Getting Started With Setting Up A Home Bar

 The Basics Of Mixing, Shaking And Pouring In Your Own Home

Whether you love hosting parties or there are times when you like sipping a drink solo, a home bar is a cool enhancement. It'll organise your drinks and allow you to entertain with flair whenever you want. Not only that, it adds a striking centrepiece and talking point to your home decor.

 

So, where do you start? With the beginner's guide to setting up a bar at home from the team at Gifts Australia, of course!  We’ve compiled all the tips and tricks you need, from planning to stocking up. Plus, we have all the chic homeware gifts and home bar accessories you need for inspiration. You’ll soon be set up with everything you need for sharing a cosy drink with friends or serving up impressive party cocktails. 

 

First, let’s get ahead with some straightforward planning. With all home improvement projects, your budget is the first thing to consider. 

 

Wet Or Dry Home Bar?

Once you know the budget for your dream bar, you can start to plan the layout. The former option is a bar set-up with work surfaces, drawers and other bar enhancements. A wet bar includes a small sink and will save you from rushing to the kitchen sink while you host. 

 

Getting Creative With Space

Whatever space you have available, try to plan for a section by one of your walls. This way, the drinks master is uninterrupted by people moving around. Home bar ideas for small spaces could include a bar cart on wheels, perfectly designed with shelves for storage. 

 

Repurposing On A Shoestring

For bigger spaces, you can repurpose a coat closet, armoire, or bookshelf to create your new home bar. You could also use a wall unit for all your bartending storage and add in a work surface. You can even convert dresser drawers for a really cool take on bar storage. 

 

Hire A Pro Or Do It Yourself?

Are you planning on remodelling a section of your home? Are you good with DIY projects and interior design? Sometimes you'll need extra help with creating the ideal home bar layout. This could be from a pro or from friends who have already learned from their own experience. 

 

Chic Home Bar Ideas For Cosy Gatherings

A few elegant enhancements can turn your new home bar into the heartbeat of any get-together. While you’re in the design phase, think about Ideas to decorate a home bar like:

• Furniture - if you have the budget, you can set up an extravagant home bar with furniture to match. Choose a sleek bar top and add bar stools for your guests. Or why not add club-style armchairs and a coffee table for a luxe VIP lounge look.


• A refrigerator - some drinks just have to be cold, whether white wine or craft beers. A cooler, freezer or refrigerated drawers can be installed in your bar's cabinetry. You'll have cooling options at your fingertips and a constant supply of all-important icecubes! 


• Glass shelving - for smaller home bars, shelves are great for helping you get more storage space. Shake things up a little by getting glass shelves and displaying your barware. There are clear or frosted options for adding a chic touch to your bar area.


• Lighting - make your home bar a separate space by using different lighting around it. You can add hanging fixtures, use strip lights to line the bar walls and counter, or even get back-lit liquor bottle display shelves. These will give it the ultimate relaxing club feel.  


• Mirrors - these are always a sophisticated finishing touch for any home bar. Place them where they reflect your glittering glassware or spirit collection. For smaller bars, add mirrored tiles or stickers to the rear wall to help create the wonderful illusion of space. 

 

Tips For Setting Up Your Home Bar With Cool Accessories

Now the planning is nearly over, you can move to the exciting stage of choosing new homeware and barware. Your home bar can have as much or as little as you need. It's all about making it yours in every little way.

 

The Drinks

The drinks maketh the bar. There are plenty of options you can stock up on, from premium Australian wines to sparkling bubbly, hard liquor and spirits to liqueurs and bitters. You will probably want something for the beer lovers and non-alcoholic mixers like club soda and fruit juice for creating thirst-quenching cocktails. It's all about your taste in alcoholic beverages with a few popular essentials for those unexpected guests. 

 

 

The Drinkware

Every drink you offer at your home bar has the ideal vessel to serve it in. So based on the drinks you can create, ensure you have matching drinkware to complement them. The basics include shot glasses, wine and champagne flutes, rocks glasses, beer glasses and specialty cocktail glasses. They can be delicate cut crystal or funky and fun. There are even insulated or cooling glasses that help keep all your drinks at the right temperature without diluting them!

 

 

The Cocktail Kit

Cocktails need the right equipment on standby to help create tall, cool and refreshing options. Of all the things you need for a home bar, these are the most impressive. You can choose a beautiful cocktail set with all the basics for making classic drinks or get experimental with individual items. So stock up with essentials like a chic cocktail shaker, a mixing glass, long bar spoons, bottle spouts, strainers, a muddler, and a stylish jigger, among others.

 

 

The Bar Tools

You'll also need some accessories to make serving up any kind of drink a breeze. Ice cube trays and an ice bucket are essentials, as are a selection of bottle openers and corkscrews. For garnish options, you’ll need a chopping board, peelers and paring knife. If you're a fan of flight drinks, especially craft beers and cocktails, then treat yourself to a flight or shots serving paddle. It makes tasting sessions fun, keeps things classy and makes serving a crowd a breeze.

The Fun Extras

There are lots of super cool things for a home bar to add those finishing touches. Think about serving decorations like cocktail stirrers, spoons, umbrellas, straws and whiskey stones. To reduce time spent making individual drinks, serve them from suave glass tumblers. Display your spirit collection in beautiful decanters. Add a juicer, wine chiller and dispenser, can coolers, leather wine racks and even some fun beer or bar recipe books. Welcome to your home bar!