A mini-bar is an invariable attribute of the decor of living rooms in respectable mansions and hotel rooms; it is often combined with a small refrigerator, disguising it as the main furniture set. Many keep at home a small collection of favorite, good alcoholic drinks, both for personal use and for the occasion of receiving guests. It is convenient if this collection is stored in a specially designated, beautifully designed place, which can be proudly shown to friends and acquaintances. If you don’t want to buy a sometimes quite expensive design in a store, you can make a mini-bar with your own hands, using only ingenuity, imagination and improvised materials.
Types and filling of mini-bars
All home mini-bars used to store small supplies of alcohol can be divided into several types:
- mobile (mobile structures on wheels that can be easily moved from room to room);
- stationary (wall, floor, built-in structures)
- equipped with small refrigerators for storing certain types of drinks, freezing ice for cocktails.
Based on what exactly you plan to put in the minibar, you may need shelves or holders for glasses, wine bottles, as well as tools for creating cocktails and serving drinks: shakers, jiggers (measuring glasses), a mint grinder, bar spoons, molds for ice. As a rule, all these accessories do not fit in a small bar. If you want to impress guests and loved ones with the skills of a real bartender, treating them to exotic home-made cocktails, it is better to do this in a kitchen equipped with a bar counter, holders for storing glasses, numerous ingredients and all the necessary equipment, as in the photo.
What can you make a mini-bar with your own hands?
The most popular material for creating a mini-bar is wood. It can be pine, ash, oak boards, as well as plywood or MDF. The tree is the easiest to process, it can be painted, sanded, varnished, decorated with paintings, decoupage, in a word, decorate the future mini-bar for every taste. Metal structures are stronger, more durable, but certain skills and tools are required to work with metal.
The design of a bar made of wood can be absolutely anything, but the easiest way is to make something like a small box, cabinets with doors, an open shelf, paint it in any color and hang it on the wall in the kitchen or living room. Those who are far from carpentry skills and do not have sufficient skills to make furniture should pay attention to tips on creating mini-bars with their own hands from improvised materials and items that can be found in every home.
The second life of old things and improvised materials
In every house, in every apartment there are many things that have not been used for their intended purpose for a long time or are so tired that they want to be thrown away or given to someone, but it's a pity. If you have an old vintage suitcase, a grandmother's chest of drawers, a sideboard or an ancient sideboard, book shelves gathering dust in your pantry or attic in your country house, do not throw them away. Try to give them a second life, because just from such things you can make an excellent homemade mini-bar with your own hands.
Chest of drawers, kitchen or bookcase, bedside tables, shelving
This alteration will require certain labor costs, and its complexity depends on the initial state of the furniture. If the rack is in good condition, it is enough just to sand it, paint it in any color and open it with varnish. The inner surface of open shelves, racks can be pasted over with contrasting wallpaper with an original print, mirror tiles. The main thing is that the shelves and drawers are suitable in size for storing bottles and glasses. In addition, care should be taken to ensure that the drawers move smoothly, without jerking, and glass objects do not break. Install in them special inserts or dividers made of wood, wire or plastic, bottle holders.
Home bar from a suitcase
The inner space of an old suitcase will be an ideal place to store a small supply of alcohol, it is enough to equip it with special inserts and shelves. clamps. You can use cloth holders with pockets, just be sure to fix your vintage minibar in a certain position so that its contents remain safe and sound. It will not be difficult to make such a mini-bar with your own hands, and it will look stylish and decorate any room. A beautiful lock will become the highlight of your art object, and at the same time it will protect elite alcohol from the encroachments of curious kids or pets.
Other things that easily turn into a home bar
An old changing table or dressing table can easily be converted into a mini-bar. It is enough to remove a layer of paint, level, prime the surface, give it the desired shade. As a result, you will get a comfortable, beautiful, practical piece of furniture that will take on a new life.
Shelves
A minibar can be made from an open shelf - the main thing is that this storage method is suitable for the type of drink that you prefer. For example, wine likes dark, warm, dry places, and liquor should also not be stored in the refrigerator, otherwise it will become cloudy. It is customary to place wine bottles horizontally, so special holders and limiters must be provided for wine shelves. Whiskey, cognac, vodka are stored in a dry, cool place in an upright position. All alcoholic beverages, without exception, lose their properties from direct sunlight, so this point should be taken into account.
