Home Bar Furniture: Tips and Tricks| Foxfurn

Have you ever thought about how to set up a home bar? Perhaps you're settling on a dedicated at-home bar for the corner of your living room or opting for a bar cart tucked away in the dining room that you can reel in and out whenever you have company. No matter what kind of something you have in mind, a couple of bare necessities are essential in every home bar.

This article weighs the measurements to keep in mind while installing a home bar, examines the different models of home bars, and finally gets to why going for one or the other may be what you need. The article then zeroes in on the essentials that every home bar needs, and lastly, we introduce you to some of Colder's best seating, storage, bar cart, and table picks.

5 Easy Steps For Planning Your Home Bar

Step 1: Determine Where Your Bar Will Go

There are so many factors to consider when building your home bar, and your decisions will need to be made early in the process.

The first question to ask yourself is where you are setting up a home bar. This home bar will likely want to be in the area where you do most of your entertaining or tour out into an adjoining space.
Depending on the size of the space you have decided on, other decisions concerning the permanency of the installation may have to be made. Particularly in a situation lacking in space, the bar will want to be a tagalong in the corner or even collapsed when not in use, especially when that room serves as a functional entertaining area.
If the building of the home bar is part of the making of a new entertainment space-done by finishing a basement or placing a patio in the backyard-you are free to experiment with the plans for your home bar since it will not have to be retrofitted into an existing space.

Wet Bar Vs Dry Bar

The ones who are in need of a wet bar should consider plumbing proximity for a space. A wet bar keeps a fully functioning sink in the bar space for emptying and rinsing glasses. This becomes handy if you're making lots of cocktails behind the bar.
It would be appreciated more if you are entertaining in an area far off from a kitchen, or on another floor from the kitchen, or if you are making an outdoor bar. Modernity has made it quite outdated in some respects in the lovingly referred to classic wet bar. Since nowadays, the open kitchen and living spaces have made it easy for anyone to enter and get access to their kitchen sink.
If you're not bothered to do a plumbing job, this is the perfect spot to entertain with a dry bar. Add a "dry" sink to your bar, and it will be just for chilling drinks or discarding waste for a short period.

Home Bar Design Inspirations

Here are a few of the much-commented-upon designs for a home bar that will soothe the artist in you.

Living Room Bar

The home bar would fit comfortably in a living room, great room, or family room when entertaining is taking place. The size and tone of the bar added will depend on the space available, but plenty of options are there.
A bar cart or simple shelves will serve those having little space or items requiring portability. A liquor cabinet or bookcase bar offers a great storage solution.
They can always be closed and secured with a lock when the party's over, keeping them and their contents away from the kids when Mom and Dad aren't around. This makes an old furniture piece into a fine bar cabinet, a great DIY bar project that transforms an old piece of furniture into an interesting conversation piece.
A simple linear bar with a podium-like shape, allowing a few stools, certainly makes for good times preparing drinks and mingling. Shelving can also be added underneath or behind the bar to accommodate spirits, mixers, and glassware.

Basement Bar

Not only do basements make for excellent bars, but considering that you have this whole floor in your house that might as well be left unused, building one there is a very practical approach.
If a portion of that basement space is being used for storage or to do laundry, you may want to even pull up a wall to create an exclusive space for the bar.
Kegerator or refrigerator with basic bar and stools, or really go all out with insulated walls and flooring to finish working on your DIY basement bar.
If you treat your unfinished basement as a blank canvas, let your creativity roam to build that ultimate home bar from the (under)ground up.

Garage Bar

Why should the garage be used to park a car or store the lawnmower when you can actually have a place to drink with your friends! A garage bar is similar to the concept of a basement bar or a man cave but carries with it some distinguishing features.
First, it affords you a place to entertain guests outside your home. Plus, if your garage is detached from the house, all the noise that you might generate with kids inside trying to sleep or others not wanting to socialize might be quite welcome.
It can be set up more quickly than a basement bar since you will not have to carry anything (keg, fridge, equipment) downstairs. And it feels cool to just open up that garage door and have an amazing bar staring right at you.

