The rise of the at-home bar and entertaining at home

It’s easy to find inspiration for home bars right now with countless Pinterest boards devoted to retro living

Shaken or stirred? (Photography by Robert Soning)

Fashion in interior design holds a special place in the hearts of many and it’s something that we love to emulate through how we style our homes.

One of the main interior design trends that is becoming increasingly popular is the rise of the home bar, because let’s face it, why go out when you can host a cocktail evening at home? We all love to show off our homes; they are great platforms for creativity and design and for demonstrating our personal aesthetics. There’s nothing more intimate about being in someone’s home because you get to know more about them.

We all lead busy lives these days with long hours, stressful jobs and the unending stream of social and work events. Because of this pressure on our time, the hours we spend at home are a lot more valuable, which is why home entertaining is on the rise. Many of my clients are specifying home bars so that they can kill two birds with one stone, relaxing at home while ensuring the are able to create a sociable environment for guests too.

It’s so easy to find inspiration for home bars right now with countless Pinterest boards devoted to retro living where you can get creative and find ideas for building your own. The list of accessories and silhouettes that work in home bars is endless, such as the 1920’s-style bar carts or the curved corner bars from Mad Men. It’s interesting to see how the bar cart or globe drinks holder is having a renaissance and is now an Instagram-worthy piece to have in your home.

If you’re after a home bar or an aesthetic talking point for you and your friends to gather around then there are a few things to consider. Firstly, space, especially considering the “conservative” size of most inner-city homes. If you have the space to include a fitted bar in the kitchen or living room, ensure the scale of the furniture (bar included) works in the space. However, if space is more limited, a simple bar trolley sourced from a vintage supplier or a contemporary piece will create a similar, sociable atmosphere. However, you should avoid cramming all your furniture into a small space. Think outside the box and substitute a side board or console table for your home bar.

A home bar is the ultimate in members’ club style (Robert Soning)

In an ideal world, your bar would be fully stocked at all times, but if you’re running low, spruce it up by adding some nice glasses, bowls or candles to give it the illusion of looking more full. This is the joy of open shelving in a home bar.

Leading on from open shelving, my last point concerns the importance of accessorising. Mixing up colours and textures gives the room a bit more of a rock and roll feel. If you’ve got a brass bar cart, some marble and leather accessories with different shaped and coloured bottles give the space such a lift and echo the members’ club style that a home bar brings. And don’t forget the ice.