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 in 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 bigger decorative part, which does not carry any load.
For the folding panel you need to buy piano hinges, although this is already an outdated variety, but in in this case they won't look bad.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 will be more reliable to secure the chain.
The ability to stir cocktails is a useful skill at all times, but during the time of house parties it is especially precious. Anyone can set up their own minibar; it doesn’t require millions of rubles and a huge kitchen (although you still have to find a place to store alcohol). We tell you what equipment enthusiasts need, how not to make a mistake with their choice, and how to get the least amount of headaches out of your home business.
Masha Vorslav
Book of recipes
IN good books There are not only recipes, but also the history of cocktail making, specific cocktails and drinks. It’s worth studying all this not only to entertain your friends with stories while they are waiting for your cocktail, but also just to clearly understand the nature of the drinks you are dealing with. Co-owner of the Delicatessen bar and cafe "Yunost" Vyacheslav Lankin recommends "The Bartender's Bible" by Fyodor Evsevsky and "The Craft of The Cocktail" by Dale DeGroff, and we also recommend "The Essential Bartender's Guide" by Robert Hess - it is informative, but compact enough to cover everything time to be at hand.
Shaker
Shakers come in two designs. A cobbler is often recommended for beginners: it is smaller (even an inexperienced person can handle it with one hand), and it already has a filter built into it. The Boston shaker is much larger, it does not have a filter, but it is worth getting used to: it comes together faster than an all-metal cobbler, due to the simplicity of its design it cannot jam, and the transparent mixing glass minimizes possible mistakes. There is no need to be tricky with the choice of material: metal is durable and has good thermal conductivity, so you can control the temperature of the drink automatically.
Jigger
Make it a rule not to interfere with your eyes. The simplest steel jigger will be enough: it costs ridiculous money, but it allows you to measure out the correct portion of the drink, and that’s all that’s required of it. Jiggers come in a variety of sizes, with bowls that can hold one and a half, three-quarter, one, or two ounces, for example. In fact, you can get used to any option, so choose a jigger that suits you, and with a little practice, you will understand which combination of volumes is more convenient for you. And then you can buy luxury jiggers with a clear conscience.
Strainer
Most cocktails are designed to be smooth in consistency, so a filter is necessary. In addition, it allows you to keep the ice in the shaker and not pour it into a glass or glass (dodgers can do without a strainer, but let's be realistic). Most convenient option- with a spring, it fits tightly to the glasses different diameters. However, springless strainers can be very impressive, so if beauty comes first for you, you can tinker with them too.
Spoon, corkscrew
and a pusher
Small utensils are just as important as large ones. It’s even embarrassing to mention a corkscrew, but if you still haven’t acquired a strong and shameless one, it’s time to do it. You'll also need a bar spoon. She has long handle To mix cocktails even in tall glasses, the handle is spiral-shaped, and the base is often flat: this way, even the thinnest liquid will fall into the stack, slow down thoroughly, and settle in layers. A muddler will also come in handy: for some cocktails you will have to crush herbs, berries or fruits, and it is more convenient to do this with a masher with cloves.
Knives
You will have to cut a lot of fruits, berries and herbs, so it is better to have a separate knife for this and monitor its sharpness. And it’s even better not to skimp on a knife for zesting: it is often used for decoration and aroma, so it should be cut aesthetically and in an even layer. Knives are also different: those that look more like a vegetable peeler will be able to separate large sheets peels, and “brass knuckles” - thin shavings. Most figured knives, by the way, have a special eye for cutting the zest with ribbons.
Glasses
There are never too many glasses, just like bitters, but perhaps three types are really needed. Highballs, or tall glasses, are useful, for example, for tropical cocktails that add a lot of juice, or for carbonated fizz. Negroni and Old Fashioneds are poured into squat, thick-walled rock glasses, and Martinis and Manhattans are poured into V-shaped glasses with legs (you don’t have to remember this right away; recipes usually indicate which glass is needed for a particular cocktail). If tasting is more interesting to you than drinking, liqueur glasses will come in handy: with them, you can treat three or four people to one serving of cocktail at once.
