Home bars; you’ve seen them in all the movies and TV shows. They’re the go-to home accessory for classy and wealthy characters, and for this reason, they’re an aspiration of many homeowners. Yet you don’t have to be wealthy to set up your own home bar. You just need a bit of organisational prowess, and perhaps a little DIY know-how if you haven’t got any empty shelf or cupboard space to use.
This article will show you exactly how to get started and keep your home bar organised, just like the ones you see on screen.
1.Audit What You Already Have
Before you buy anything, have a dig around at home and see what you already own. Perhaps you received some cocktail glasses for Christmas years ago that are still boxed up and hidden. If so, great; that’s one less thing you need. There’s a good chance you’ve already got more to get you started than you expect.
Sort the items into logical groups. Drinks can be split into spirits, liqueurs, mixers, etc. Tools like cocktail shakers and strainers should be put together. You can then subtract these items from the ones you want to buy, so that you only spend on what you actually need.
2.Put the Shelving in Place
Anyone can grab some spirits and glasses out of the cupboard and make themselves a cocktail. The key to an aesthetically pleasing home bar is the way the drinks and glasses are displayed when they’re not in use. And the main factor that will influence this is the shelving. You can choose actual shelves, or use a cupboard or even a freestanding bar cart, depending on your taste, but get this in place early.
Generally, bar carts and cabinets work well if you can’t or don’t want wall-mounted shelves. However, floating shelves often look the best, and they have the added benefit of keeping your floor space clear. It’s worth bearing in mind that shelves full of bottles can be surprisingly heavy, so make sure everything is properly secured. Choose the material based on your preferred aesthetic. Wood looks classy and classic, while metal looks more modern.
3.Group Your Spirits and Stick to a System
Spirits are the central features of home bar setups, but you’re probably not just putting them on the shelf because the bottles look pretty. If you want to actually make drinks at some point, it’s important to keep your bar organised so that you can find everything easily. The best home bars usually mirror how commercial bars lay theirs out: separate sections for whiskeys, rums, gins and so on.
Colour co-ordinating can work well too. You might also like to put some favourites that you drink frequently at the front, while storing special occasion bottles at the back. Whichever system you use, try to stick to it. The whole experience of making a drink at your bar will feel much smoother and classier when you can quickly find everything you need.
4.Prepare Some Space for Wines, Too
When it comes to wine storage Australia poses a challenge. The climate is warm and humid, and wine likes to be kept cool and dark. If you don’t have a cellar to use, and you want to keep your wine bottles on display in your bar, then a countertop wine cooler or freestanding wine fridge is your best option. They’ll make sure the bottles stay at a consistent, cool temperature.
5.Protect Your Glassware
No home bar is complete without quality glassware. It’s the secret ingredient that elevates every drink. But unlike actual ingredients, you can reuse it over and over if you keep it safe. Of course, that’s sometimes easier said than done, and storing it wrongly could lead to chips, cracks or worse.
A good approach is to use dedicated spaces for different types of glasses. Wine glasses are safe and look great hanging from an overhead rack, whereas other glasses, like tumblers and rocks glasses, get by just fine on open shelves.
Conclusion
Setting up a home bar can be a lot of fun, and it can help with getting your home organised properly. It creates a dedicated space for a popular pastime, and you’ll be inspired to keep it neat and tidy. Just remember that it’s mainly there to be visually appreciated, and that you should always follow responsible drinking guidelines.
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