Furniture for a home bar: types, nuances of location, ideas. How to make a mini bar with your own hands - the best ideas for a modern bar counter and at home and cottages (75 photos) Non-standard solutions for organizing a home mini-bar
Read also
The first bars in the world appeared in the 18th century in the western United States. Even then, the owners of the establishments put up a partition that separated them from violent visitors. The regulars of the bars were cowboys, prospectors, travelers and just random people. In Russia, such establishments appeared closer to the 19th century and were called "zucchini", the owner of which was called "stagnant" (the one who is behind the counter).
In some countries there are entire streets of bars
Over the years, bars have become widespread throughout the world. Their variety is amazing: beer, non-alcoholic, sports, vegetarian, variety bars and many others. Despite the huge choice of establishments, some owners of apartments and country cottages equip their own bars at home. The modern abundance of ideas and materials allows this to be done even for those people who are not strong in repairs. Next, we will look at options for placing a home drinks bar, equipment for it and original design ideas.
Home mini-bar: location features
The idea that a bar corner must be located in a spacious apartment is a common misconception inspired by American films. In fact, a home bar can be placed in a room or room of any size, even in an ordinary Khrushchev. You need to embed it wisely, and design it with a creative approach.
You can store different alcohol in a home mini-bar, or you can make it only for certain drinks: wine, beer, liquor, etc.
bar in the kitchen
The original corner for storing alcohol will only decorate the interior of the kitchen. For example, for a loft-style room, you can make a homemade rack from plywood sheets. Such a product will complement the overall design of the kitchen.
You need to make a bar with your own hands in accordance with the size of the room. In the spacious kitchen, a large space can be allocated for this purpose, in which there will be a bar counter, a showcase, a rack for bottles and shelves for glasses.
If the kitchen is small, it is better to opt for small functional products, which are cabinets for storing alcoholic beverages. They are open type or with doors, behind which, if necessary, you can hide an assortment of alcohol.
Another relevant option for a small room is a compact mobile mini-bar, which, if necessary, free up space, can be removed to the closet, to the balcony, or simply pushed into the corner.
Options for arranging a bar corner in the house
Compact movable wine storage furniture
In the living room
Increasingly, there are living room interiors with bar counters that divide the room into two parts. Such zoning is still often used for studio apartments, where an extra wall will take up a lot of space, and a small partition in the form of a rack, on the contrary, will organically fit into the design of the room.
Placing a mini-bar in the hall is especially important for people who often call guests to the house and arrange friendly meetings. If the interior of the room is made in a classic style, the bar can look like an ordinary wardrobe without violating the overall design concept.
If the living room is small, and there is no place for alcohol in the kitchen, you can make a mini-bar with your own hands in the form of a small cabinet. So that it does not violate the general appearance of the room, it must be made in accordance with the style. For French Provence, wood furniture, painted in soft lavender or cornflower blue, is suitable. A room interior in Art Nouveau style will complement the product, upholstered in leather.
In the office
A mini-bar in the form of an old globe will perfectly fit into a room designed for work and business negotiations. If the office has a fireplace, you can carefully place bottles of alcohol on it. Here it is important to observe the condition: in a conspicuous place it is better to place high-quality expensive alcohol, in this case it will emphasize the taste of the owner of the house. If there is plenty to choose from, you should give preference to fine wines, elite whiskeys or rare liquors.
On the balcony
Contrary to stereotypes, a bottle bar in an apartment can be located not only in living rooms. On glazed balconies and loggias, window sills converted into tabletops are increasingly common. If you add them with a small floor-standing refrigerator for drinks, you get a real bar with a counter. Sitting on such a balcony, you can admire the sunset, look at the city at night or watch the birds.
Balcony with a bar counter will be a great place to relax
In other premises
A do-it-yourself mini-bar can be made absolutely for any room. If desired, it can also be placed in the bathroom, but in this case it must be made of moisture-resistant materials. It can be a small wall cabinet with a mirror that looks like standard bathroom furniture.
In the spacious hallway, you can place a high wall, stylized in antiquity, on which there will be photographs, several books and wine bottles. The loft-style corridor can be supplemented with a brutal multi-tiered metal rack. Both beer cans and glass bottles will look organic on it.
