Whether you’re building a new launch bar from scratch, or have an existing bar that you want to improve, there are plenty of things you can do to improve the look, feel, and effectiveness of your launch bar. A good place to start is to collect some photos or take photos of your favorite bars. Find out what stands out to you about them and use that as a starting point for your home bar.
Here are some tips to improve your launch bar:
Choose a color theme.
Depending on the mood you’re trying to set with your bar and your personality, you may want to choose a color theme. For example, if you’re looking for a calm, relaxed feel, use darker colors like blues, greens, purples, etc., while if you’re looking for an uplifting, energizing fall, look for more bright solid colors.
Make sure your seats are cozy, but not too cozy.
You want your guests to be comfortable, but you don’t want them to be so comfortable that they fall asleep at your bar. This is part of the reason why bar stools are usually backless. Not having a backrest also encourages people to lean over the bar and become more involved in the conversation.
Get a great sound system.
Music has always been at the heart of any bar, so don’t neglect this with yours. Your bar should have a great collection of your favorite music, free commercial internet radio, or an easy place for you or your friends to doc their ipods and iphones. Have some pre-selected music collections that you can play randomly so you always have something playing in the background. Easy access to volume is a must so you can turn up the volume on the queue.
Flat screen television.
If you’re a sports fan, this is a no-brainer, but you can also use your TV to enhance your bar in other ways. One of my favorites is the Wii video games and the infamous Rock Band are always a hit and never fail to attract their guests. Another good use is to display ambient images. They make DVDs that show cool graphics for this kind of thing. Another good bet is music videos.
Barrel cooler.
This is one of the features that will attract all your friends to your house every weekend. As sure as the beer is cold and flowing from the tap at your home bar, people will be there to drink it with you. If it gets too out of control, throw a barrel bottom boat.
Get the essential tableware.
Make sure you have everything you need to make drinks when you need them. This includes a cocktail shaker, pitcher, bar glasses (martini, beer, highball, lowball, etc…), swizzle sticks, napkins, rim stirrer, drink pourers, etc…
Wash.
It is a good idea to install a bar sink. This little convenience will go a long way toward cleaning up late nights, spills, and just makes life easier.
Don’t skimp on lighting.
Lighting is one of the things that can have the biggest impact on your home bar. With a small investment in a few recessed lights or dimmers, you can transform your bar from dull to charming.
These few details will really help your bar and ensure that your friends and family have good times and good memories in the place you call home.
