Take a minute to imagine your favourite bar or drinks lounge - now imagine that it’s exclusively yours, stocking all your favourite drinks at a fraction of the price and right on your doorstep. Those are the benefits of creating a home bar or drinks lounge in your garden!
Whether you already have a garden bar set up and are looking for ways to enhance it, or you’ve always wanted one but aren’t sure where to start, here are some tips on how to create the perfect drinks lounge in your garden.
Choosing an Aesthetic
First, you’ll need to choose an aesthetic for your garden bar. Popular themes for outdoor home bars include a nautical or beach-themed bar, a tropical or Tiki bar, or a traditional English pub. However, you don’t need to be limited by what’s already been done. You should consider the style of your home and outdoor space and what aesthetic would complement it. You could opt for a 1920s speakeasy-style gin bar, a cosy, hidden library lounge, a relaxed boho bar, or even a classic, old Hollywood cocktail bar.
Selecting a Drinks Menu
You'll need a few bar essentials for your drinks lounge, including spirits such as gin, rum, tequila, whisky, and vodka, and a selection of liqueurs, like vermouth, and orange and coffee-flavored liqueurs. You’ll also want to stock mixers, such as tonic water, soda water, ginger beer, and lemonade. Don’t forget those extra finishing touches, like bitters, syrups, and garnishes too!
When it comes to creating the perfect cocktail, you caneasily recreate classics at homeor even come up with your house specials. Try to link your drinks menu to your bar’s overall aesthetic. For drinks that ooze old Hollywood glamour, think Vodka Martini, a Manhattan, or an Old Fashioned. Or for that prohibition vibe, you could include Sidecars, French 75s, and Gin Rickeys.
If you want your drinks lounge to have that laid-back, beach feel, then base your drinks menu around tropical classics that taste like sunshine in a glass, such as a Pina Colada, Dark ‘n’ Stormy, a Mojito or a Strawberry Daiquiri.
Finding the Right Furnishings
Getting the furniture and soft furnishings just right is key to tying together the overall look and feel of your home bar. You’ll want to ensure you have plenty of comfortable seating to suit your chosen style, whether that’s bar stools, an outdoor sofa, or sun loungers. ConsiderOutdoorFountainPros.comfor all your fountain needs.
Fun signs and wall décor for finishing touches, andsolar lighting to match your aesthetic. Consider also adding a fire pit or chiminea that will allow you to use your outdoor drinks lounge whatever the weather.
Entertainment
What’s a bar without entertainment? Ensure you have some way of keeping your guests entertained all evening, with speakers to play music and a pack of cards for card games. For a more chilled-out vibe, you could evencreate a DIY outdoor movie theatre, and play classic films that your friends and family are sure to love.