A home bar is a great way to add a splash of character to your home. There are endless styles and designs you can choose from, and there’s something out there for everyone. Home bars offer another way to express who you are. You can use them for entertaining guests or as a safe place to keep the adult beverages away from children or anyone who shouldn’t have access to them.
Building a home bar costs anywhere between $500 and $23,000, depending on how you design and install it. Don’t be discouraged by the upper-end costs, though. Upgrading your home with a bar increases your property’s resale value by quite a lot.
Hiring the right people to design-build your home bar is a make-or-break step in the process. Hiring the wrong people costs you extra time, money, and effort. You should seek out a team that never uses shortcuts because doing so can ruin your project. Whether or not you hire an architect in addition to a construction firm is entirely up to you, but here are some things to consider.
Many architects are accustomed to designing huge buildings for million-dollar corporations. Doing so means that they can inflate their prices and take their time because these projects tend to move very slowly. Architects like to plan more elaborate and fanciful things than you might want.
You don’t need Frank Lloyd Wright designing your home bar. You need someone with practical, real-world experience. Design-build firms like Winthorpe Design & Build have that experience, including first-hand knowledge of what is and isn’t realistic. Winthorpe Design & Build has been in business for decades, and we’ve seen it all. We have the training and knowledge to handle just about any situation–no architect needed.
Where Should I Put My Home Bar?
The first thing you need to know before building your home bar is where you’d like to install it. Typically home bars go in a dining area or living room, though those aren’t your only options. One convenient place to put it is a finished basement if you have one.
Wherever you decide to put it, a home bar never fails to impress guests and becomes a fail-proof conversation starter.
How Can I Make My Home Bar Look Good?
While people seldom agree about what does and doesn’t look good, there are some things to try that almost always make an improvement.
Ambient Lighting
Lighting may seem like an afterthought, but the way you light a room can drastically change its mood. Harsh, fluorescent lighting makes people uncomfortable and can even give some people migraines. If your lighting is too aggressive, people want to leave sooner and feel less welcome. Softer, warmer lighting gives off friendlier vibes that make people wish they could stay longer.
Sticking to a Theme
It doesn’t matter what theme you choose—just stick to it. A home bar with miscellaneous and unrelated decor gives people a cluttered, disorganized impression. Having mismatched decor makes guests confused and sometimes uncomfortable. Picking a theme for your home bar gives it more personality without being overwhelming.
Make it Personal
No two people like the same things. Since you’ll never be able to please everyone, do what feels right to you. Chances are other people will like it, too. When it comes to decor, there are very few wrong answers.
Uncommon Home Bar Ideas
Have you scrolled through every magazine article and Pinterest board? Are you still struggling to find a home bar idea that appeals to you? Here are some rare, unconventional ideas for you to consider.
Add a Fishtank
Some people may find it weird. But how cool would it be to have the fish tank illumination be the bar’s main source of light? Or, if it’s in the budget, you could get a giant fish tank that is the bar. Line it with LED lights and fill it with exotic fish. This might be a bit extravagant, and it’s certainly not for everyone. Still, you’d never find yourself without a conversation starter again!
Make it Educational
Line a wall or two with bookshelves and model your home bar after a library. Replace stools with more comfortable armchairs. Antique lights and fixtures can make a big impression. But, of course, you may need a bit more lighting for this one.
Go Old-Fashioned
It may have been done to death, but you can still throw your own twist at it. Make your barstools out of repurposed whisky barrels. Tack up some black-and-white newspaper clippings. Go shopping at your local antique store, because you’d be amazed at what you can find. Maybe you can look at some images of a speak-easy and draw inspiration from that.
How Can We Help?
Winthorpe Design & Build has the first-hand experience to handle almost every situation. We’ve been serving clients in the Maryland and Washington, D.C. area for 30 years, and we’re not slowing down. We care about you and made a commitment to ensuring your project saves you money, stays on schedule, and meets your every need.
Contact Winthorpe Design & Build now to schedule a virtual consultation from the safety and comfort of your own home. We look forward to doing business with you.