Equipment for different types of minibar
For a small home bar located in the living room or in the kitchen, a few horizontal shelves or bottle stands mounted in furniture will be enough (budget options can be found in the IKEA store). When arranging a place to store wine, it is important to consider the main rule: so that the drink does not deteriorate, it must be kept away from sunlight. You also need to ensure that there are no heat sources nearby (stove, battery).
A great solution for a small kitchen - a bar built into the furniture
Furniture and equipment for a stationary mini-bar
If the owner of the apartment is a frequent guest of establishments with good wine, who decided to equip his bar at home, he needs to take into account the peculiarities of storing the drink. To keep it safe, you need to purchase special lockers or other products that will allow you to keep the bottles at a slight angle (5 degrees), and also will not let in sunlight.
Collectors who have been collecting elite alcohol for a long time acquire special refrigerators for alcohol. They can even be multi-temperature, designed to store different drinks.
In general, you should always focus on the size of the room. Corner cabinets for alcohol will maximize the use of the area of \u200b\u200ba small room. And in large massive racks, refrigerators and racks for glasses can be placed in a specially designated area. This is especially true for country houses and cottages.
Mobile minibar
It can look like a two-story rack on wheels or like a locker with a hinged lid. A portable product is especially important for small rooms where you need to save space as much as possible. Mobile bars can also be large: such furniture is very convenient and allows you to periodically rearrange the room.
In the photo - a mobile bar made of solid wood with compartments for bottles, glasses and an ice bucket.
Hidden minibar in an alcove
This is also a great solution for those who want to save space. Shelves or racks for bottles are installed in a niche, which are closed with a curtain or a special partition.
The bar can be hidden not only in a niche, but also on the lower shelves of the walls, and in hanging cabinets.
Wall mounted minibar
Such lockers must be selected, adhering to the style of the room. For example, for a room decorated in delicate beige and pinkish tones, a burgundy wall bar is suitable. It can be made in the form of a drawer with doors or simply look like a two-tier shelf.
In the picture - a compact hanging shelf for storing wine
Original DIY minibar design ideas
Making a place to store alcohol yourself is a good idea, not only because the product will be unique and one of a kind, but also because you can give new life to some old thing.
From TV/h2>
An old bulky electrical appliance can be turned into an original mini-bar. To do this, you need to disassemble it with a screwdriver and carefully pull out all the insides. Shelves or metal bottle holders are mounted in the TV case. Such a mini-bar will fit well into the interior in retro style or loft style.
The manufacturing process of such a mini-bar is simple - you can do it in one day. But the result will delight the owners of the house and its guests for a long time.
Do-it-yourself mini-bar for home made of PVC pipes
A very non-standard option, which is chosen by extraordinary personalities. Such a mini-bar will fit into the interior, decorated in high-tech style. For manufacturing you will need:
- different PVC pipes;
- paint can;
- primer;
- acetone;
- sandpaper;
- double sided tape;
- the basis for the product (you can take the shelf to be of any shape: circle, triangle, square);
- hacksaw.
Step-by-step instruction:
- The pipes are cut with a hacksaw into sections necessary to sheathe the surface of the base.
- The edges are carefully sanded to a smooth state.
- Pipes are treated with an acent, a primer is applied to them and painted.
- After the products are dry, they are interconnected with double-sided tape and “sheathed” the base.
Such a mini-bar can be placed in a loft or minimalist interior.
From the barrel
The easiest way to make a bar with your own hands is to take a wooden barrel and simply put bottles into it. With a little effort, you can cut a hole in the wall and make shelves for glasses and bottles. The barrel can be placed in the office or living room.
From an old suitcase
To make such a bar, you need to take a large old suitcase obtained at a flea market or from friends. It can cut off the lid and install horizontal shelves perpendicular to the length. And you can leave the lid and keep it open all the time, placing the suitcase on a stand. In this case, the bottles are simply drawn up to the bottom of the suitcase.
Another version of the mini-bar, only in a modern suitcase. It can be a good holiday gift.
