Are you still on the fence about setting up a home bar? While having a home bar isn’t for everyone, here are some reasons you may want to set up a home bar this year:
If you love hosting parties, a home bar can be the social hub for gatherings in your home for easier entertaining.
Want to flex your mixology muscles? Having a home bar all set up with everything you need is a great way to try new cocktail recipes and develop your bartending skills.
Enjoying drinks in your own home lets you relax and unwind in comfort.
A well-appointed home bar can become a stylish focal point in your living space. (Case in point the bar cart trend!)
Having a bar at home means that you don’t need to wait until you have friends over to enjoy a cocktail with your partner after a long day.
There are 3 basic types of home bars you can have in your home.
- Built-in – This type of home bar usually has a back wall, with shelves and a counter with barstools so people can sit.
- Walk up- Often part of a butler’s pantry, this bar is set up on a counter and is usually a self-serve bar. Often the host will create a “house cocktail” or guests can help themselves to mixers.
- Furniture – From the bar cart to cabinets or bookshelves, this type of home bar is ideal for smaller spaces.
Photo by Taryn Elliott: www.pexels.com
What to put on a bar cart
1. A few bottles of wine or liquor. Place the taller bottles at the back and layering the shorter ones towards the front. Not only will this look more attractive than a mishmash of bottles, but it will also be easier to see and grab what you need.
2. Depending on what you plan to use your bar for (a wine bar or wine and spirits) and how much space it offers, display 1-3 styles of glasses. Even just 2 of each kind is plenty!
3. Display your bar accessories. Store them in a unique container like a decorative bowl, basket or glass ice bucket.
The vintage-inspired Celia 4 Pc. Bar Tool Set gives your bar cart a charming rustic aesthetic. Handcrafted from stainless steel, the set includes the basics: a Hawthorne strainer, bottle opener, corkscrew, and a double jigger. The antique copper handles contrast the hand-polished implements, which offer a clean, professional look.
4. An ice bucket, a long spoon, fun and unique barware accessories, and some cocktail recipe books.
5. Don’t forget something fresh and decorative! Freshness will breathe life into your bar and cocktails. A lovely bowl filled with lemons, limes, or other fruits. Or if you prefer, add a plant for some fresh greenery and fill a decorative bowl with assorted nuts for your guests to munch on.
Have you wondered why there are often peanuts at the bar? For one, the saltiness and crunch of peanuts are enjoyable when drinking. Also, the fat content in nuts slows alcohol absorption.
The Hammered Chilly Nut Bowl is perfect for serving nuts, dried fruit, and candy. Crafted of hammered stainless steel and wrapped in chili peppers on the vine for a unique accent, this bowl adds a decorative touch to your bar or countertop.
One final thing. When setting up your bar cart with unique barware accessories, remember to keep it simple. When it comes to styling a bar cart, less is more. It’s like a little black dress that you wore to the party, let it look effortlessly stylish!
Should I put cocktail picks on the bar?
One of the best things to add to your bar top is a set (or two) of cocktail picks. When it comes to unique barware accessories, cocktail picks deserve top billing. They come in unique and unusual designs, and they are one of the most versatile items of your home bar.
Handcrafted from stainless steel, our artisan-made Twig Leaf olive cocktail picks come in an etched container, perfect for the bar top. Each set includes a pair of copper, gold, and silver-finished picks.
Cocktail picks aren’t just for garnishing cocktails. They make great appetizer skewers and are ideal for creating bite-sized snacks that guests can easily pick up off a marble tray or charcuterie board.
We dedicated a whole blog article to the many uses for cocktail picks. If you want to learn just how versatile cocktail picks are, visit our blog post: 6 Uses For Cocktail Picks That May Surprise You
How to create an olive bar for your guests
Walk into any grocery store in North America and head over to the deli section. Chances are you’ll find an olive bar nearby, with an assortment of olives customers can help themselves to.
When exploring unique barware accessories, without a doubt, the olive spoon deserves attention. Our handcrafted olive spoons feature long handles and spoons with round perforated bowls. The elongated handle makes it easy to reach into jars, while the round perforated spoon allows you to gently scoop out olives and cherries while straining any brine or syrup. Visit our selection of bar accessories to explore a variety of olive spoons, each showcasing different artisan flatware designs.
Olive spoons are another unique bar accessory with various uses. One creative way to use them is to set up a home olive bar. Olives are a must for any charcuterie board, so why not create a separate olive bar? Your guests will love it!
To make our olive bar, we used the Aria Scorched Wood Serving Tray with Handles. We wanted our bar to be portable so we could whisk it away for refills! From there, we used glassware in different heights filled with an assortment of olives. Jason olive spoons were placed in each container with a few extras on the side.
Watch the video below to see how quickly this olive bar came together!
We hope this overview of the unique barware accessories we offer for home entertaining has inspired you. Artisan-crafted items always provide a distinctive touch to your entertaining essentials.
