;
- with glass doors through which you can see the contents;
- equipped with backlight;
- with thick doors that not only hide the contents, but also protect them from exposure to ultraviolet radiation;
- with musical accompaniment and other options that the customer can choose himself.
The design of the cabinet may include a vinnitsa - a special compartment for storing wine, in which the necessary conditions are created to preserve all the properties of the drink.
Mobile minibar
This is the best option for small rooms with a lack of free space. There are many options for arranging such a bar.
A bar in the form of a small cabinet with a folding outer wall can be easily moved to any room, while the folding wall can serve as a bar counter.
A very popular option for a mobile minibar are numerous modifications of a table on wheels.
Its advantage is that it can be moved throughout the house. The multi-tier design allows you to transport and store bottles of alcohol, dishes and utensils on it. There are a lot of design options for such a bar. This globe-shaped minibar looks especially elegant.
A minibar made by yourself looks especially original.
How to properly position your home bar
If you want to have a home bar at home, buying furniture is half the battle. The minibar needs to be positioned so that it looks appropriate and is convenient to use.
Options:
- Furniture for a home bar in a modern style is often accompanied by lighting. Thanks to the play of light and shadow, the appearance of the bar becomes “floating”, soaring, although there is nothing special in its design. This type of furniture is best suited for lovers of modernism.
- Storage for alcoholic drinks can be installed between the kitchen and living room. This option may be the most practical if you often receive guests. This arrangement will allow you to be at the bar without leaving your friends.
- Those who love wine and want to ensure proper storage conditions for their collection should be especially careful when choosing a location for their home bar. High temperature, humidity and sunlight can negatively affect the quality of the drink, including fermentation. Therefore, it is best to place the wine bar inside the cabinet.
- If you have free space, you can choose furniture in the shape of the letter L. With such a home bar it is most convenient to prepare cocktails. It is important that there is a sink nearby.
For wine that needs to be stored in a certain way, you can buy a wine cooler. Furniture for wine is designed in such a way that the bottles stand at the desired angle, the optimal level of humidity, temperature, and so on is maintained.
A home wine bar with a transparent door is a very elegant element of the interior. This design also makes the process of choosing a drink easier.
The choice of furniture for a home bar and its installation location must be approached with the utmost care, since this item directly affects the impression of the apartment and the image of its owner.
Home Bar Furniture Styles
Obviously, you need to choose furniture for a minibar with an eye on the interior of the room. Although there are cases when everything happens the other way around: when planning a renovation, the design of the entire room is adjusted to one piece of furniture that the customers love.
If your apartment is decorated in a classic style, you should choose a home bar made of expensive wood and leather. Modern interiors are characterized by materials such as glass, metal and plastic. The secretary bar will organically fit into the retro interior.
- Classic.
A home bar in this style will have the correct shape, deep dark color and transparent doors. Models may differ in size and internal content. The wood can also be painted, stained or varnished. Most compartments have doors.
- Rustic.
The main material for furniture in this style will be natural wood with a noticeable texture. Also characteristic are the abundance of open compartments and decorative elements made of metal.
- Retro loft high-tech.
Metal is popular here, from forged and sheet black to shiny. Accessories made of similar materials, such as clocks or lamps, will help complement such a home bar.
- Exotic.
Exotic furniture for a home bar includes wicker fronts, imitation of the shutters of a colonial house, or design to resemble a traveling chest or chest of drawers in the Chinese style.
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Furniture for a home bar
A home bar is one of the indispensable attributes of a beautiful life. It will be appreciated by both a bachelor man and an elegant lady who is partial to luxury. It will allow middle-aged couples to receive guests with dignity, and young people will be able to emphasize their belonging to the elite. But, in addition to such an aura of exclusivity, a home bar is also a very functional thing that allows you to bring order to drinks and the culture of their consumption.
We offer an integrated approach:
- firstly, let’s make the assumption that your favorite drinks include not only wine, but also other, no less noble drinks that elevate your mood and tone;
- second, consider a home bar as a way to organize part of a space (large or small), including your preferences for space and style;
- and thirdly, let’s imagine the home bar as a lifestyle component - everything that allows you to turn a party or Sunday lunch into a real social reception, or, if you like, a party.
However, even if you are far from any way to increase your influence and impress guests, and prefer cozy gatherings in a small company to large gatherings, perhaps the idea of setting up a home bar has already occurred to you. This means: the guide will also be useful to you, because in it we will look at ways to create home bars of any size.
Home bar in mini format
Is it necessary to dedicate an entire room to a home bar? Not at all! It can fit in a very tiny space. do it yourself - from suitcases and baskets: For fans of vintage things, we suggest making a small home bar from wicker baskets or old suitcases. It can be placed on the chest of drawers or hung on the wall.
