design editor Lauren Petroff shares the essentials for a well-stocked and trendy home bar.
I’m a firm believer that being prepared to entertain always pays off, particularly in the heart of the holiday season when parties, casual gatherings and surprise drop-ins are the norm. and what better way to welcome guests than with a festive cocktail? Whether you like to keep it easy or try out the most recent trends, here are a few essentials you’ll need to create a functional and good looking home bar this season. (Remember, if you invest time putting together a terrific set-up now, you’ll be able to delight in it all year long — a thoughtful gift to yourself!)
The first step in creating a terrific home bar is to think of it like a well-curated vignette: you’ll need to find the ideal surface to corral all the essentials in an organized and visually pleasing way. One popular option is choosing a stunning bar cart — a dedicated spot for mixing that’s easy to set up in a living or dining area. An alternative to this is to transform an entire console or sideboard into a drink station.
Photographer: 1. Chris Tubbs (left), 2. Angus Fergusson
Source: 1. house & home October 2014 (left), 2. house & home December 2010
Designer: 1. Colette van den Thillart (left)
Once you’ve selected your surface, start thinking about serving vessels. It’s useful to have a combination of decanters, pitchers and punch bowls on hand to house different cocktail components, plus they look beautiful left out on display.
Products: 1. Oval Decanter Crate & Barrel; 2. trip red wine Carafe Crate & Barrel; 3. Sittning Carafe Ikea; 4. Punch bowl CB2
A good cocktail tastes even better when sipped from a stunning glass! space permitting, group a collection of pretty tumblers, coupes and flutes in with your other bar elements.
Products: 1. Georgette Glasses Anthropologie; 2. Jasper cocktail Glass Crate & Barrel; 3. Metallic Barware CB2; 4. Hearken Flute Anthropologie
I’d also recommend setting out some trendy bar tools. The process of mixing and creating is all part of the fun, and guests appreciate a little extra thought and effort put into their cocktail. From easy to professional-grade, there are a variety of tools out there to play with.
Products: 1. Vinturi Waiter’s red wine Opener Williams-Sonoma; 2. Futagami Brass bottle Openers Mjolk; 3. Ice Cube Tray West Elm; 4. Vintage hotel Bar tool Set, Restoration Hardware
An range of interesting tonics, bitters and syrups is another thing that will elevate your set-up. Their apothecary-esque bottles add visual interest, while their distinct flavors tempt guests to break totally free of the same-old G&T. (Never experimented with bitters before? give them a try. just a splash of these highly concentrated natural extracts is typically all that’s needed to spice up a cocktail!)
Products: 1. Angostura Bitters BYOB; 2. Dillon’s Orange Bitters BYOB; 3. Paychaud’s Bitters BYOB