Home minibar, like wine cellar at home, this is often not a whim, but a necessity for hospitable hosts who often have guests. It is also worth equipping for true connoisseurs of high-quality alcohol, because the nearest bar does not always have really worthwhile examples. The compactness and at the same time spaciousness of the minibar is its main distinguishing feature.
Why do you need a minibar in the house?
When you hear the word bar, many people imagine a huge stand with high chairs and the entire wall with all kinds of alcoholic drinks. Naturally, there is no point in equipping something like this in a home, and besides, there won’t be enough space. A home minibar for drinks is compact furniture for storing alcohol supplies, and it is often styled to resemble familiar or not so familiar objects in the house. It could be a globe, a barrel. Transformable bars can be turned into a mini stand with a slight movement of the hand.
The models presented in stores are often comfortable low tables on wheels or shelves up to 1.5 m in height. They have special shelves and holders for glasses.
Reasons why you should get a minibar:
- It is compact and most can be easily moved. This allows you to put it even in, without sacrificing useful space.
- The cost is low, even if you buy the materials and assemble a suitable bar for yourself.
- It decorates any home. Brings a touch of originality to the design.
- This alcohol storage system frees up a lot of space in and out, as it is designed specifically for storing bottles, and has suitable shelves for this.
- The presence of such an attribute in the design will give functionality to the interior and will certainly decorate it.
- It symbolizes the richness of style and emphasizes the image of the owners, because ordinary vodka is not served in such bars; it is often something more refined and more expensive.
One day I was visiting my old friend. A small surprise awaited me in the living room in the form of a minibar. What surprised me more was not its presence, but the lack of alcohol in it. I asked a friend if he drinks alcohol, because maybe the bar was simply intended as part of the interior, and in everyday life it turned out that there was no direct use for it.
In response, I heard that an empty bar is a sign of a house in which the owners and guests value strong drinks, and only in a house in which the owners are cold to alcohol can it remain full. Later it turned out that during the renovation he made this minibar with his own hands.
In fact, such a detail is for modern house is a kind of analogue of a wine cellar, because it can take up much less space.
Any owner who values high-quality strong drinks needs such an interior detail. Most often, this happens due to the fact that in all the nearby establishments the alcohol is neither pleasant in taste nor of high quality.
Why is it needed?
Many have already drawn analogies with public institutions or pictures they have seen in films. It's actually not very practical. Or rather, it is very impractical to install a huge counter, put beautiful bar stools on it, and then live with all this.
A minibar at home is most often a simple and compact piece of furniture that houses alcohol supplies. It often turns out that you may not notice it right away when you are visiting a friend, as was the case with me.
Very popular solutions are placing such a bar inside some kind of bedside table or barrel, which fits perfectly into different interiors. Very often you can find, especially in offices, a mini-bar located inside a decorative globe. In this regard, films also show what can be found in real life.
If speak about ready-made options, then simple solution is a banal table with wheels that can have several shelves. Such models even grow up to one and a half meters, and this is already a good rack for drinking.
Naturally, their design is a little more complicated than it seems at first glance, because they are equipped with mounts for bottles and containers into which you want to pour alcohol.
Why a minibar?
All original ideas and drawings for minibars agree on one thing - compactness and convenience. Many of the options that are on the market, as well as those that you can assemble yourself, are very mobile and can be moved at any time to a suitable location.
Buying such a minibar will be more expensive, but in case self-assembly, even having spent money on necessary materials and details, it turns out that the price tag is not as high as it might seem.
Not least for many owners will be the fact that, first of all, such a thing can become a very beautiful interior detail, if not its highlight.
It is also worth understanding that such a solution can free up quite a lot of space in your kitchen cabinets, which are occupied by bottles. This is because the minibar has special shelves for bottles, which help to use space more efficiently.
A simple demonstration of the capabilities and image of the owner of such an installation has also not been canceled. Agree that it is very difficult to find a minibar in an ordinary home.
Naturally, there are cases when the owner not only does not want to buy, but also does not want to assemble a minibar for the home with his own hands. This applies more to people like me. The only alcohol in my house you can find is wine and champagne, or confectionery cognac, which my wife needs for some dishes. What I mean is that if there is quite a bit of alcohol in your house, then when buying or assembling a mini-bar yourself, understand that it does not look very impressive when empty.