Serving tables: Common additions to living room furniture (side tables or serving tables) can be used as a home bar, and by assigning this function to it as a permanent feature.
Bar-tables and bars-banquets: Some manufacturers produce compact complementary furniture for the living room with special compartments for storing bar accessories - bottles and glasses. This may not be obvious at first glance, but you can try to fit them into such a role. Sofas with a pull-out minibar (at the junction of two corner parts or on the side) are also available.
Compact home bar and luxury bar counters
The minibar can consist of just one cabinet with a hinged lid. When folded, this piece of furniture looks like a secretary. You can also install a rack under the bar with a rotating interior for storing bottles and glasses.
If you want to pamper yourself and your guests, don’t skimp on a real cabinet for bottles, a bar counter and all the necessary accessories. The cabinet can be not only of a classical shape, but also in the form of a globe and even a piano.
Furniture compartments and other ideas: Even in a very small room you can find a way to create an elegant bar.
Counter bars:
However, if you have plenty of space, it's worth considering a larger bar. This is not only a tabletop with legs and high chairs, but also convenient storage systems (compartments and shelves) located on the reverse side. By the way, such furniture is very practical: it is perfect for eating and as an additional surface for preparing drinks and snacks.
As for facades, there is no limit to the imagination of designers who develop models of such furniture, so you can choose it for almost any, even the most demanding taste and for any interior style.
Home bars in different styles
Of course, any bar should fit organically into the interior, although designers are aware of cases when the interior of an entire room was selected to match a certain model of furniture for a home bar, which is also true.
So, a bar made of noble wood and leather will organically fit into a classic interior, while glass, metal and plastic will fit into a modern interior. A secretary bar will perfectly complement a retro-style room.
Classic: Strict forms, laconic dark shades, transparent glass. However, sizes and capacity can vary greatly. The wood is painted, stained or varnished, the appearance of texture is minimal. All compartments, except those where bottles are stored, must be closed with doors.
Rustic: Rough wood with a strong texture. Often there are many open compartments, and metal is added as finishing or fittings “in plain sight.”
Retro-loft high-tech: Metal in all forms, from forged and sheet black to shiny, almost cosmic aluminum. Around such a bar, accessories are required, also made of metal of the same color and type (clocks, lamps, chairs).
Exotic: In addition to wicker facades, exotic models include bars “a la camping chest”, imitating the shutters of a colonial house or even traditional Chinese chests of drawers in the shape of a pagoda.
DIY Home Bar Furniture Ideas
What size can a home bar be? Large, compact or very miniature - the way you want it!
- From suitcases and baskets.
If you like vintage things, a wicker basket or an old suitcase can serve as a minibar. This cabinet can be placed on a chest of drawers or even hung on the wall.
- Serving tables.
Additional furniture, for example, a bedside or serving table, can act as storage for alcohol.
- From TV.
Another unusual option is how you can make furniture for your home bar with your own hands. The drinks cabinet inside the TV from the last century is an amazing retro accessory. To make it, you need to remove all the contents from the TV, leaving only the box. Do not remove the switches and other parts on the front part - they are needed for the surroundings. The finishing touch will be the LED strip.
The wooden or plywood parts of the TV may not look very presentable after many years. To hide defects, they can be painted or sanded and varnished.
Carafes and bottles can be placed inside an impromptu home bar, and on top there is a small tray on which drinks can be poured.
- Made from PVC pipes.
It would seem, what connection can there be between PVC pipes and a home minibar. In fact, in a high-tech, minimalist or loft style interior, bottle storage made from such pipes will look very organic. To make it, you will need:
- PVC pipes of different diameters. The quantity is calculated based on how many vessels will need to be placed, as well as taking into account their size.
- Spray paint of the desired shade.
- Acetone.
- Spray primer.
- Double-sided self-adhesive tape.
- Hacksaw or jigsaw.
- Brush.
- Sandpaper.
Any shelf or bedside table can serve as a box in which you place the pipes. The pipes are cut into pieces of appropriate length.
Cutting pipes yourself can be difficult and time-consuming. It’s better to find out the required length in advance and ask the store to cut the products. This is usually done free of charge.
Most likely, after cutting, the edges of the pipes will not look very presentable. In addition, sharp surfaces can scratch your hands. To prevent this from happening, you should carefully sand the edges.
To treat pipes, use acetone first, then a primer and finally paint. This preparation promotes uniform coloring.
Once the pipes are ready, you can begin assembling your furniture. Self-adhesive tape will help hold the pipes together.
What else can you do:
- Convert one of your kitchen cabinets to store drinks. To make it different from the rest, you can use bright paint.
- Make a home bar out of a wooden barrel. There should be several shelves inside, and a convenient door on the side.