Shelves for a home mini-bar can be made from wood, old bookshelves, fixing them on the wall, in a niche, right on the door leaf (on its stationary part). Shelves made of wine boxes look beautiful, which can be additionally varnished, tinted, giving them a vintage flavor.
Shelf in the closet
A classic cabinet in the kitchen or in the living room, a square drawer with or without a door, a cabinet from a headset with a transparent door is ideal for decorating a mini-bar with your own hands. Paste the inside of the box with beautiful paper, self-adhesive film, wallpaper or paint it in any shade. You can use mirror panels, LED lighting. It remains to beautifully arrange or lay out the bottles, add a couple of glasses on a tray, and other accessories - and a stylish home mini-bar is ready!
Pallets and trolleys on wheels
A pallet bar will be a great addition to a loft-style, retro apartment. From a wooden structure, pre-treated with various impregnations, sanded, varnished, painted or stained, you can make a real bar counter with internal mounts for bottles, glasses, lighting and other accessories. If you fix the pallet on the wall, you get a stylish, authentic stationary minibar, and the wheels turn the structure into a mobile serving table with the functions of storing drinks and dishes.
Do you already have an old serving table? It remains to update it with your own hands, repainting it, providing it with beautiful baskets for storing bottles, glasses, glasses, ice buckets, and other accessories, and the annoying little thing will turn into a mobile home mini-bar with an exclusive design.
PVC pipe minibar: master class
This option is perfect for apartments decorated in a modern style, in the spirit of a loft, high-tech, and in other urban interior areas. To make your own PVC pipe home bar, you will need:
- PVC pipes of suitable diameter;
- spray paint;
- spray primer;
- hacksaw;
- sanding paper;
- self-adhesive double-sided tape;
- brush.
You can cut pipes right in the store, you just need to specify the desired dimensions. At home, all that remains is to process the sections with sanding paper, walk through the pipes with an acetone brush to remove oil and foreign substances. After that, each piece of pipe is treated with a primer, allowed to dry and covered with paint of the selected shade. Between themselves, future bottle holders are fastened with double-sided adhesive tape, and then the entire structure is mounted on a pre-selected surface - in a hanging shelf, box, on a wooden base.
Be inspired by our ideas, photos, tips, come up with new ways to create mini-bars with your own hands and create, delighting yourself and loved ones with unique, beautiful things!
There are a large number of ways to make a mini bar with your own hands from improvised materials. Each of them requires proper preparation, as well as the availability of appropriate skills, along with excellent aesthetic taste.
If you correctly approach the process of creating a new piece of furniture, you can eventually get a really high-quality and reliable cabinet for storing alcoholic beverages, which will serve for a long time without any problems.
List of required tools
Before you make a mini bar at home, you need to prepare the appropriate tools and useful materials that will come in handy in the process, regardless of how it is done.
Be sure to prepare tools such as:
- screws or screws;
- thick wire;
- caps for screws;
- screwdriver;
- saw or hacksaw;
- grinder or sandpaper;
- jigsaw;
- screwdriver, etc.
Depending on the chosen method of creating a mini bar at home, additional tools may also be needed.
Work materials
On the network you can find more than one photo of a homemade mini bar. Such interior items are created using a wide variety of materials. That is why it is first necessary to decide on the method of their creation.
There are the following options for creating a mini bar at home:
From a wheel from a cart. The latter is fairly easy to find in the countryside. At the same time, the older the wheel is, the more atmospheric and interesting the result is a mini bar.
From PVC pipes. Such a piece of furniture goes well with interiors made in the style of hi-tech, minimalism or loft.
From the nightstand. This option is one of the simplest, as it requires only the correct design. In most cases, existing shelves in bedside tables or its door do not need to be changed.
From a canister. This option is not suitable for standard interiors. The main difficulty in creating this type of mini bar is to properly cut the wall of the container and use it as a door.
From improvised things. It can be a wine box, a large globe, wooden shelves, etc.
Thus, you can create a mini bar at home from many different materials that have lost their original purpose due to various factors.
Using a wagon wheel
Using a wagon wheel, it's easy enough to create a beautiful rustic-style mini bar. This can be done in this way:
- Initially, with the help of boards or a furniture board, you need to equip an ordinary table. This can be done with screws or self-tapping screws.