Ice molds
The cocktail should be cold (if it's not a hot cocktail, ok). We suspect that not everyone has the desire to buy an ice maker, so the smartest thing to do is stock up on ice bags. We recommend filling as much freezer space as you can with them: the only thing worse than suddenly running out of ice in the middle of a party is that call from your boss on a Friday night. Perfectionists should pay attention to forms in which the ice freezes in large pieces or balls: this is good
We often like to create coziness in our home with our own hands. This applies to many things: from creating jewelry to self-assembly furniture and electronics. And it’s true, when you do something yourself, it takes a lot less money, and the result will depend only on you and your efforts. As suggested, it is much more convenient and efficient. So, today we will talk about how to make a minibar with your own hands so that it matches the interior, surroundings and our own mood.
A little history
The concept of “bar” has firmly entered into everyday life and is used throughout the world thanks to America. It was there that the owners of public alcohol establishments were the first to realize that they would not earn money if visitors sat for a long time comfortable chairs with one mug of beer in hand. Enterprising Americans put up a so-called barrier between visitors and stands with alcoholic drinks, and instead of comfortable low stools they installed high chairs, to sit on for a long time It was impossible, because people, having ordered drinks, quickly left and made room for new customers.
Over time, the word “barrier” has become obsolete in everyday life modern people Only the concept of “bar” was included. Along with the original name, the purpose also changed. Nowadays, a bar is not so much an establishment where you can drink, but a certain area in the house where characteristic drinks are stored. It is bright and at the same time practical detail interior, showing the well-being of the house.
Types of bars
Before you make a minibar with your own hands, it’s worth determining what types it comes in:
- A stationary bar, that is, having its own permanent place, will suit you if you constantly host at home a large number of guests. Such a bar often occupies an entire room and includes special furniture, glassware for drinking and making cocktails, a large number of shelves for alcohol, refrigerators and display cases.
- A mobile bar, or otherwise a minibar, can be assembled if it is not possible to allocate an entire room for these purposes. Most often, a minibar is a cabinet with an air conditioning system that is used to store alcoholic beverages. It can be purchased at furniture stores or make it yourself from scrap materials. However, with a little analysis, anyone will come to the conclusion that it is better to lean towards the second option, since it is cheaper and more convenient in the sense that you can figure out what it will look like and where it will be located.
- A bar on wheels is a type of mobile bar. Such a device can be stored in some closed place and taken out only when necessary. This minibar is suitable for residents of houses with limited space, but who really want to have such an invention.
Where should the minibar be located?
If you still decide that you need a mobile bar rather than a stationary one, then the next question in line will be where to place it. Here you should turn on all your imagination and go in search of interesting places in a house in which, purely theoretically, it is possible to place a mini-bar. These could be:
- places under the roof;
- unused niche in the wall;
- unoccupied space under the stairs;
- balcony or loggia.
Before you study in detail how to make a minibar for your home with your own hands, you need to choose a place so that the future minibar fits perfectly and matches the interior of the entire room.
Selection of materials
The first step in any business is always planning. We must determine, firstly, what the future minibar will be made of and what size it will be, and, secondly, what we will store in it.
You can make a minibar with your own hands from wood, old chests of drawers or drawers, plastic or even more exotic materials: PVC pipes or cart wheels. Many people use metal canisters as material for their minibar. But this option is more suitable for men, since such bars are usually located in the garage - in their second home.
There are a lot of ideas for creating this interesting part of the interior. Therefore, you can borrow a few ideas by looking at photos of minibars for your home in the article, and bring them to life with your own hands.
The size of such a bar can also be varied. From a small box with a capacity of up to ten bottles, to a large rack. The main thing is not to overdo it and not make a stationary bar instead of a mobile one.