More ideas
You can make a mini-bar from almost anything. For example, from an old piano, record player, dressing table, bass drum and even wooden boxes. The main thing in this business is to show imagination.
You don't have to be a designer to set up a minibar at home. It is enough just to purchase furniture that will fit into the decor of the room, or make it yourself. The only thing to consider is the storage features of various types of alcohol. If everything is done correctly, a home bar will perfectly complement the interior.
Once I was visiting my old friend. In the living room, a small surprise awaited me in the form of a mini bar. I was more surprised not by its presence, but by the absence of alcohol in it. I asked a friend if he drinks alcohol, because maybe the bar was just conceived as part of the interior, and in everyday life it turned out that he had no direct use.
In response, I heard that an empty bar is a sign of a house in which the owners and guests value strong drinks, and only in a house where the owners are cold to alcohol can it be full. Later it turned out that during the renovation he made this mini-bar with his own hands.
In fact, such a detail for a modern house is a kind of analogue of a wine cellar, because it can take up much less space.
Any owner who appreciates high-quality strong drinks needs a similar interior detail. Most often, this happens due to the fact that in all nearby establishments alcohol is not distinguished by either a pleasant taste or high quality.
Why is it needed
Many have already drawn analogies with public institutions or paintings seen in films. It's actually not very practical. Rather, it is very impractical to install a huge bar, put beautiful bar stools on it, and then live with all this.
A mini-bar at home is most often a simple and compact piece of furniture that stores alcohol. It often turns out that you may not notice it right away when you are visiting a friend, as was the case with me.
Solutions with the placement of such a bar inside some kind of bedside table or barrel are very popular, which fits perfectly into different interiors. Very often you can find, especially in offices, a mini-bar located inside a decorative globe. In this regard, films show what can be found in real life.
If we talk about ready-made options, then the simplest solution is a banal table with wheels, which can have several shelves. Such models grow even up to one and a half meters, and this is already a good such a rack for drinking.
Naturally, their design is a little more complicated than it seems at first glance, because they are equipped with mounts for bottles and containers into which you want to pour alcohol.
Why a minibar
All original ideas and drawings for minibars converge on one thing - compactness and convenience. Many of the options that are on the market, as well as those that you can assemble yourself, are very mobile, and can be moved at any time to a suitable place.
It will be more expensive to buy such a mini-bar, but in the case of self-assembly, even having spent money on the necessary materials and parts, it turns out that the price tag is not as high as it might seem.
Not the least for many owners will be the fact that, first of all, such a thing can become a very beautiful interior detail, if not its highlight.
It should also be understood that such a solution can free you up a lot of space in the cabinets in the kitchen that take up bottles. This is because the minibar has special shelves for bottles, which help to make more efficient use of space.
Nobody canceled a simple demonstration of the capabilities and image of the owner of such an installation. Agree that in an ordinary house it is very difficult to find a mini-bar.
Naturally, there are times when the owner not only does not want to buy, but also does not want to assemble a mini-bar for the house with his own hands. It's more about people like me. From alcohol in my house you can find only wine and champagne, well, or confectionery cognac, which is necessary for my wife for some dishes. This I mean that if there is not enough alcohol in your house, then when buying, or assembling yourself, a mini-bar, understand that it does not look very impressive when empty.
Peculiarities
Most often, everything depends on the volume that you will need, and on the external design of the minibar. For many, just the second point is more important, because it would be stupid to put in a room that is made in the same general style, a bar that doesn’t fit at all.
As it turned out, this is not uncommon in modern homes, but we are not talking about that now. If you are now at the stage of determining how to make a minibar with your own hands, then pay attention to the designs that can be built into the wall.
This is a very thoughtful and practical option, because in this case you can use the space above the bar to additionally replace your things, or an acoustic system, for example.
This design is much easier to make stronger, thereby protecting the filling of the bar. I'm sure you don't want your minibar to break when you put a stack of books on top, resulting in wasted alcohol and glass shards on the floor and inside the bar.
