Preparing For Your Home Bar

Last week we discussed how to prepare for a home wine cellar.  Not wanting to leave our beer and spirits drinkers in the lurch, we are dedicating this week’s post to the home wet bar.  As with the wine cellar, when preparing for your home wet bar there are several factors to keep in mind, including: Materials: One of the first decisions that you will need to make and one of the choices that can most heavily impact your budget is that of materials.  While mahogany is considered the most classic of bar building options, it is also one of the most expensive.  Other popular material contenders include marble, granite, slate, oak, cherry, maple or walnut.  Or, for a more modern look, consider a glass or tile bar top. Size Matters: When considering locations for your bar, think about the bar’s final dimensions.  The average finished height of a bar is 42 inches. The front overhang for the patron side of the bar should be 12 inches for bars designed to accommodate bar stools or 6 to 9 inches for bars that will be sans stools.  Width wise, plan on 2 feet of space for each stool that you would you like your bar to accommodate.  Finally, walkways into the bar and between the front and back of the bar should be at least 3 feet inwidth.  Electrical And Plumbing: To make your wet bar functional, you will need both electrical access and plumbing.  A professional electrician can help you determine if you have the circuit capacity needed to accommodate your bar plans and ensure that your electrical circuits have ground faults for protection in the case of an electrical short.   You might need to add a new circuit or install additional electrical outlets.  Don’t forget to plan for small appliances – like that margarita blender – as well!  Meanwhile, an experienced plumber can help you find an existing water line to tap into. Also like wine cellars, while wet bars are exciting home additions, they can be a major undertaking.  Are you ready to build the bar where everybody knows your name?  Contact Homecare Inc. today to customize your bar experience!