Outdoor Bar/Patio Bar

When it comes to beautiful outdoor spaces, nothing could ever be better than enjoying a drink in one very good spot: the bar.
Everything about the outdoor bar options-from building a permanent, stationary structure to an easy-to-assemble-and-disassemble seasonal bar to be put up during spring and summer and taken down when the weather turns cold-is available to you.
Add a bar to your backyard patio, deck, or pool area for mixing and serving drinks.
It could be a small dry bar set up with an ice bucket, mixers and spirits, cocktail glasses, and coolers filled with beer and soda, or a full-fledged patio bar with a kegerator, somewhere to put drinks ice-cold, and space for your grill.
As far as the materials and fittings chosen for your outdoor bar, make sure they are for the outdoors. This includes a bar foot rail with a waterproof finish so it won't rust and outdoor kegerators that won't break down under moisture conditions.
An excellent example of an outdoor bar to be quickly set up for serving draft beers, wines, or cocktails on tap is the wedding bar we made. This portable bar is a perfect addition to any outdoor event.

Tiki Bar

Probably, you believe in tropical life or just love the tropical tiki drinks. Well, you might be in the right place to create your island paradise.
You can buy one of many off-the-shelf tiki bars being sold by different retailers or get your own.
From completely built out of bamboo to just basic wood with a bamboo façade and thatched roof, your level of detail and authenticity is completely up to you.
Do remember to deck it out with plenty of tiki mugs, tiki-themed bar tools, and tiki cocktail ingredients.

Step 2: Plan Layout and Design for Your Bar Setup

Now your home bar is slowly taking form, as you are almost at the culminating point of the layout and design, and your vision begins to take shape. Walking through this very important segment of the planning process can help you determine what curve of bar will fit in what size of space, what kind of furniture and beer refrigeration you will be needing, and the time and resources it will take to transform this dream into a reality.

Measuring & Planning

More important than what you want is what you can really have. Know the possible limitations and obstacles inside your house, especially in the room where you will create your home bar.

Factors to Consider:

Ceiling height.
Doorway and stairway widths.
Sump pump location.
Electrical outlets.
Cable TV hookups or Wi-Fi availability.
Access to water lines.

How to Develop a Home Bar: How to Build a Bar.

Keep in mind, however, that an average home bar is 42 inches high and has a 24-inch depth. Of course, you can personalize the size of your bar to fit your area and preference.
Just keep in mind that most bar stools height is 30 inches, so the bar should not drop lower than 42 inches to allow comfortable seating for your guests.
Take comfort and accessibility into consideration when deciding the length of your bar. Normally, you will want about 2’ of space between bar stools so people can navigate around and in between them.
So generally, most standard home bar designs should stretch at least 6’ long to accommodate three bar stools, or an 8' bar that would give you room for four stools.
Another dimension that you will have to factor into your specifications is the shape of your bar. It could be L-shaped or horseshoe-shaped, or, should you prefer, it may also be built as an ordinary straight bar.

Layout The Floor Plan

For a starter, if the area has a concrete floor, it is very easy and practical to chalk out your whole layout on the floor where the bar will be. If the area has finished, though, it is still important to outline-your flooring protection will dictate that you use string or painter's tape to do your outline.

Don't forget that your bar will be three-dimensional. Outlines on the floor won't visually take up as much space as your finished bar will once height is incorporated.

Step 3: Choose Your Bar Design Elements & Materials

Prior to the construction, there are others that you consider putting in to complete the home bar's overall look.
Putting up a back bar or installing bar rail molding and a foot rail can go a long way in imparting an authentic look and feel to the home bar while providing additional storage or comfort.
We recommend that you import your favorite taverns and/or brunch spots into the planning process and take an ABC-level sober note of what you like in the bar.
Pay attention to the particulars. A huge glass mirror behind the bar? What kind of stools and bar rail do you like? Take some special notes about the physical layout of the bar: how was it built, and what materials were used? Most importantly, take a picture with your phone for reference later—pictures really help!

Design Elements to Consider:

Overall look and feel
Bar tops
Bar chairs
Carpentry
Draft beer system styles, including towers and tap handles
Bar foot rails
Bar signage and other decor objects

Bar Rail Molding

Bar rail molding, otherwise known as Chicago bar rail, is essential to achieving that finished, professional look to the exterior of your bar top, providing a comfortable place for resting your guest's arms while sipping a drink.
Arm rails also prevent spilling or tipping glasses off the edge of your attractive bar and onto the floor below.