DIY minibar assembly
This is where our design flair comes in handy to choose what suits the interior, looks fresh and new. To make the assembly process more understandable, you need to consider it at specific example. You can assemble a minibar with your own hands from absolutely any material, but we will focus on a barrel. Yes, you can make a completely extraordinary mobile bar from an ordinary barrel.
We will need: bars, a handle and all the necessary tools.
The process of building your own DIY home minibar is simple. All you need is:
- Place the barrel on its side.
- Cut a hole in one of the walls for the door.
- Using hinges, attach the cut piece of wood to the base to form a door.
- Make shelves for bottles and glasses inside the barrel from wooden blocks.
- Attach the handle to the door.
- If desired, design the resulting product. You can use paints, decorative taps or stickers.
- Build a counter on which the minibar will be located. It can be made from wooden or metal bars.
Anyone can make a minibar from a photo with their own hands, thereby decorating their garden and home.
What to fill the minibar with?
For some reason, many people are convinced that if they have a minibar with which they can mix cocktails, then they definitely need to fill it with a wide variety of different alcoholic drinks. This is, of course, wrong.
It will be enough to buy only some of the main and most popular and necessary options: classic vodka, cognac, brandy and liqueur. In addition, you should always store several liters of apple, citrus and grapefruit juice, Coca-Cola, strawberry syrup and cream. When you create cocktails, you will also need some professional tools:
- shaker - a special glass for mixing;
- strainer - a sieve for separating pulp and ice from the cocktail;
- bar spoon - long spoon;
- corkscrew.
There is no need to purchase many types of glasses; only three will be enough: rocks glass, highbull glass and shot glass.
Conclusion
Thus, we learned how to make a minibar with your own hands at home, arrange it for yourself and furnish it necessary things for your own convenience.
Of course, a minibar will always be inferior in practicality to the same static bar, but, in our opinion, it is impermissible to compare them. They serve different purposes, perform absolutely different functions, and even differ significantly in price.
A minibar is an interesting and practical thing that you can build with your own hands and thus introduce a new detail into the interior.
No party is complete without relaxing alcoholic drinks. Almost every home keeps a certain supply of bottles, as well as various accessories for them. To make it look aesthetically pleasing and not take up much space, it is worth organizing a home minibar.
This is an option available to everyone, since you can choose the minibar yourself different designs And appearance. Such furniture designs can become a decoration of the room, or they can be hidden from prying eyes, for example, in the niche of a sofa. They can fill an empty corner, which will decorate the rooms.
Using a minibar you can significantly decorate your interior design. Original models will become an accent spot that attracts attention. Along with traditional bottle tables, manufacturers offer beautiful wood and marble stands, hanging shelves, wall shelves, minibars in vintage and retro style.
A minibar is a status piece of furniture by which the taste of the owners is judged. When choosing a minibar, you should pay attention to its combination with overall design interior It is also important that this piece of furniture is comfortable. Often the choice falls on a universal, multifunctional transforming model. Wide range of colors and various stylistic directions that offer satisfy the most sophisticated needs of consumers.
You should fill your home minibar based on your own taste preferences and the advice of leading bartenders. Since about 8-10 types of drinks are used to prepare cocktails, you should rely on this standard set. Also, don’t forget about different types accessories - corkscrews, shakers, ice tongs, glasses, etc.
A bar in the interior is a solution more typical for European countries But it is gradually gaining popularity in Russia, among people interested in the culture of drinking alcoholic beverages. After all, you can just drink, or you can make a whole art out of it.
Why is it needed?
Actually, this determines the two main tasks of any bar:
- Alcohol storage. In order to drink once with friends, you don’t need to store anything; you just need to buy a couple of bottles before the meeting. But this is not enough to calmly and gradually drink your favorite drinks. Cognac for coffee, a shot of good liqueur for an interesting book, a glass of whiskey after working day. It is difficult to purchase drinks every time; it is much more rational to store several bottles on different cases life.