- Inside the table, it is necessary to fix the wheel from the cart or its half.
- Having made rings from wire, they must be fixed inside the previously installed wheel.
- All screws that were used to fasten different elements to each other should be masked with plugs.
- Hangers for glasses must be made using the already used wire. In order to make them more reliable, the corresponding fittings can be purchased at a hardware store.
If the mini bar will stand near the wall, one of its sides can be made deaf. If you install two wheels inside under the table a short distance from each other, bottle holders may not be needed.
Canister application
There are several methods on how to make a mini bar out of a canister. Each of them involves the preliminary preparation of a container from which you need to beat off the smell of gasoline or oil. For this, acoustic soda and other strong detergents are used.
A distinctive feature of creating a mini bar from a canister is the need to use non-standard tools, such as:
- boron machine;
- Bulgarian;
- drill;
- file.
The 20 liter canister must be washed and marked accordingly with a marker. After that, the line must first be drawn with a boron machine. After that, it is necessary to cut the painted future door with a grinder.
The resulting part of the canister must be processed with a file, after which the sealing gum is fixed around the perimeter. It remains to screw the hinges on the door and fix them on the container. Inside, it remains only to put wooden shelves.
Woodwork
Creating a mini bar at home from wood is very simple. This is due to the fact that working with such material is familiar to many. In addition, it is far from necessary to use boards, because you can take an old bedside table to give the main volume to the future bar.
Having prepared the grinder, screws, boards and the bedside table itself, we make a mini bar out of wood. Inside, mirrors can be used to give a more beautiful design. They should be fixed with glue.
The action algorithm should be as follows:
- marking boards;
- cutting out the necessary elements with the help of a grinder;
- surface treatment with varnish;
- fixing mirrors;
- decorating the outer volume of the bedside table.
This type of mini bar is suitable for classic interiors. Its distinctive feature is that it can be arranged in absolutely any direction of design.
Photo instruction on how to make a mini bar with your own hands
We continue to hunt for inspiring design ideas. Today, under the camera flashes, home bars from real interiors from around the world fell.
Why go somewhere to relax and have a drink when you can set up your own bar? This does not require an investor, a separate room and large investments. Your starting capital will be the imagination and ideas from this collection.
1. Bar with a message inside
The interior decoration of the bar cabinet with gold leaf symbolizes the value of the contents. And to all who dare to encroach on these treasures, leave a formidable message. 
2. Bar cabinet in the wall
Draw attention away from the contents of your bar with beautiful, custom-made wooden doors. So that they look like a work of art in their own right. 
3. Bar cabinet
The designers of Robin Gannon Interiors, who decorated this American home, preferred not so much a spectacular as a functional bar cabinet - it has a place for dishes and cutlery, as well as wine racks. 
4. Bar cabinet
A bar cabinet can become a pedestal on which symbolic things will rise above the entire interior. 
5. Open shelving
A drink rack can be part of an ensemble - a bar counter and chairs, as in this Munich apartment. 
6. Open shelving
An ordinary cabinet can be converted into a bar: just place a couple of wine shelves inside, and hang a slate board above the cabinet, as in bars. 
7. Beverage cart
A cart can also be a great alternative to a full-fledged bar. For example, there are models that are used in restaurants and hotels, with many sections and drawers. 
8. Bar cabinet-ship
Well, a real sea wolf will suit a wardrobe-ship, on the deck of which you can place dishes, and in the lower compartment - stocks of alcohol. 
9. Bar cabinet with roomy doors
Cabinet doors can act as additional shelves for storage. A slate board with active discounts on cocktails will be responsible for creating the proper atmosphere. 
10. Bar cabinet
Even boards and iron from an old court can inspire the creation of a bar cabinet. Overly brutal look can be diluted with a funny bar stool or a vintage advertising poster, as in this Vancouver house. 
11. Wine crate cabinet
The atmosphere of the bar can be created with the help of accessories - a cabinet made of boards from wine boxes and a container for wine corks. 
12. Antique cabinet
This cupboard was made in the middle of the 19th century for a church. It is decorated with carvings with a biblical story, with Adam and Eve in paradise, which did not deter the owner of the apartment from placing a bar in it. 
