Great news for anyone who likes to raise a glass (or two), the home bar is now a must in any discerning drinker's home. The rising cost of, well, everything means more millennials than ever are shunning the expense of overpriced cocktails in crowded bars and rediscovering the joy of fixing themselves a drink for an evening in.
A home bar is so much more than somewhere to shove that bottle of peach schnapps you've been hoarding since your 21st. Zoe Hodson, a senior home buyer at cult homeware repository Anthropologie, says: "Whether it is housed in a purpose-made cabinet, on a vintage-inspired trolley, or just a moment on a sideboard or shelf – the home bar is a space for little rituals of entertainment or that well-earned treat." Where collapsing on the sofa with a mug of lukewarm wine feels like an anticlimax, taking the time to craft your favourite cocktail in a chilled martini glass is an act of self-care.
If you do want to add the old-school elegance of a home bar to your living space, it can be hard to know where to start. Our homes are getting smaller and more expensive and the glamour of a home bar might seem a world away from the reality of a crowded house-share or a shoebox-size studio.
So we decided to do the hard drinking work for you and searched out the essentials you'll need. From where to store your bottles to the perfect glass to raise in celebration, we've got everything you'll need to shake up a storm. Cheers!
The Trolley
Dayna Isom Johnson, a trend expert from independent design hub Etsy, says: "The bar cart has re-emerged in recent years as a must-have home accessory."
There are great vintage bar cart options available if you're willing to trawl your local car boot sale or antiques warehouse. But if you'd rather use your Saturdays for sipping cocktails, then invest in something contemporary. Danish designer Margit Brandt's gold 1930s-style bar cart will breathe elegance into any room and can be delivered straight to your door.
If you prefer a more modern aesthetic, try an industrial-inspired bar cart like this black metal and mango wood drinks trolley – the perfect home for a whisky collection. If you have a mix of spirits and glassware you'd rather show off, and don't want to blow your budget, try something altogether simpler, like IKEA's all-white take on a bar cart.
homeArama Bahne BH Drinks Trolley in Gold by Margit Brandt, £199.95, available at Trouva
Maisons du Monde Industrial Serving Trolley, £219, available at Maisons du Monde
IKEA Sunnersta Trolley, £22, available at IKEA
The Cabinet
The drinks trolley may be the trend of the moment but it's not for everyone. If you have kids, pets or clumsy flatmates, you might prefer to keep your glassware stashed in a drinks cabinet. Fortunately, there are styles suitable for all homes and budgets.
If you want to make a statement, definitely consider a mid-century cabinet. Even if you don't usually buy vintage furniture, search sites like Etsy to find fully restored options, like this gorgeous upcycled palm-print sideboard. If you would rather a piece that you can personalise, you can pick up an original on eBay for a steal, though these may need collecting or a lick of paint. A pro tip is to search 'sideboard ' instead of 'drinks cabinet' as these are often equally chic but priced lower.
There are also great modern options like the Oro Small Drinks Cabinet, complete with millennial pink door and chic touches like hanging space for your glassware. If you're running low on floor space, mount this Adelyn Diecut Cabinet on a statement wall and turn your bar into a feature. A more minimal alternative is to invest in an open shelf, like cult home brand Hay's Layer range, and proudly display your bottles out of reach of toddling tots and excitable pets.
NuaNu Mid Century Retro Upcycled Cocktail Cabinet, £450, available at Etsy
Oliver Bonas Oro Small Drinks Cabinet, £445, available at Oliver Bonas
Anthropologie Adelyn Diecut Cabinet, £298, available at Anthropologie
Hay Layer Shelves, from £441, available at Hay
The Tray
If you're one of the many Brits dealing with a lack of floor space, you needn't live without a home bar. A drinks tray makes a super chic addition to any flat surface in your home, from a coffee table to a chest of drawers in your bedroom, if you're not lucky enough to have your own entertaining space.
Stay traditional and add light to a room with an art deco-style mirrored tray. These are easily found on the high street, like this one from M&S, and look gorgeous with classic cut-glass tumblers. For a more contemporary spin, pick a bright lacquer tray and display just a few chic bottles and a cocktail shaker to keep the pop of colour.
If you want your drinks to make more of a splash, consider a bright gold tray or printed version in our current interior obsession, terrazzo. Stock with coloured glasses or a few simple decanters to add a distinctive touch to even the smallest space.
Marks and Spencer Deco Round Mirror Tray, £39.50, available at Marks and Spencer
John Lewis Painted Lacquer Square Tray, £30, available at John Lewis
The Modern Botanist Zakkia Snow Statement Round Terrazzo Tray, £54, available at Trouva
Hay Serving Tray Golden, £29, available at Hay
The Glasses
Though these seem simple, glasses can be the most overwhelming part of setting up your home bar – there are just so many available. Cocktail recipes can demand anything from a highball to a tulip flute, which usually leaves us wondering, will a Sports Direct mug not do?
If you're feeling overwhelmed, the experts recommend keeping it simple. Jean-Sebastien Robicquet, master distiller of premium vodka CÎROC, says that his home bar is stocked with just "a set of nice tumblers and coupette champagne glasses for the classics". You can still make these your own; Anthropologie's gilded monogram tumblers are a great way to personalise a drinks tray or, if you're going for a minimal look, try Arket's Scandi-inspired bodega glasses.
Fabled (falsely) to be moulded from Marie Antoinette's breast, the coupette champagne glass is found in almost every top cocktail bar. If you're a cocktail lover, or fond of a glass of fizz, these are a must for your home bar. Ben Branson, founder of non-alcoholic spirit Seedlip, advises searching charity shops for beautiful vintage champagne glasses. Make these a feature by mixing and matching styles, pairing old with new, or even mixing simple IKEA coupes with more ornate rippled glasses.