In fact, you should not think that the instructions for making a mini-bar with your own hands are an indispensable component of the process. In fact, you can even use a kitchen cabinet, which you can re-equip, you can get a very decent home bar in a compact size. In this matter, everything depends more and more on your desires, capabilities and needs.
DIY minibar photo
We continue to hunt for inspiring design ideas. Today, under the camera flashes, home bars from real interiors from around the world fell.
Why go somewhere to relax and have a drink when you can set up your own bar? This does not require an investor, a separate room and large investments. Your starting capital will be the imagination and ideas from this collection.
1. Bar with a message inside
The interior decoration of the bar cabinet with gold leaf symbolizes the value of the contents. And to all who dare to encroach on these treasures, leave a formidable message. 
2. Bar cabinet in the wall
Draw attention away from the contents of your bar with beautiful, custom-made wooden doors. So that they look like a work of art in their own right. 
3. Bar cabinet
The designers of Robin Gannon Interiors, who decorated this American home, preferred not so much a spectacular as a functional bar cabinet - it has a place for dishes and cutlery, as well as wine racks. 
4. Bar cabinet
A bar cabinet can become a pedestal on which symbolic things will rise above the entire interior. 
5. Open shelving
A drink rack can be part of an ensemble - a bar counter and chairs, as in this Munich apartment. 
6. Open shelving
An ordinary cabinet can be converted into a bar: just place a couple of wine shelves inside, and hang a slate board above the cabinet, as in bars. 
7. Beverage cart
A cart can also be a great alternative to a full-fledged bar. For example, there are models that are used in restaurants and hotels, with many sections and drawers. 
8. Bar cabinet-ship
Well, a real sea wolf will suit a wardrobe-ship, on the deck of which you can place dishes, and in the lower compartment - stocks of alcohol. 
9. Bar cabinet with roomy doors
Cabinet doors can act as additional shelves for storage. A slate board with active discounts on cocktails will be responsible for creating the proper atmosphere. 
10. Bar cabinet
Even boards and iron from an old court can inspire the creation of a bar cabinet. Overly brutal look can be diluted with a funny bar stool or a vintage advertising poster, as in this Vancouver house. 
11. Wine crate cabinet
The atmosphere of the bar can be created with the help of accessories - a cabinet made of boards from wine boxes and a container for wine corks. 
12. Antique cabinet
This cupboard was made in the middle of the 19th century for a church. It is decorated with carvings with a biblical story, with Adam and Eve in paradise, which did not deter the owner of the apartment from placing a bar in it. 
13. Wardrobe with glass doors
For industrial-style interiors, even an old cupboard with glass doors - like those used in hospitals to store medicines - is suitable for a bar. 
14. Wardrobe + bench + table
And why not opt for a bar corner that combines all the elements - a bench, a wardrobe, a bar counter? And even a place to feed your pet! 
15. Cabinet in the library
Cultural leisure is different for everyone: someone spends time reading books, someone is not averse to having a glass. So why not combine these areas into one leisure center? 
16. Shelf in the closet
Even on one shelf in the closet, you can create a small bar: with a tray for drinks, a mirrored back wall and LED lighting. 
17. Repainted wardrobe
In this Canadian loft, an ordinary IKEA closet has become a drink storage. The owners simply painted it in the right shade, giving it a touch of antiquity. 
18. Antique refrigerator cabinet
You can breathe a second life into such a refrigerator cabinet - for example, place a bar in it. Such rough furniture will look organically in rustic interiors and in rustic style interiors. 
19. Wardrobe with bar attributes
And for lovers of westerns, you can equip a saloon - a traditional bar of the Wild West - with a skull and a wooden signboard. 
20. Built-in bar
Any empty opening, an unused niche can accommodate a bar rack. For example, from a closet or pantry. 
21. Built-in bar
Such a bar built into the wall can be made both open and with doors. Alcoholic drinks, for example, are hidden in the closet, and dishes are left on the shelves. 
22. In the doorway
Any unoccupied corner near the house is a potential place for your bar. All you need is a countertop, a cabinet, a refrigerator and a tray for drinks. 
23. Under the slopes of the roof
And even under the bevels of the attic floor, where it is difficult to find suitable furniture, you can easily place a bar area with a locker and a couple of shelves. Mirror mosaic will visually lift the ceiling. 