13. Wardrobe with glass doors
For industrial-style interiors, even an old cupboard with glass doors - like those used in hospitals to store medicines - is suitable for a bar. 
14. Wardrobe + bench + table
And why not opt for a bar corner that combines all the elements - a bench, a wardrobe, a bar counter? And even a place to feed your pet! 
15. Cabinet in the library
Cultural leisure is different for everyone: someone spends time reading books, someone is not averse to having a glass. So why not combine these areas into one leisure center? 
16. Shelf in the closet
Even on one shelf in the closet, you can create a small bar: with a tray for drinks, a mirrored back wall and LED lighting. 
17. Repainted cabinet
In this Canadian loft, an ordinary IKEA closet has become a drink storage. The owners simply painted it in the right shade, giving it a touch of antiquity. 
18. Antique refrigerator cabinet
You can breathe a second life into such a refrigerator cabinet - for example, place a bar in it. Such rough furniture will look organically in rustic interiors and in rustic style interiors. 
19. Wardrobe with bar attributes
And for lovers of westerns, you can equip a saloon - a traditional bar of the Wild West - with a skull and a wooden signboard. 
20. Built-in bar
Any empty opening, an unused niche can accommodate a bar rack. For example, from a closet or pantry. 
21. Built-in bar
Such a bar built into the wall can be made both open and with doors. Alcoholic drinks, for example, are hidden in the closet, and dishes are left on the shelves. 
22. In the doorway
Any unoccupied corner near the house is a potential place for your bar. All you need is a countertop, a cabinet, a refrigerator and a tray for drinks. 
23. Under the slopes of the roof
And even under the bevels of the attic floor, where it is difficult to find suitable furniture, you can easily place a bar area with a locker and a couple of shelves. Mirror mosaic will visually lift the ceiling. 
24. In a niche from the fireplace
The owners of this Californian home decided to take a niche from an unused fireplace - to place in it a bar with refrigerators for drinks and a countertop. 
25. Bar corner
A slate board will help create the atmosphere of a bar: here you can jokingly write menus, promotions and discounts on cocktails. 
26. Shelf in the closet
The bar as part of a furniture set has a number of advantages: it can always be hidden so as not to be tempted. And in the open state, the door can act as a table. 
27. In the doorway
Ordinary wooden shelves as a bar showcase - such an addition to the kitchen set will help turn any unoccupied corner into a bar. 
28. In the doorway
And if wooden structures seem heavy, it's time to think about glass shelves, which most accurately convey the bar style. 
29. In the doorway
If there is no place for a real male lair, any empty corner is suitable for this. Finishing with stone and wood will give the desired brutal spirit. For storage - ordinary wooden shelves, stands for wine and boxes. 
30. In the doorway
And the backlight will help to visually enlarge even a small nook for the bar: the space can be expanded due to the top and back light. Owners of a private house can think about arranging a light well. 
31. In the doorway
Take a look around - even in a small apartment there are empty corners. For example, corridors, doorways, where you can place a bar. And you can visually separate this zone using a contrasting color of the walls or lighting. 
32. In the doorway
It is logical to place a bar next to the kitchen table: then the need for a bar counter disappears by itself. And on the countertop you can organize a bartender's corner, with a shaker, an ice basket, a pestle. 
33. In the doorway
Your bar can be decorated in an eco-style: with a woodpile, plants, simple hanging shelves and a tabletop. 
34. In the doorway
The gap between the bookcases and the window should not be empty! A few glass shelves, a mirror and a wardrobe - that's all you need for a bar corner. 
35. Shelves in the closet
In any closet there are a couple of free shelves that can be arranged as a bar. Just highlight this area with a contrasting color and light. 
36. In the doorway
You can create a full-fledged bar in an empty corner with the help of appropriate paraphernalia - a refrigerator for drinks, wine shelves and, of course, a sign. 
37. Bar cabinet-wall
Well, if it is not possible to make a niche for a bar and openings for bottles in the wall, it's time to think about a wall cabinet, which can also be used as a partition. 
38. Under the stairs
Do not stop at non-standard layouts, various bevels and angles. This is the place for hanging shelves for the bar! 
39. In the doorway
The bar can also be an extension of your kitchen: just choose the right cabinets from the same series. And to delimit the zones of the kitchen and the bar, place the latter in the corner. 
