But whether you prefer a cocktail shaker, a full-bodied red, or the latest local craft brew, a home bar lends pizazz and fun to an in-home cocktail hour. If your house didn’t come with a basement that looks like the set of Cheers, a bar area is an easy and fun way to add character and functionality to a room. You don’t need much more than a good table or cart, your favorite glasses and mixers, and a couple fun accents to pull it all together.
Whitefish, MT MLS# 22102430
Pick a space
What part of your home does everyone gravitate towards? Does the flow of your house inspire a bar cart on a wall of the dining room? Perhaps a little-used living room nook or console table would make a great place to pour a glass of scotch at the beginning of a relaxing evening. If you don’t like the look of a table or cart, open shelving is another fun option (and keeps breakables out of the dog and toddler danger zone).
Livingston, MT MLS# 348441
Add an eye-catching pop
While a bold color or pattern might be too much for an entire room, we love a little bit of color or a whimsical wallpaper to define a small space, or to separate your bar area within a larger room. With endless options of removable adhesive wallpaper now available, you can make a big statement without committing to it for the next decade.
Kalispell, MT MLS# 22102526
Pull it all together
Details will make your home bar look intentional and fun. Does your bar cart have a brass finish? Consider an ice bucket or bar tools set in the same tones. A vase of greenery or branches will break up the repetitiveness of a cylinder-covered table and add both texture and visual appeal. If you like a bohemian vibe, it can be fun to put together a collection of entirely mismatched glassware in different colors and patterns.
Well, with all this talk of bars, it seems only right to leave you with a fun cocktail recipe in honor of this weekend’s time change (don’t forget to reset your clocks Saturday night!).
Photo by Charlotte May
The Spring Forward
1 1/2 ounces rosemary-infused vodka (directions here for making your own)
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1/2 ounce fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce lemon juice
Rosemary sprig, for serving
More details available at Epicurious
Cover Photo: Hamilton, MT MLS# 22003562
.webp)