Peculiarities
Most often, it all depends on the volume you need and the external design of the minibar. For many, the second point is more important, because it would be stupid to put in a room that is made in one general style, a bar that, well, doesn't suit it at all.
As it turns out, this is not uncommon in modern houses, but that’s not what we’re talking about now. If you are now at the stage of determining how to make a minibar with your own hands, then pay attention to structures that can be built into the wall.
This is very thoughtful and practical option, because in this case you can use the space above the bar to additionally replace your things, or speaker system, For example.
It is much easier to make such a structure stronger, thereby protecting the filling of the bar. I'm sure you don't want your minibar to break because you put a stack of books on top, which would result in a waste of alcohol stock and a pile of broken glass on the floor and inside the bar.
In fact, you should not think that instructions for making a minibar with your own hands are an indispensable component of the process. In fact, you can even use a kitchen cabinet that can be converted into a very decent home bar in a compact size. In this matter, everything depends more on your desires, capabilities and needs.
Photos of minibars with your own hands
A crisis and an innate craving for cocktails - and now you’re putting together a home bar. What to take and what to leave for later and, most importantly, how to start so as not to finish quickly - remember the advice from the okolobar.
Beautiful alcohol on beautiful shelves or stuck bottles from mom - none of this matters. Three important points are important:
This is the base. Next, start training on yourself/cats/wife/brother’s mother. No need for friends yet. In general, using a bar for drinking at home means quickly saying goodbye to it and moving on to step 1. Too many times have I seen drunk people try to drink even grenadine. Or men under 50 lap up Baileys. Only because there is nothing else. Yes, the bar is for drinking. But do you really want to collect it for years to give it a sad end? Friends are coming and a drinking party is planned? – purchase separate alcohol for this. Don't waste 18 year old whiskey on people who just drank 7 glasses of rum cola. Not worth it. Please. Do not do that. This is the main thing. Further.
If you have patience, but don’t have alcoholic friends (which is unlikely, and in general it’s boring, get yourself one or two;)), let’s look at the main positions. What kind of alcohol do we need besides juices/water/fruits/ice for our home bar? Go!
1. Gin. Without him, it doesn’t matter whether you love him or not. Without gin there are no classic cocktails, and without classic cocktails there is no bar. To start, take a gin from the London dry category, then you can experiment and raise the price tag.
2. Vodka. Just don't skimp. If you don’t drink 50 vodka at dinner and plan to use it specifically in cocktails, don’t let greed force you to buy a “palenka” - if you spend 1000-2000 per bottle of imported distillate, then pay 500 rubles for vodka. This is normal.
3. Whiskey. Ideally, your bar should have a variety of whiskeys, but the minimum program is this: bourbon and scotch. In the advanced program we add rye whiskey, single malts and your favorite bottles.
4. Rum. Just like with whiskey, the minimum program is white rum (BUT! NOT a rum drink!) and aged rum. Ideally, white/gold/black + one option with spices and a couple of aged/strong options for variety.
5. Orange liqueur. Here, too, there is room to turn around and there is no way to do without it. Worst case scenario, you should have clear orange liqueur. Triple Sec, for example. Or Cointreau (but remember that this is just a brand). Next we expand to curaçao liqueurs - Blue Curaçao and Grand Marinier. The latter, by the way, is desperately good.
6. Vermouths. It’s difficult to get by with “Bianca” (sweet vermouth) alone, because the classic version uses mostly dry vermouth. Save the sweets for mom (with orange juice). Over time (and very, very soon) you will still have to take red ones - dew and rosato from Martini, for example. There are more expensive elite vermouths, and there are also cheaper ones. The choice, as always, is yours. Martini - ok (we remember that this is a brand, not a panacea, right?).
7. Bitters. There is so much in this word... Angostura has become more expensive Lately, so you can try to replace it with analogues from other manufacturers, but it is better to resort to this if you are an experienced player. If you’re just starting out, splurge on it too, because the classic taste will stay in your head for a long time and, despite the exorbitant price tag, it lasts for a very, very long time. Advanced users also buy Pesho bitter and other goodies.