Still feeling spoiled for choice? Simply invest in a set of large wine glasses. These are the perfect vessel for anything from gin and tonics to straight spirits over ice, champagne cocktails and, of course, wine, and always look effortlessly chic.
Anthropologie Gilded Monogram Glass, £14, available at Anthropologie
Arket Bodega Glass Set, £5, available at Arket
The Forest & Co Vintage Champagne Glass, £15, available at Not On The High Street
IKEA Storhet Champagne Coupe, £1.50, available at IKEA
Ferm Living Ripple Champagne Glass Set, £27, available at Scandinavian Design Center
Habitat Large Wine Glasses Set, £30, available at Habitat
The Kit
Home bars are the perfect way to upgrade your Friday tipple from a lukewarm gin in a tin to an expertly crafted cocktail, but for that you might need some kit. A cocktail shaker may well be your first buy, so you and your flatmates can recreate that scene from Cocktail and because owning a brushed brass cocktail shaker will definitely make you feel like an adult (even if you still call your mum in a crisis).
However, Finn Thomson, Copper Dog Whisky brand ambassador, advises tailoring your kit to your favourite drink: "A lot of classic ... cocktails are stirred so you will find a glass, long spoon and lots of ice will suffice". Those meant to be stirred, not shaken, include some favourites like a Martini and an Old Fashioned, so invest in a classic mixing glass and a set of bar tools, like these marble and copper beauties.
If you prefer your drinks straight, you might not need to invest in any kit but do think about how to keep your drinks cold. Jean-Sebastien Robicquet advises all home bar owners to keep a bag of ice cubes in the freezer, which can be transferred to this chic ice bucket when you're hosting and want to impress.
Made Blaze Cocktail Shaker, £20, available at Made
Oliver Bonas Marble & Copper Bar Tools Set, £60, available at Oliver Bonas
Yarai Mixing Glass, £15, available at La Gent
Rockett St George Green Jar Ice Bucket, £30, available at Rockett St George
The Alcoholic Drinks
The most important part of any home bar is, of course, the drinks. No matter how experienced you may be with booze, it's not always easy to translate your favourite from the pub to your front room.
First of all, think about the spirits you really enjoy drinking. If you like a wide range of cocktails or you love to entertain, Robicquet recommends "you stock at least a bottle of each base spirit (vodka, gin, cognac and whisky); along with bottles of vermouth (red and extra dry) plus some bitters you’ll be able to make most of the classic cocktails". If you're not sure which brands you prefer, try ordering something other than your usual next time you're out for a drink and only invest in the ones you really like.
Alternatively, if there's just one spirit you enjoy drinking, put your money where your mouth is. "Quality over quantity" is the rule for home bars according to Thomson. If you're building a collection of a single spirit, he recommends you "vary the flavour profiles including smoky or fruit forward notes, and also consider regionality". Robicquet also advises investing in a range of flavours, "from the floral to the spicy gins, or from the classic and flavoured vodkas".
If you want your bar to be a statement, then feel free to consider aesthetics as well. Hodson advises that "a vintage silver tray, set with five or so boutique gins ready to serve, can look very chic". She admits to being "seduced by beautiful bottles ... like Sipsmith " but if you don't like the look of your favourite tipple, then consider pouring it into a decanter or a minimalist carafe.
If spirits are stored right they can last for years, so buying a bottle of your favourite can really be an investment. The only clear rules for storage, according to Thomson, are to always "keep the bottles out of direct sunlight and always stand upright". Although we wouldn't recommend setting up your bar beside a radiator, Thomson says "temperature isn’t so important ... except in extreme circumstances". If you like any spirit cold, even whisky, keep it in the freezer. A home bar means you can play by your own rules.
CÎROC Red Berry Vodka, £39.99, available at Selfridges
Copper Dog Whisky, £29.25, available at The Whisky Exchange
Sipsmith Gin, £25, available at Waitrose
H&M Carafe, £12.99, available at H&M
The Non-Alcoholic Drinks
If you're trying to reduce your alcohol intake, or cut it out entirely, there's no reason you should miss out on a home bar. With more and more research into the hell that is a hangover, delicious dry drink options are becoming widely available.
Ben Branson founded non-alcoholic spirits brand, Seedlip in 2015. These can be mixed seamlessly into your pre-existing bar or used as the base of almost all cocktails while still staying sober. If you are creating a dry cocktail cart, Branson recommends "keeping a staple range of ingredients that don’t need the fridge [like] a good vanilla syrup, elderflower syrup and ginger syrup". You can even make these yourself with "leftover herbs [and] fruit peels".
If you're not ready to go teetotal but still want a non-alcoholic option, consider investing in high end mixers, like those from London Essence Company, which can be drunk on their own. Blended soft drinks like T&E No. 1 and Monte Rosso can also be the perfect base for a spritz, or make a great, booze-free cocktail served with just ice and a slice of fruit.
Whether you decide to stock up on the booze or keep your cocktail cabinet totally dry, just remember that a home bar is there so you can have exactly the drink you want. The only rules you need to play by are your own. We'll raise a glass to that.
Seedlip Non-Alcoholic Spirit, £27.99, available at Seedlip
London Essence Company Classic London Tonic, £1.25, available at The Whisky Exchange
T&E No. 1, £2.49, available at Waitrose
Monte Rosso, £2.49, available at Ocado
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