40. Under the slopes of the roof
Mirror tiles can be a great alternative to a bar mirror. With its help, a small corner under the stairs seems visually larger. 
41. In the wall
The space under the stairs should not be empty, the owner of this American house decided and placed a storage rack here. On the top shelf there was a place for a bar. 
42. On the balcony
Putting a bar on the balcony is an obvious solution. Where else would it be so nice to sit in the evening with a glass of wine and watch the sunset? 
43. In the wall
The drive-through is a great place for a bar that will be available both in the kitchen and in the dining room. 
44. In the doorway
A narrow cabinet for a bar, a retractable bar counter - even in small rooms it is possible to equip a bar. 
45. Rack of wine boxes
A budget option for a bar cabinet / display case - old wine boxes. Minimum cost, maximum atmosphere. 
46. Wine crate shelves
Wine crates can simply be stacked on the floor or intricate designs can be built on the wall, as in this Houston loft. 
47. Pallet rack
Pallets are also suitable for a bar rack - just stack them on top of each other, and use the resulting voids to store bottles. 
48. Bar + table + refrigerator
This is a multi-functional design: the bar cabinet is at the bottom, and the sections for ice and drinks cooling are at the top, and they can be covered with a tabletop for making cocktails. 
49. On the desktop
Why hide alcohol in the closet? In the absence of a bar showcase, you can display the entire assortment on a suitable table. 
50. Against the wall
A carpentry table will be appropriate in interiors with a masculine character, with rough and simple furniture.
A home minibar is an essential piece of furniture, especially in a home where there are frequent guests. It stores the alcohol to which you are already accustomed. Since it is not always possible to purchase the necessary type in the nearest stores.
The minibar is characterized positively due to its small size.
Functionality
For most people, the word bar is associated with something big and bulky. Pictures of large and tall counters with glass shelves, which are usually placed in restaurants, immediately pop up in my head.
In apartments, this option is not possible. In residential premises it is necessary to put compact furniture for storing alcoholic beverages.
Many choose a mini-bar, which looks nothing like a storage for drinks. They can look like a regular nightstand, barrel or globe. All of them easily and quickly turn into a small rack.
Most models have a height of no higher than 1.5 meters, while their weight is not too large. They make niches for bottles, as well as special devices that hold glasses.
Benefits of the minibar:
- Small size, which gives such furniture mobility. In view of this, it can be placed in apartments of any size.
- Their price is not too high, which makes it possible for any citizen, with any income, to purchase it.
- Such a piece of furniture will decorate any interior. Emphasizes the wealth of the owners.
Characteristics
The appearance of the mini-bar depends on what style is chosen in the interior of the room. The bar should fit perfectly into the overall design.
To install the bar does not require additional space, no need to remove something from the room.
However, you should not put it under hanging shelves. Because it's not safe. There is always a risk of a shelf collapsing, and this can damage the bar. And all alcoholic products are produced in glass bottles. Their fragments can inflict injuries to others.
Types of mini-bars
- Open - these are racks or shelves where all alcoholic products are in sight. This furniture is similar to the one that they put in cafe-bars, but it is small in size.
- Closed. The same racks, but have doors. This type is considered the safest if there are small children in the house.
- Portable. This is a mobile version of the mini-bar, which is produced on wheels. This makes them easy to move from place to place.
The location of the mini-bar in the interior
The overall atmosphere of the room depends on how and where the structure is placed. It also depends on the ease of use.
Here are some examples of the most appropriate locations:
For the Art Nouveau style, the bars are made floating. The play of light is important here.
For convenience, the bar is installed between the living room and the kitchen area. It is extremely convenient when there are a lot of guests, you find yourself in two places at once.
It is necessary to consider what kind of alcohol you plan to keep in the bar. So, for example, wine cannot be stored in a room where there is high humidity, a lot of sunlight and too warm. This will spoil the wine. The ideal place would be to install a mini-bar in a closed cabinet.
The minibar is the face of the hosts. It is important to follow the rules for storing all alcohol, as it tends to deteriorate if stored improperly, which will lead to the event being left without high-quality alcoholic products.
The mini-bar will allow you to look like a cordial and hospitable host in the eyes of your guests. It can store absolutely different drinks for every taste. And there are a lot of design options for such structures.
Photo of a home mini-bar
