How To Decorate a Home Bar: Make Your Next Party a Hit
Home bars are all the rave right now. They are a great way to entertain without leaving the comfort of your own home. In the age of Covid-19 and quarantines, home bars are a wonderful way to make drinks and socialize in a smaller, safer setting.
Home bars are perfect additions to any home or living situation. They can be built in a variety of different sizes, shapes, and aesthetics. If you are looking to brighten up your home bar space for your next celebration, look no further.
Decorating your home bar doesn’t have to be an expensive or time-consuming endeavor. There are many ways to change up the aesthetic and decorations of your home bar for any celebration you host. Whether your design changes are big and dramatic or subtle and sweet, decorating your home bar is the perfect way to add some intentional detail to your space.
Here at Ohza, we love the little details and know how they can make or break an event. There are so many ways to decorate your home bar for whatever occasion is happening, so we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to help make your next party an absolute hit. Here’s everything you need to know about decorating your home bar.
Optimizing Your Space: 10 Ways To Open Up Your Bar Area
When you think of a home bar, you likely think of a small station tucked into the corner of a living room or kitchen. While this is often the case, you can open up any space with just a few simple tips and tricks.
A more open area can help improve the overall feel of the party or event. It’s a subtle change, but it definitely has a big effect on the evening as a whole. Here are ten of our favorite ways to open up a home bar area with ease and style.
1: Lighting
One of the simplest ways to spice up your home bar area is by adding lighting.
A great way to implement this is with LED strips. You can choose warm lighting, bright or even colored lights for this, and line them underneath and around your bar. This will give your home bar an inviting glow that is sure to impress your guests and friends.
Look at the colors you’re already using to determine what kind of lighting will complement the space best. If the wall around your home bar is dark, you may not want to use harsh, bright white light. Match the tones and vibes of the room, and you will be set to celebrate.
2: Add Dutch Doors
Dutch doors are big swinging doors often added to open or designate space. Adding Dutch doors to your home bar can help open up the space significantly.
They allow extra room storage when the home bar is not being used and can add a fun classic look to your bar and your kitchen as a whole.
3: Add a Mirror Backsplash
Almost any interior designer will tell you that the best way to open up any space is by using mirrors. Mirrors make a room feel larger and less crowded when placed properly.
If you want to open up your home bar area, adding a mirror backsplash is a perfect way to do this. Not only does it significantly open up your home bar area, but it looks stunning and professional as well.
4: Add Shelving
Add extra space to your home bar and dress it up at the same time by adding some shelving. Shelving helps reduce clutter on your counter and highlight your favorite decor or store your favorite liquors.
Shelves are always a good call when trying to clear up extra space quickly and conveniently, and they’ll allow you to make the most of a small space.
5: Gold Details
Lining your home bar with a little bit of gold can be a major game-changer. Gold is eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing, and the right lighting can be a winning combo to decorating your home bar. The way gold sparkles and glimmers in the perfect lighting can open up the space and draw guests.
Try adding gold trim to the counter or cabinets and see how much it opens up the space and makes everything feel a little fancier.
6: Paint It Dark and Moody
Black is one of the most versatile colors, and it truly can go with anything. Your home bar is no exception.
If you want your home bar not only to be stunning but to blend in effortlessly with your space, try painting it in dark colors. The sleek black paint will give your home bar a real modern “real bar” vibe that is luxurious and accessible. Plus, dark colors never seem to go out of style and are a wonderful way to make a statement.
7: Convert a Closet
Let’s say you don’t live in a place with the extra elbow room for a home bar, but you still want one for hosting and entertaining. What can you do then?
If you have a closet to spare, turn it into a home bar. This is a great hack for those renting or those with small kitchens or living spaces. By using a spare closet, you have a designated space for your bar (with a door and everything) that can be easily hidden away and effortlessly brought out for hosting without added clutter or loss of living space.
8: Shoot for the Stars
When designing, decorating, or even building your home bar, you should always be thinking up if you are trying to optimize your space. Home bars that are vertical in nature instead of horizontal will help you make the most of a small area.
Take advantage of your wall space and save your floor space for your guests. Build up and add onto your bar vertically; you can always get a step stool.
9: Pop of Color
Here at Ohza, we love the art of popping: popping corks, popping into parties, and especially pops of color. Adding a pop of color is the perfect way to make a statement with your home bar.
Who doesn’t love an eclectic sense of style every now and then? Bring in a bright color to contrast with the dark of your bar to make it pop and draw your party-goers closer to the good times.
