Home Bar Ideas: All the Essentials for Creating Your Perfect Cocktail Space

Before you start to set up a home bar, you should choose a suitable location. A home bar is not just a place to put bottles and glasses. It should be a convenient and comfortable space that demonstrates your personality.  Most often, bars are set up in living rooms, kitchens, or dining rooms. Think about the aesthetics of your bar - do you want it to be a simple table for you to store the glasses, liquors and spirits, or do you want it to be a centrepiece of your living room? These details are crucial, as thinking about all these elements in advance would allow you to make your bar exactly as you wish.

The “base” for the home bar can be whichever you want. You can set a simple glass table in the corner with all the liquors, use a credence cupboard for that, or can even elevate your home bar with a signature bar cart - there are many options on the market, all in different styles and aesthetics to satisfy the tastes of every connoisseur. The bar cart is a favourite of ours - it is easy to move around the space which can be handy when you are entertaining. Don’t forget to check Pinterest and interior design media for ideas for home bar. 

Once you have chosen a space and a base for your home bar, it's time to move on to securing all the essentials for a home bar. If you are planning to improve your skills in mixology, it is important to ensure that you have all the right bartender tools ready wherever you need them. Ensure that you have the following: 

• A shaker - to combine all the components of the drink. Many cocktails require you to shake the mixture before serving, so to have a few of these is an absolute must 
• A jigger - to measure your ingredients to ensure that the drinks are made in perfect proportions 
• A mixing glass - some cocktails will require you to mix all the ingredients 
• A bar spoon - a perfect and handy tool that is used for mixing drinks either in a mixing glass or regular glass

Ensure that you have these available at your home bar for the easy mixing experience.

A set of different glasses is one of the most important essentials for a home bar and something that you should never underestimate. The right choice of glassware makes the drinks' presentation more sophisticated and has an influence on the tasting process. Generally, the core set of glasses is following: 

• An Old Fashioned glass is a large, low cylindrical glass designed specifically for making strong cocktails on the rocks;
• Highball is a tall glass for making cocktails with a lot of ice;
• Coupe Glass - a small, elegant cocktail glass for classic combinations;
• Wine glass - it is used not only for the alcohol of the same name but also for Aperol and other drinks.

Of course, it is essential to match the glassware to the cocktails in the making. Also, why not elevate the bar experience with unique glasses of special design?

Essential Spirits and Ingredients: Stocking Your Bar Like a Pro

While all previous recommendations on how to make a home bar are important, the one bit you definitely want to considere thoroughly is the collection of spirits and liquors needed for cocktail making. Start by thinking about cocktails you and your friends prefer, create a list and order all the essentials. If you like experimenting and surprising your guests with something new every time you are hosting, we recommend building a base of spirits and then getting various half bottles of liquors, bitters and syrups. This way you will be ready for anything! Finally, don’t forget to have different sodas, tonics and sparkling waters.

After you have nailed the basic home bar essentials, it is time to add a personal touch. Think about things that inspire you when crafting cocktails. Do you have a collection of mixology books you regularly flip through? Or maybe you are love bringing unique glassware or mini plates from you travels? Dry garnishes - like oranges and lemons? If you are a fan of Spritzers or Vodka Tonics, maybe add a plant of rosemary or basil to always have it fresh? This is about making it perfect for you and enhance its individuality with little props that match your aesthetics. 

To sum up, creating a home bar is a fun and rewarding way to elevate your at-home entertainment experience. With just a few mixology tools, high quality spirits and liquor collection, you will be able to explore new intricacies of mixology turning it into a sophisticated and elegant process. Don’t forget to personalise the space with your favourite mixology books, glasses and even fresh flowers. These personal touches will make the bar unique and truly you.