- Mixing cocktails. In order to drink an alcoholic cocktail, you can go to a club, overpay there several times and leave with a headache. Or you can set up a bar at home and turn drinking cocktails into a hobby that will not only take time, but will also help you start drinking less.
In general, having a bar at home - either a large bar or a minibar - is a way to reduce alcohol consumption. Of course, it is not suitable for binge alcoholics, but for people who are just starting to feel that something is wrong, it may well help.
Stationary bar
Setting up a stationary bar at home means acquiring a bar counter, a rack for bottles and plenty of useful devices like shakers and special cocktail glasses. This solution is pretentious, beautiful, but suitable exclusively for country house or very large apartment- otherwise it will simply not be possible to allocate space for it.
This bar includes:
- Bar counter. Tall, narrow, with obligatory lighting hanging from the ceiling and metal pipe for dangling accessories, it looks great. It's a pleasure to drink alcohol while drinking alcohol - you can feel like a hero in a Hollywood movie.
- Bar chairs. Tall, necessarily suitable for the height of a specific stand, with a footrest that allows you to sit comfortably. They can be executed from different materials, but should fit well with the stand.
- Actually, a bar. Located behind the counter, includes open shelves racks on which you can place bottles of alcohol. Everything should be at hand, everything should be in sight, everything should be easy to reach. Wood and glass are usually used for making.
This design is for aesthetes. It’s sad to just drink it, but you need to drink it meaningfully, beautifully. The style that is usually used is loft or classic English. More natural materials, discreet natural colors.
Under the counter there must be special shelves with arranged accessories, and next to it there must be a portable refrigerator with a supply of ice.
Advice
It is best to allocate for such a bar separate room, because it immediately grabs all the attention and does not fit at all with either the kitchen set or the living room set.
Mini bar
If a stationary bar requires a lot of space, then a minibar will fit perfectly in ordinary apartment. The only thing you will need is more or less up-to-date repairs - otherwise the bar will break down and spoil the entire interior.
Design
First of all, you need to decide on the design, and the first point depends on how obvious the presence of a bar in the room should be:
- Built-in. Built-in bars can be seen in hotels and sometimes in offices. As a rule, they are hidden behind paintings, behind an inconspicuous piece of wallpaper, or simply seem like an ordinary cabinet. It is extremely easy to fit the built-in structure into the interior; you just need to choose the appropriate door.
- Closed. This bar is a cabinet that is either hung on the wall or placed on the floor. Equipped with doors behind which the contents are not visible. It can perfectly complement the interior and no one needs to know what’s inside.
- Open. Such bars are rare, since all decent alcohol requires protection from sun rays. But if you are not going to buy something expensive and will use frosted bottles, this solution will suit you.
Open option for use
Also plays a role:
- Capacity. As a rule, a regular home minibar can hold up to thirty liters of alcohol. For home use this is more than enough, and larger models are required by serious collectors. They cost more and take up more space, so if you plan to limit yourself to a dozen bottles, you should take the standard size.
- Number of branches. The number can vary - from one to four or even five. Sometimes small drawers are added to them in which you can store tools and additional small items. This is a matter of beauty rather than convenience.
- Temperature. Various alcohols requires different temperatures. Some things can be stored exclusively in a cool place, while others require relative warmth. If you need a standard set - vodka, whiskey, cognac, wine, liqueurs and something non-alcoholic - then you should take the standard average temperature regime. But if your collection is extensive, expensive, capricious, then you should choose a minibar with different temperatures in different departments - from five degrees to seventeen.
And, of course, it is important how the minibar will look. It could be:
- Standard built-in. This one is almost invisible in the interior - it’s not an accent, no one entering will recognize any difficulties in fitting it in.
- Locker. Hung on the wall, it looks like a small cabinet, usually wooden. Fits well in classic interiors, but in modern ones it will look good in the form of a rack with glass shelves, for example.