8. Brandy and cognac. Theoretically, you can get by with mid-price brandy. In practice it is better to have good cognac for sophisticated guests (or for dad) + brandy for cocktail experiments. But you still shouldn’t skimp – be prepared to buy the VS level.
9. Tequila. A slightly controversial point, but she’s still supposed to be in the bar. And your girlfriend will be happy. And then - what is Long Island without tequila? True, if you want to drink delicious things, you need to take a) aged tequila (regular - no) and b) from 100% agave (regular - no). That is, again, not cheap.
10. Liqueurs. Although there is already a liqueur on the list above, we consider orange to be more essential in a bar than the others. You can choose from the rest for a very, very long time. Therefore, we advise you to resort to such purchases after you have already developed some understanding of tastes. These can be either egg lawyer and the relatively rare (but incredibly tasty) vanilla Galliano, as well as the more common limoncella (however, it’s easy to make at home) and almond (also quite good). And, of course, no one canceled the line of Bolsov, De Cuypers, Fruko Schulzov and so on and so forth. Sheridance and Chartreuse, Baileys and Kahlua, Becherovka or Jagermaster, nutty Frangelico and coconut Malibu - whatever your darling desires. Just figure out first (by trying it at a bar) what you like.
This is a base from which you can build in any direction. After collecting experimental liqueurs and distillates, you will still need bar equipment, but this is the topic of the next article. Although you can see what is there and ask the price
A bar is usually installed somewhere in the house - this is a common thing. But making a mini bar right in the courtyard of the dacha is, perhaps, original. The main thing is complete secrecy, seeing such a box modestly hanging on the wall, it’s unlikely that thoughts of a bar or something similar will come to anyone’s mind. And then I opened the lid, and immediately there was such a surprise.
Perhaps the idea is not very practical, but many will probably like it. You will definitely be able to pleasantly surprise your friends. I don’t know what the root cause of this idea was, but men will react to such a decision with understanding. Moreover, the design is very simple, and if you also attach a small light bulb, as in the photo below, then it won’t be boring in the yard in the evening.
In principle, a shelf can be made in different options, on a chain or on a rope, with or without a roof, and it will look beautiful on any wall.
Here, for example, the polished tabletop is secured with a neat lock.
Even when closed, the minibar functions as a shelf; you can put flowers or some trinkets on top. It is only desirable that there be a canopy over this part of the wall, otherwise the whole structure will quickly become unusable in the rain.
In general, try it, as you can see, making such a mini-bar is not difficult. Whether it will be useful to you or not is another matter, but the idea is original.
Here is the diagram and dimensions of this design, if of course they suit you. In principle, the options may be different, but you can take this drawing as a basis.
And then a few photos of how it’s done. We fasten all the end parts with screws, and the upper sides, if you make them, can be attached with glue. This is more of a decorative part that does not carry any load.
For the folding panel you need to buy piano hinges, although this is an outdated type, but in this case they will not look bad. In most cases, notching the holes is usually not necessary, so installation can be done straight away. To keep the lid in place, magnets are usually installed at home, but in this case it would be more reliable to secure the chain.
Buy a minibar in furniture showroom or a specialized shopping center is not a problem. Modern manufacturers offer a wide range of options for these interior items. But it’s quite possible to make them yourself from scrap materials, and then you’ll get a truly exclusive thing that you can proudly show off to your relatives, friends, and acquaintances. They are quite suitable as improvised materials for a fashionable piece of furniture. bookshelves, cabinets, tables, wine boxes and a host of other things that have fallen out of use for one reason or another. At one time it was a pity to throw them away, and now they will serve the zealous owners.
For the convenience of storing various drinks, you can build a refrigerator into the bedside table.
In rural areas you can still find a cart wheel today. For most villagers it is of no value, but for a jack of all trades it is an exclusive find. Using a wheel it is quite easy to make a home minibar in rustic style. This piece of furniture is made in two versions: from a whole wheel or its halves. To solve any type of bar you will need:
- wheel or half of it;
- boards or furniture board;
- screws or self-tapping screws;
- thick wire;
- plugs or plugs for screws;
- furniture varnish;
- screwdriver;
- saw or hacksaw;
- medium-grain sandpaper.
