Whether or not your home has a designated bar space, there’s no denying that the presence of a bar in your home speaks to elegance and capability, not to mention the fact that bars are naturally gathering points for company.
If you’re going to revamp your home to include a bar, such as during a renovation, here are some things you should have, from luxury bar furniture to the essentials.
The Bar Itself
Obviously, the bar itself is the focal point. You can either get a standalone bar and position it where you want it, or you can build the bar into your home, complete with a fridge, freezer and icemaker, sink, and racks behind the bar for glassware or bottles. You also have the option to create overhead storage for bottles and glasses. For an opulent look and feel, consider a bar made of solid hardwood, a tiled bar, or a bar with clear or frosted glass and wrought iron accents. Marble and other semi-precious stones also produce a pleasant effect.
Luxury Bar Stools
Luxury bar stools that match the aesthetic of a modern bar are also a necessity. Whether your bar is wood, stone, glass, or made with iron accents, these should be reflected in the nature of the bar stools you choose. The bar stools should also not just be aesthetically pleasing, but comfortably upholstered for your guests. Leave wood and vinyl-topped bar stools for the dives – your home deserves much more elegant comfort.
A Bar Cart
Your bar should also be equipped with a bar cart, especially if you frequently host large gatherings or if visitors tend to congregate elsewhere in your home. A good luxury bar cart will elevate the level of service you offer and enable you to serve guests wherever they gather, not just at the bar.
Bar Accessories: The Essential Checklist
In addition to modern luxury bar furniture, your home’s bar should be stocked with the essential tools and accessories you need to be successful. These include but are not limited to:
- A knife and cutting board
- A juicer
- Can and bottle openers
- A corkscrew
- An aerator
- Shot glasses or a jigger
- A strainer
- A muddler
- A shaker
- A bar spoon
- Mixers, bitters, sugar, salt, pepper and other spices
- Bottle pourers
- Napkins and coasters
- Wine glass rings or charms (for identification)
- A bottle chiller
- Wine glasses, pint glasses, snifters, hurricane glasses, cocktail classes, and rocks glasses, along with any other specialty glasses you think you might need.
This is just a place to start; there are other essential bar tools and accessories that you might want to have, given what you frequently serve. Start here and then let experience dictate how you should stock, store and furnish your bar.
Setting the Mood with Luxury Bar Lighting
The “luxury” atmosphere of the bar isn’t just a product of the furniture. It will also be heavily influenced by the lighting.
Avoid harsh, cool lighting if you can. The warmer the lighting the better, and instead of task lighting, consider ambient lighting in the form of Edison bulbs or backlights for the bar.
If your home has more of a contemporary feel rather than a traditional one, consider colored electric backlighting, such as color-changing LED strips, the color and brightness of which can be adjusted as needed.
That will give you a lot of flexibility over the mood you set at the bar, giving you control over the entire atmosphere of the setting.
Explore Luxury Bar Furniture and More at Cantoni
Are you here because you’re ready to overhaul your home’s setting with a bar, outfitted with modern luxury bar furniture and equipped with the essentials? Start your search online at Cantoni. They carry a wide range of modern luxury furniture, with plenty of bar furniture in their online catalog.