For other insights, check our installation article on bar rail molding.

Bar Foot Rail

Placing a run of bar foot rail along your home bar will certainly give it some style and class while providing the guests with a place to rest their feet while sitting or standing.
Foxfurn's bar foot rail kits furnish everything needed for the installation of one straight run of bar rail.
Where the design of the bar is at an angle, an elbow fitting will be used to tie runs of bar rail around a corner.
Use our Planning & Installing Bar Foot Rails guide to learn more about adding the foot rail to your bar.

Drink Rail

If you've spent the time and the money building (or buying) your own home bar, no doubt you want to do everything possible to protect it.
A drink rail around your bar top will keep liquids from marking any space on the bar top where you typically make your drinks.
Very simple to install because it merely sits atop the surface of the bar and can be secured with some glue.

Step 4: Consider Accessories in Your Bar Design

Home Bar Refrigeration

Finally, think about any appliances or fixtures that will go behind or underneath the bar in the planning phase-sinks and refrigeration units especially.

Bar Refrigerators and Kegerators

A bar fridge is pretty much a must-have for any home bar; that way you don’t have to run back and forth to your kitchen whenever someone needs a drink.
They are ideal for chilling and storing bottled or canned beverages and mixers.
Heavy wine drinkers, however, may want to install a separate wine refrigeration unit for their favorite bottles.
The type of refrigeration you need depends strictly upon which kind of drinks you're mostly planning to serve and how much of it you want to keep.
Installing a kegerator gives you the option to serve draft beer on tap, so this becomes a wise choice for any beer drinker to consider.
Buying kegged beer is more economical in the long run than buying beer in bottles, and kegs have some "wow" factor that will entice others to want to hang out at your home bar.
Even if you're not much of a beer drinker, a kegerator can install a draft system to pour kegged wine or batch cocktails to fill your glasses.
Make sure to purchase under-counter kegerator units when choosing a kegerator for your home bar.
This kegerator system has been specially designed to be installed in an enclosed space where it can effectively expel warm air from the refrigeration unit.
Free-standing kegerators vent air from the back of the unit; if not properly vented, the warm air will become trapped.
This greatly reduces the lifespan of your kegerator. For further details, watch our video on kegerator installation.
To install a built-in kegerator, you will need to cut a hole in your bar top for the draft tower large enough to feed the draft lines from the kegerator up to the draft tower, in addition to four holes for mounting screws to secure the draft tower in place.
Depending on the surface of your bar top, this could prove challenging, as granite and marble tend to crack while being drilled.
If you hire a professional for your bar top, inquire whether they could drill these holes for your tower ahead of time.
You will want to seal the gap between the top of the kegerator and your bar top to minimize any loss of cold air while reducing the possibility of your beer being exposed to warm air.
You should consider using PVC tubing or pipe to help run the draft lines to the tower, thereby closing that gap.
Be sure to insulate your tubing to help keep those lines nice and cold and the beer chilled as it moves from the kegerator to the tap in order to prevent foaming.

Bar Sinks

Sinks normally exist under the front bar installations, but there's nothing wrong with placing them in the back bar.
One of the factors that should also dictate where you will set up the bar or install the sink and drainage will be your plumbing access.
From simple, shallow, one-bowl hand sinks to standard bar sinks with legs and up to three bowls with a drainboard, you'll have tons of options when selecting the right sink to adapt to your space, needs, and design.

Ice Machines

An inbuilt ice machine or ice maker may seem to be a luxury for a few home bar owners, but if used, it saves a lot of time and effort in the long run.
Think about how much entertaining you plan on doing there, how close the nearest ice source is, and how much you spend on bagged ice per year when deciding about an ice machine for your bar.

Step 5: You now need to decide whether to DIY your home bar or hire a contractor.

Most likely, putting up a home bar will leave you with three essential options. Buy and assemble a ready-to-assemble (RTA) home bar, build your own bar, or hire a contractor to do the job.

This option all depends on the available free time, how adept you are at doing things, your budget, and your time frame in which you would like to complete your project. If you will be the one to have it done, then you probably will have to consider how many capable buddies you have who are willing to help you (in exchange for the open invite to your completed home bar) and other important factors like access to tools and materials.