A very ordinary table of arbitrary dimensions is made from boards or furniture panels, a wheel is installed inside it - that’s all the basic operations for assembling a minibar. For fastening wooden elements use screws or self-tapping screws. Some craftsmen prefer to use liquid nails. The file or hacksaw is selected depending on the thickness of the wood. Rings made of wire are attached inside the wheel. It is better to disguise the screws that were used to connect the item - then the piece of furniture will look much more attractive. Hangers for glasses are made of wire, but, if necessary, they can be purchased at a hardware store.
A mini bar made using a wheel can be made on one side and blank. Only then it is necessary to block one of its sides along the plane of the wheel furniture board. In this case, craftsmen advise using two wheels located parallel to each other. If you do things this way, bottle holders may not be needed. Two wheels located next to each other will fully cope with the role of holders. A home bar can be set up in a similar way using half a wheel. It will be smaller in size, but can be installed on a nightstand, kitchen countertop or an imitation of a fireplace - and a new stylish thing is ready. To highlight the beautiful natural pattern wooden products, they are opened with varnish, not forgetting to sand the sawn elements first. For finishing work They use stain and wood paint, the application of which becomes the finishing touch.
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How to paste wallpaper?
Mini bar from PVC pipes fits very well into an interior in the style of hi-tech, loft, minimalism.
What kind of products master craftsmen manage to make from PVC pipes! It’s easy to make a DIY bar from polymers. Such a thing is also good because it will fit into an interior in the style of hi-tech, loft, minimalism, and will come in handy exactly where classic wooden interior items begin to look like alien elements. A PVC mini bar can be made very quickly and does not require many tools. Its design usually does not include cup holders. And for the upcoming work you will need the following tools and materials:
- hollow PVC pipes;
- spray paint;
- acetone;
- universal spray primer;
- self-adhesive double-sided tape;
- hacksaw;
- brush;
- sandpaper of medium and fine grain.
If the minibar is made with wheels, then it can be moved anywhere if necessary.
First of all, you need to find a place where such an unusual bar will be installed. If there is an empty niche in your house or apartment, great! When there is no niche, an empty shelf or bedside table is used to make a mini bar.
The first measurement is the depth of the minibar. If the item is planned to be installed in a niche, we focus our calculations on it. Be sure to take into account the average height of the bottles that are supposed to be stored in it. Use a hacksaw to cut the pipes into the required lengths. But it’s easier to do it differently, more practically, saving your own time. When purchasing PVC pipes in shopping centers and stores, you can ask the seller to cut the pipes into equal lengths. This service is usually provided free of charge, just do not forget to first determine the total size of the pipes, the number and length of the sections. The edges of the pipes must be sanded with medium and fine grain sandpaper until they become smooth. If you neglect this operation, there is a high probability that the minibar will turn into a constant source of injury.
What is acetone used for? They use a brush to treat the surface of the pipes to remove oils from them, because they will prevent the paint from being applied evenly. One common mistake made by beginning craftsmen is to apply paint directly over PVC pipes. It is not right. Before painting, the pipes must be coated with a primer. Moreover, there are pipe options where layers of paint - primer - paint - primer are alternated. This option is the most optimal, because it creates a durable and aesthetic coating for PVC pipes. Once the paint and primer are dry, you can begin installing the pipes, which will require self-adhesive tape.
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Bedside table mini bar
Making a wooden minibar bedside table will also not be difficult if you take it:
A mini bar made from a cart wheel is perfect for a rustic-style interior. It is made from a whole wheel and secured with a furniture board.
- nightstand;
- wooden planks:
- paint;
- tool for cutting planks;
- ruler;
- simple pencil.
The door by the bedside table does not have to be removed. If necessary, it is possible to decorate the inside of the minibar with a mirror after finishing making the shelves; it is glued using any glue suitable for wooden surfaces.
The algorithm of actions is as follows. First mark the boards. A cut is made in the middle and they are opened with paint, which must be secured with varnish. The planks are inserted into each other crosswise. If necessary, open the outer one with varnish and inner part bedside tables.