- Nightstand. Placed on the floor, it usually looks like a standard buffet, only small. As a rule, it is replete with compartments for small items.
- Barrel. An original design that will fit exclusively into classic interiors, which looks quite funny and may hint that the owner has a sense of humor. This is especially good if you have the most wine in your bar.
- globe. Another one original design, which looks like a real globe. To get the alcohol, just open the lid. It will look good in the interior of an office in a classic European style.
- TV. Do you have an old ray TV lying around, but the repair leaves much to be desired? Make a highlight out of it! Remove the kinescope and insert shelves into the free space - the result is an original and simple minibar.
- Safe. You don't want anyone to know about your hobby? A minibar in the form of a safe will perfectly keep your secret. It can be placed in the office, or it can be built into the wall. Many models are equipped with electric combination lock so that only the owner can gain access.
- Table on wheels. It usually looks quite funny, has a round shape and allows you to move the entire bar along with its contents to the desired room.
- Rack. If your bar will be mostly filled with wine, then a classic rack with honeycomb-like compartments will do. Bottles will be stored horizontally in it, which is the most correct way, and it will perfectly suit the interior in the spirit of Italian classics.
You can make a minibar with your own hands, or you can buy it - the only difference is whether you want to spend time and effort on making it.
Location
The minibar can find its place in different rooms- and it will look different everywhere:
- Kitchen. The minibar looks good here in the form of a cabinet similar to the lockers kitchen set. So it doesn’t stand out and fits well into the interior. You can, however, go the other way and buy something original, but suitable in style. For example, a barrel in a modern Scandinavian style or a wine rack in a kind of patio.
- Living room. Guests are received here, and if you are going to drink with them, you can highlight the presence of a bar. To do this, you can either give it a separate corner, or simply build a cabinet into the set, which, nevertheless, will stand out.
- Cabinet. If your whole life is spent in the office, then you can put a bar there. The most common design is in the form of a safe. After all, no one will be surprised that you actually have it.
Other rooms are not very suitable for the location of the structure. The hallway is a walk-through area; nothing important is placed in it. The bathroom is wet, and it would be strange to install a cabinet with alcohol in it. In the nursery - even more so.
You can, however, put a bar in the bedroom by choosing any design you like.
This will be interesting to you:
It is important to follow several rules after purchase
There are a couple of simple tips for this:
- Start with one bottle. The alcohol that can be served in a bar is usually expensive and elite. Buying the full collection at once is not affordable for everyone, but one bottle is quite affordable. They usually start with something they love. It’s especially easy for those who have opened a bar to mix cocktails - a bottle of strong alcohol can be used in more than a dozen recipes.
- Don't drink everything at once. If you have a habit of drinking a lot, try to break it. To do this, start one bottle first, then the second. If you want to drink, drink a little, and the alcohol should be expensive - you won’t drink a drink that costs several thousand as often and in the same quantities as its cheap counterparts.
- Don't invite friends. You usually want to show off your bar right away, but it’s better to do it later, and invite only those who are able to stop at a small portion. You should not drink in company until you have at least your third bottle.
The standard bar consists of the following drinks:
- gin, and you need to buy it, even if you don’t like it by itself;
- vodka, by no means cheap from the nearest store, but good and expensive;
- whiskey, in two forms - bourbon and scotch;
- rum - white and aged, two bottles required;
- orange liqueur - used to make cocktails;
- vermouth - sweet and dry, also primarily for cocktails;
- brandy, cognac and tequila.
From such a set you can assemble great amount cocktails, plus with him at the bar there will always be something to drink. You can supplement the collection with wines, cider, beer, other liqueurs except orange - in fact, any alcohol that you like.
Advice
Get into the habit of keeping ice in the refrigerator, not just one mold, but two or three. Without it, alcohol and alcoholic cocktails are rarely drunk.
Don't forget the ice