10: Switch Up the Countertop
If you have extra room in your budget, upgrading your bar counter to a different material like marble is a great way to add sleekness to your home bar. Having the marble or another texture will add a level of contrast and make the bar seem more inviting.
Those living in a rental can find peel and stick stickers that replicate the look of marble and other textures with no installation required. They’re perfect for a short-term space that still wants to party.
10 Party Essentials That Double as Decorations
Another way that you can dress up your home bar space is by picking decorations that are as pretty as they are practical. This is incredibly helpful when you live in a smaller space or are just trying to reduce clutter.
Finding practical decor is not as hard as you may think, but don't worry if you are feeling stumped. From color-coordinated decor to extra storage space, here are ten party essentials that double as decor.
1: Matching Glassware
A fun, subtle way to dress up your home bar is by matching your glassware to your cabinets. You can do this by color coordination or style.
Regardless of how you decide to go, matching your glassware for your bar to the bar itself is an aesthetic way to dress up any space.
2: Home Bar Cart
If you can’t or don’t want to go through the hassle of installing a home bar into your living space, invest in a cart with wheels. A bar cart rather than a bar station allows more flexibility in where your cart goes and is stored.
Another plus is that you have more room to add storage or shelving. Plus, since your bar is not homebound, you can take your bar cart with you to the next celebration. You’d just have to be extra careful in the transportation process.
3: Add a Wine Rack
Looking to add a touch of class to your home bar and use up some empty wall space?
One go-to way to do this is by adding a wine rack adjacent to your home bar set up. A wine rack provides easy storage with low maintenance and allows you to show off some of your finest bottles in a chic, modern way.
4: Drawers Are a Bar’s Best Friend
An effortless way to free up some space is by storing your bottles of spirits, Champagne, and other alcohols in a drawer if you have one that’s deep enough.
Purchase drawer organizers to keep all the bottles from getting mixed up or tipped over. Using drawers is ideal if your home bar is in a living room or main area.
5: Serving Trays
If you are looking to add height or dimension to your home bar, invest in serving trays. Serving trays help eliminate clutter, add texture, and make your home bar feel more professional. They can add a touch of class that goes a long way.
Plus, when you have people over for your next celebration, serving trays are a fun way to make your guests feel like A-listers for a night.
6: Garnishes as Decor
Looking for a pop of color without being overbearing? Put out a bowl of limes, lemons, or another citrus to make a subtle statement. Keeping your cocktail garnishes out in the open allows your tools to be more accessible when making drinks and gives some bright natural color to have a moment to shine.
This is a small way to bring color and natural brightness into any space, especially your home bar.
7: Dishwasher Decor
If you are looking for a practical and appealing add-on, consider adding a dishwasher to your home bar space. You can hide one in your home bar and make it blend in effortlessly to the space around it. This helps alleviate multiple trips to the kitchen for new glassware when entertaining.
Bonus tip: Installing a sink can also help make the space seem more intentional and inviting.
8: Mini-Fridge
Mini-fridges are great ways to ensure that drinks behind the bar will always stay cold. Plus, they can be pretty cute when styled correctly.
Pick a mini-fridge that matches the color scheme or theme of your home bar, and fill it with your favorite spirits and mix-ins.
9: Seating Area
One way to make your home bar more approachable and inviting is to add seating if the space allows. Grab bar stools or comfy chairs to put up and around your home bar. This makes the space usable and inviting and can make the entire room more homey and cozy.
Designated seating also makes people feel comfortable in your home and will make them want to stay for a drink or two. We recommend a can of our fruity Ohza Mimosas as a conversation starter.
10: Show Off Your Spirits
When you go to a bar, you will see shelving displaying the bar’s most popular liquors. This shelf usually has lighting that draws your eyes to the bottles. You can do the same in your home bar.
Highlight your favorite alcohols by utilizing lighting and shelving to show them off. Putting your spirits on designated shelves helps people know what you have to offer and what you recommend.
When you finish the bottles, don’t throw them away just yet. If they're smaller, reuse the bottles as drinking glasses or as decor if they’re larger. Many people like to put empty liquor bottles on shelves as decorations or repurpose the bottles into vases and drinkware.
Home Bar, Sweet Home Bar
Decorating your home bar is a lovely personal touch whenever you are hosting or entertaining. Whether you have five people in your house or 500, home bars are one of the best ways to entertain from the comfort of home.
Next time you have a party or celebration, consider getting all dressed up and dress up your home bar too. Happy hosting!
Sources:
60 Chic Home Bar Ideas to Channel Your Favorite Cocktail Lounge or Dive | House Beautiful
