Thinking of setting up a home bar? Or perhaps you already have a home bar and you’re looking for new ways to decorate it? From dart boards to bar optics, there are all kinds of fun features you can add to a home bar. Below are just a few fantastic home bar ideas to consider.
Wall mounted TV
If you’re aiming for a sports bar theme, a wall mounted TV is a must-have feature for allowing you to watch all your favorite games. Alternatively, a TV could be used for simply playing music videos, watching movies or even playing video games. TV can be placed inside or outside (although outdoor TVs will generally need to have a cover).
Dartboard
If you love playing darts, why not hang up a dartboard in your home bar? You could buy some special darts such as these Kyle Anderson darts and even install a digital scorer. Darts requires at least 7ft 9.25 inches of space when played properly, so make sure you have this space.
Pool table
If you’ve got a relatively large home bar, you could even consider adding a pool table. You’ll be able to practice your pool skills and challenge friends. You can even convert it into a dining table when not in use. Most pool tables are designed to be used indoors, although you can buy outdoor-friendly pool tables for outdoor bars.
Pinball machine
A pinball machine could be another fun feature to add to your home bar if you’ve got enough room. This could be a vintage machine to match a vintage home bar, or something new. Pinball machines are best placed indoors.
Home karaoke
If you and your friends love singing karaoke, why not enjoy some home karaoke with a microphone and karaoke machine? This could be plugged into your TV so that you can sing along to the words on the screen. Karaoke video games may be able to achieve the same thing.
Custom bar mats
Don’t just opt for generic bar mats. There are companies that can help you to produce custom bar mats that could allow you to personalize your home bar. This includes drinks coasters and bar runners.
Custom signage
Another way to personalize your home bar could be to add some custom signage. Consider naming your bar and adding a sign over the bar. You can also add small extra signs around the bar containing custom funny messages and notices.
Barrel seats/tables
For a cool rustic touch, look into stools and tables made from old wine and whisky barrels. You can buy converted wooden barrel seats and tables on sites like Etsy. You could even try making your own barrel seats and tables if you’re DIY savvy.
Wine rack
If you’re a wine lover and you’ve got a collection of bottles (or would like a collection), then it’s worth adding a wine rack to your bar. This could be a large floor-to-ceiling wine rack or something small and modest depending on how many bottles you plan to collect.
Novelty bottle openers
There are all kinds of silly bottle openers that you can buy nowadays. Have fun shopping for unique bottle openers to give to your guests. These could be wall-mounted bottle openers or handheld ones. Check out a few wacky bottle openers here.
Bar optics
Wall-mounted liquor optics can give your home bar that authentic bar feel. They can also help to pour measured shots (to prevent you going too crazy when pouring). Grab a selection of your most favorite spirits and mount these to optics on the wall behind the bar.
Tiki bar mugs
If you’re going for a tiki bar theme, make sure to buy some tiki bar mugs. Even if you’re aiming for a different theme, they’re still a fun form of glassware for serving cocktails in. You can find all kinds of unusual tiki mugs online.
Beer stein glasses
Give your home bar a German beer hall touch by also considering some stein glasses. These large tankard-like glasses are another fun form of glassware to add to your collection.
Chalkboard
Chalkboards are a fun feature for writing practically anything on. You can list a menu of drinks available, write out cocktail recipes, scrawl reminders, use it for scoring darts or simply add funny messages.
Edison bulb chandelier
Edison bulbs are large oversized bulbs that can give any space a vintage feel. They typically hang without any kind of lampshade and are usually positioned quite low for a pendant-light look. Wrapping multiple Edison bulbs around an overhead wooden beam can make for a particularly cool rustic chandelier.
Custom neon lights
For a modern lighting solution, you could consider adding some neon lights. Better still, you could try looking for a company that offers custom neon lights, allowing you to create signs.
Repurposed bottles
Empty bottles can be put to use in all kinds of creative ways for a quirky rustic touch. You can turn them into candle holders, add fairy lights inside to create fun lanterns or even grow plants in them.
Bottle cap collage
You can also get creative with bottle caps. Every time you drink a new beer, keep the bottle cap. You could stick it on a wall and make it a challenge to collect as many different bottle caps as possible. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could even create a bottle cap collage.
Electric heating
Outdoor bars can get quite cold at night (especially if you’re using them in the winter). An electric heater could help to keep your outdoor bar warm and cozy. Outdoor electric heaters come in all different styles including wall-mounted heaters, tabletop heaters and floor-standing heaters. Work out which is the best style for your bar.
Tip jar
Finally, why not add a tip jar to your bar? While drinks for guests are likely to be on the house, you can still give guests the option to pay you some money as a thank you. This could be money to put towards new bar features that you and your guests can enjoy in the future.