“If you were to ask me if I'd ever had the bad luck to miss my daily cocktail, I'd have to say that I doubt it; where certain things are concerned, I plan ahead.”
Luis Buñuel, Spanish Film Director, 1900-1983
Just as there’s a cocktail for nearly every occasion, there’s a home bar to suit every home. Whether you’re simply looking for an alternative to storing your spirits under the kitchen sink, or you want a sophisticated backdrop for your weekly cocktail parties, there are a range of options available.
Assessing your needs
Maybe your dream is to recreate the English pub you frequented in your college days, or you might be looking for a sleek serving tray to house a few stylish bottles. Before you whip out your credit card, consider the following questions:
How much space do you have?
- Where do you typically entertain?
- How frequently do you entertain?
- Do you typically host small dinner parties or large bashes?
- What is your budget?
- Do you have small children (and therefore need a lockable liquor cabinet)?
- Do you like to serve a variety of cocktails, or are you more likely to offer guests wine, beer or a two-ingredient mixed drink?
Mobile bars
Perfect for condos and other small spaces, mobile bars offer the flexibility of moving the bar to where your guests are. You might want the bar on the patio for your summer barbecue, and close to the fireplace during holiday parties.
Depending on your needs, a mobile bar may be as simple as a mirrored tray on your dining room sideboard. But moving up to a small bar cart will provide you with a lower shelf for storing bottles and glasses, either open or behind doors, as well as a work surface on which to prepare drinks.
Styles and sizes of mobile bars vary widely. For example, this Cosmopolitan Bar Cart
is sleek, compact and very portable, while this Martini Home Bar offers substantial storage and serving space but folds up to just over two feet wide when closed. Even Wal-Mart carries portable bars.
If you’re feeling creative, try designing your own mobile bar by modifying a cabinet (check out this link for an inspiring how-to). Or how about purchasing a truly mobile home bar with a group of friends, and loaning it out for parties? This one comes with its own carrying case and handle, and weighs just over 50 pounds. There’s even a portable “bar for two”—discreet, complete and perfect for a special picnic or dinner on the beach.
Semi-permanent bars
If mobility of your bar isn’t an issue, but you don’t have the space or don’t want to commit to a built-in home bar, consider a cocktail cabinet. A mainstay of the cocktail era, cocktail cabinets are a stylish way to house glassware, spirits and bar tools, and many include a pull-out shelf or cutting board to make drink preparation easier.
Pottery Barn offers a modular wine bar/cocktail cabinet that allows you to add the elements (liquor cabinet, glassware storage, wine racks) you need. Home Depot is even in on the game, offering a bar/gaming cabinet for around $500. For a more retro feel, log on to EBay to peruse the cocktail cabinet offerings—you’ll find a wide range of antiques and reproductions there. And for the truly space-constrained, there are even fold-out medicine-style cabinets that hang on (or recessed into) the wall.
A plus of many cocktail cabinets is their handsomeness as standalone furniture pieces. Their one- or two-door design also often includes locks—a plus if there are inquisitive little fingers in your home.
Of course, you can retrofit an existing cupboard or sideboard to create your own cocktail cabinet. Be sure to incorporate an adequate work surface, and think about how you’ll use the space to prepare drinks, as well as whether or not you want seating available nearby for your guests.
Whatever style you choose, be sure to locate your semi-permanent bar thoughtfully. You’ll want easy access to the kitchen for chilled ingredients (unless your design includes a mini-fridge) as well as cleanup.
Permanent bars
If you entertain regularly and want a bar area to be a part of your living area, consider a more permanent structure. The sky’s the limit when it comes to designing a built-in bar—it really comes down to your style, your space and your budget.
Permanent bars typically contain storage for glassware, spirits and mixers, bar tools, a work surface, a serving surface, and at least a couple of stools for guests. Add-ons can include everything up to (and including) the kitchen sink: A back bar for storage and display, refrigeration for chilled ingredients, wine racks and specialty coolers, an ice maker, a sink, a beer keg system, and every kind of bar gadget imaginable. If you think a permanent bar is right for you, read through our “Home Bar Considerations” list—and get inspired by a few of our "Home Bar Themes".
What you’ll spend
Prices for home bars vary widely, from the minimal or no-cost option of converting an existing cabinet, to anywhere from $50 to $500 for a mobile bar. Semi-permanent bars can range from $200 to $2,000, while permanent bars can range from several hundred dollars for the basic do-it-yourself model, to much, much more—EBay currently offers a few home bars at more than US$25,000.
When it comes to choosing a home bar, the sky’s the limit in terms of your options. Choosing the right one really comes down to knowing your particular needs, your lifestyle and your budget. Once you’ve figured those out, your most difficult question is likely to be, “straight up or on the rocks?”