Hiring A Contractor

For big or complex jobs, you will probably want to give a lot of thought to hiring a general contractor.
A home bar can have many faces and require the input of several different crafts. A contractor will take on all plumbing, electrical, carpentry, permits (if needed), and cleanup.
The contractor can also work with you on design, and they'll alert you to any potential problems and/or concerns.
Most likely they'll get it done quickly and with the least amount of bother on your part.
Before you start, grab a couple of estimates. They are generally free, and you will have more negotiating power in price later if you do.
Have your wish list written out so that neither you nor the contractor forgets anything. Take that advice above into account, and sketch your ideas and plans for this ready.
Once you receive estimates, take time to read the estimates. A good estimate will come with a contract, price breakout, and total cost along with payment terms.
Confirm that each and every element you want in your bar features in the estimate before you select the right contractor for the job.
When you choose a contractor, ensure that you discuss the period in which he is expected to complete the project.
Let the contractor include this date in the contract with a penalty clause in case he fails to meet this timeline.
Most reputable contractors will comply with this. Association with the guy who possesses six ongoing jobs at that moment must be avoided! You want your contractor to show up every day and get the job done.
Buy all refrigerators, sinks, and large-scale items, which you will need for your bar, before your contractor begins on your project! Don't leave it up to the contractor to guess at sizes - have everything in your home.
This will genuinely eliminate nasty surprises and invent many possibilities for screw-ups.

Building The Bar Yourself

If you are up to the challenge, then constructing your own bar can be quite satisfying! If you are a decent handyman or have quite a few handy friends who you can bribe into making it for you with beer, then your home bar project could be a darn good time.

Some real building advice lessons learned from experience are:

Be a good scout and hoard! Bring everything you need before banging away with those hammers. Measure and build an after plan.
It never hurts to have extra materials on hand - mistakes happen, surprises happen, and when they do, having extra pieces and parts may end up saving one from numerous headaches.
Don't let all dollars rule you. You have your budget, that is true, but really raw material quality counts! The inexpensive ones may not last long, and when you have to repair them or replace them with fresh ones, time is valuable, which could have been used to unwind in that bar.
If you're using friends to help you out, invite them over to see your drawings. It won't hurt to get everyone on the same page to see the great image that you're dreaming about, as it may be a bit different from your buddy's dream bar, so make sure he knows what he's in for.
While it may sound good in practice, the more, the merrier, realistically about one or two helpers at one time would be enough. The more you have on-site, the more it usually turns from progress on your project to a social occasion. You and your buddies can hang out after the bar is made!
Suppose you have some work area far away. In such a case, you need to consider that every part of your bar has to come from your store into the actual barroom. Nothing feels worse than having something put together, just to find out it won't fit through the door.
Do not open too many beers until the completion of a day's work, especially if power tools are being used.

Equipping Your Home Bar

Equipping your home bar is right next to stocking it up. Finishing touches come after stocking materials in the furnishings of a new headquarters for tipping back a few beverages.
Having materials and tools is important in building a home bar, and drinking has to have the proper tools for consumption to meet a standard home bar.

Home Bars Supplies & Accessories

There is an orderly bar that you have the richest beauty in impressing people but the easiest in the process of drink-making under knowledge of where everything lies. You will probably need some of the following accessories for achieving such a kind of ordered bar:

Liquor Bottle Shelves
Speed Rails
Bar Caddy
Garnish Trays
Racks for Glass
Drip Trays
Bar Mats

Stock Your Bar

Of course, the most important part of your bar will be the booze! You want to ensure that you stack up plenty of your favorite drinks since you'd be the one spending much of the time in it, but we do have a list here for when it's time to entertain friends and family for drinks in your home bar.

Personalize Your Bar

This is the space or room that you will be completing once you construct your new home bar.
Every decent bar would have some fun bar signage on the walls, one or two bar mirrors with that of your favorite beer or drink, or a few neon/lighted signs.
So if, in any case, you're looking for that bar area to place a TV or a home theater system for sports or movies, then that's already a must-have for this or future use.
Traditional bar lighting, such as overhead hanging lights or billiard lamps, would let you forego the normal room-type lighting for some options in brightening your area.
After the home bar project is completed and stocked, sit back with a good drink and appreciate the efforts of your hard work; all that is left is to invite some friends over to soak up that beautiful space and work.