24. In a niche from the fireplace
The owners of this Californian home decided to take a niche from an unused fireplace - to place in it a bar with refrigerators for drinks and a countertop. 
25. Bar corner
A slate board will help create the atmosphere of a bar: here you can jokingly write menus, promotions and discounts on cocktails. 
26. Shelf in the closet
The bar as part of a furniture set has a number of advantages: it can always be hidden so as not to be tempted. And in the open state, the door can act as a table. 
27. In the doorway
Ordinary wooden shelves as a bar showcase - such an addition to the kitchen set will help turn any unoccupied corner into a bar. 
28. In the doorway
And if wooden structures seem heavy, it's time to think about glass shelves, which most accurately convey the bar style. 
29. In the doorway
If there is no place for a real male lair, any empty corner is suitable for this. Finishing with stone and wood will give the desired brutal spirit. For storage - ordinary wooden shelves, stands for wine and boxes. 
30. In the doorway
And the backlight will help to visually enlarge even a small nook for the bar: the space can be expanded due to the top and back light. Owners of a private house can think about arranging a light well. 
31. In the doorway
Take a look around - even in a small apartment there are empty corners. For example, corridors, doorways, where you can place a bar. And you can visually separate this zone using a contrasting color of the walls or lighting. 
32. In the doorway
It is logical to place a bar next to the kitchen table: then the need for a bar counter disappears by itself. And on the countertop you can organize a bartender's corner, with a shaker, an ice basket, a pestle. 
33. In the doorway
Your bar can be decorated in an eco-style: with a woodpile, plants, simple hanging shelves and a tabletop. 
34. In the doorway
The gap between the bookcases and the window should not be empty! A few glass shelves, a mirror and a wardrobe - that's all you need for a bar corner. 
35. Shelves in the closet
In any closet there are a couple of free shelves that can be arranged as a bar. Just highlight this area with a contrasting color and light. 
36. In the doorway
You can create a full-fledged bar in an empty corner with the help of appropriate paraphernalia - a refrigerator for drinks, wine shelves and, of course, a sign. 
37. Bar cabinet-wall
Well, if it is not possible to make a niche for a bar and openings for bottles in the wall, it's time to think about a wall cabinet, which can also be used as a partition. 
38. Under the stairs
Do not stop at non-standard layouts, various bevels and angles. This is the place for hanging shelves for the bar! 
39. In the doorway
The bar can also be an extension of your kitchen: just choose the right cabinets from the same series. And to delimit the zones of the kitchen and the bar, place the latter in the corner. 
40. Under the slopes of the roof
Mirror tiles can be a great alternative to a bar mirror. With its help, a small corner under the stairs seems visually larger. 
41. In the wall
The space under the stairs should not be empty, the owner of this American house decided and placed a storage rack here. On the top shelf there was a place for a bar. 
42. On the balcony
Putting a bar on the balcony is an obvious solution. Where else would it be so nice to sit in the evening with a glass of wine and watch the sunset? 
43. In the wall
The drive-through is a great place for a bar that will be available both in the kitchen and in the dining room. 
44. In the doorway
A narrow cabinet for a bar, a retractable bar counter - even in small rooms it is possible to equip a bar. 
45. Rack of wine boxes
A budget option for a bar cabinet / display case - old wine boxes. Minimum cost, maximum atmosphere. 
46. Wine crate shelves
Wine crates can simply be stacked on the floor or intricate designs can be built on the wall, as in this Houston loft. 
47. Pallet rack
Pallets are also suitable for a bar rack - just stack them on top of each other, and use the resulting voids to store bottles. 
48. Bar + table + refrigerator
This is a multi-functional design: a bar cabinet is at the bottom, and sections for ice and drinks cooling are at the top, and they can be covered with a tabletop for making cocktails. 
49. On the desktop
Why hide alcohol in the closet? In the absence of a bar showcase, you can display the entire assortment on a suitable table. 
50. Against the wall
A carpentry table will be appropriate in interiors with a masculine character, with rough and simple furniture.