Entertaining at home is a great way to keep costs down and makes for a more relaxed and personal evening. Make it even more special by building your own home bar to turn your living room into a mini event space. The best thing is, you don’t need a lot of room, as transforming your cupboard-stored spirits into a centrepiece for your living or dining room is all about the display. Start with a standout drinks trolley then add glassware, bar tools and fun decorations, and even turn it into a DIY cocktail station! Here are some home bar ideas to get you started.
What you’ll need for your home bar
The basics
Choose two or three staple spirits, maybe vodka, gin, rum or tequila, based on your most-sipped drinks and favourite cocktail recipes. Then think about the mixers needed for classic combinations, such as fruit juice, tonic, soda water and ginger ale. You’ll need vermouth for martinis and negronis, and bitters for drinks such as a Manhattan and old-fashioned. Simple syrup can also be good to have on hand, as it works in a range of cocktail recipes.
The equipment
Wine drinkers should keep an aerator and bottle stop in their home bar to make sure each bottle tastes its best, and don't forget the all-important corkscrew and bottle opener. Cocktail fans can make like a pro with the necessary mixing tools. You’ll need a cocktail shaker for daiquiris and margaritas, plus a jigger and spoon for measuring your spirits and stirring martinis and Manhattans. Use a strainer for filtering out ice when pouring, and have reusable straws and colourful napkins on hand for serving. Our Marble Dots Bar Tools Set has all you need for mixing up a storm.
The drinks glasses
You’ll need a mixture of glassware, including balloon gin glasses for G&Ts, tumblers for drinks on the rocks, and flutes for fizz. Plan for at least six of each type, depending on how many guests you’re having over. When it comes to cocktail glasses, think martini glasses, tall tumblers and coupes. As well as Mr Bond’s tipple of choice, the martini glass can be used for Manhattans and cosmopolitans. Tall tumblers will be used for drinks topped up with mixers, such as a Tom Collins or mojito, and bellinis will be served in flutes. Negronis sit in short, wide glasses and your coupes will be used for Champagne cocktails and those all-time favourite espresso and passionfruit martinis.
