Decor Interior Design

Jumat, 13 Juli 2012

The Essential Home Bar

Truth be told, I'm really not a big "drinker". Well, of alcohol that is but I do enjoy an ice cold Dr. Pepper more than I should! Anyhoo! I love to entertain! Whether it's one of my friends or several, I love being able to offer them a drink and a little something delicious to nosh on! I have many, many, many different kinds of glasses, stemware, and tidbit plates and bowls! I would say I am a collector. I see pretty glassware, dinnerware, cookware, clothing, shoes, accessories... Okay, okay, so I enjoy shopping!

A few tools that makes mixing drinks easier are (1) container for ice (2) bar spoon (3) muddler

(4) jigger (5) cocktail shaker, and (6) strainer. How you set it up is totally up to you! I have all of my tools in a mini champagne cooler (I bought six of these that I use at individual place settings). It holds all of the tools I mentioned above, in addition to a hand citrus juicer, bottle opener, wine pull, and cute little garnish picks. I also have a couple of bowls for nuts and such, all of which I keep handy on a bar tray in the event I need to move those items to another area.

Right now, everything is silver, but during the holidays I'll switch to glass, both colored and clear, as well as mix in some of the silver to keep it interesting. I don't know, silver barware says, hey I know what I'm doing! This is another area where you can get creative and let your imagination have a field day!

In my opinion there are four basic glasses that are essential: (1) double old fashion (2) high ball

(3) martini or champagne coupe (4) wine. Oh, you had better believe that when it comes to glassware, there is a glass for every kind of drink! It is mind boggling to me! Being a Frasier sitcom fan, I still watch reruns of daily; I love a great sherry and so a good friend of mine gifted me with some of the loveliest glasses for sipping! The specific glasses are to enhance the flavor of the drink! Well, I really don't know about that, but it definitely enhances the experience! And at the end of the day, that is what is all about!

I love this bar book! It has hundreds of recipes for every kind of drink you can imagine! Drinks I've not ever heard of and quite frankly if I didn't see it in print, would think was just made up! It is also a comprehensive resource of the types of barware, glasses, alcohol, and liquers that are best for certain recipes! It has truly been a great go to for me!

I've only used my wine decanter a few times. I honestly never really remember it! My little tidbit bowls and plates are always in heavy rotation! My cabinet isn't large enough to store all that I have, so I like to keep a few sizes, shapes, and patterns to make the table look nice when I pull them out! Also, I am a big cocktail napkin person! I love my basic white cloth ones, but this is another way to liven things up and make the occassion fun!

Inside I try to keep a variety of glasses for different drinks. This is also where I keep napkins, coasters, and of course, a little more alcohol. I will sometimes have a tray set with glasses, mixers, and such for ease of use. I can then just grab it, set it out, and I'm ready. When you're entertaining the last thing you want to do is go looking for what you need!

I remember when I bought a couple of these trays thinking where on earth was I going to use them! This one holds additional bar items inside, while the other is used for the tea service that Gillian, Noah, and I enjoy every morning! My kids love this and I do as well! Again, it really is more about the experience! Well, that and does it taste good!

I wish this was my bar cabinet! I love it! I would have a little more room to keep many of my things in one place! This armoire is so handsome, but I can totally see using it as my own!

Another wonderful way to set your home bar! It doesn't have to be in a cabinet or on a cart! I love how this bar is set amid everyday functional items! It is as much apart of the decor as all of the other furnishings in the room!

This has always been one of my favorites since I first pinned it to my Entertaining board on Pinterest! I love the chest being flanked by ghost chairs and that lovely mirror above!

Totally glamorous! The diamond etched glass inside of this cabinet is beautiful!

Again, the bar is just apart of the decor! It doesn't take a lot of space to make it special and since it's all on a tray it can easily be moved to another location when needed!