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You are here: Home / Decorating / Raising the Bar

Raising the Bar

April 2, 2015 By Karen Cooper 4 Comments

Now that the weather is nice, I’m starting to think about planning some get-togethers and cookouts. We don’t have a designated bar or beverage station in our home, so I was thinking about ways to create one. Here are some ways to create a bar in your home – raising the bar, so to speak!

Make a Bar Cart

I found this rusty kitchen cart at a thrift store. With a good cleaning and some spray paint, I turned this kitchen cart into a bar.

Things you can turn into a bar: Industrial kitchen cart into bar cart - thediybungalow.com

 

All my wine supplies are handy – glasses, an opener, a chiller – and I love writing the wines we have on the chalkboard top!

Wine Crate for Bar

I found this wine crate at an estate sale for $1. It’s the perfect place to corral the bar – bottles, snacks, mixers, and accessories.

How to create a bar - wine crate - thediybungalow.com

I found the little glasses – the two aperitif glasses, the one with the cheese straws, and the one with the olives – at the thrift store for 49 cents each! Since I didn’t need a whole set, I could just pick and choose ones I liked with fun designs.

Also, I found these cute drink stirrers at a thrift store for 99 cents for the set (I know, right?!?):

Thrift store bird drink stirrers as part of creating a bar - thediybungalow.com

They look very Mo Willems-esque to me. (I love the Pigeon, but I wouldn’t let him drive the bus.)

Create a bar in a wine crate - thediybungalow.com

Tray Bien 

If you have a tray, you can set up a bar. Check out this gorgeous wooden bar tray that I saw at steve mckenzie’s.

Handmade bar set from steve mckenzie's - thediybungalow.com

I was lucky to get to hang out with Jill and Steve McKenzie at their shop recently. They had such beautiful things in their store! For a bar, they had these test tubes:

Test tubes for a bar - thediybungalow.com

They would make a great display for different mixers. Or for flowers:

Test tubes as vases when creating a bar - thediybungalow.com

Pyrex beakers are also useful – and decorative – on a bar.

Wine corks in beakers on a bar - thediybungalow.com

And all these test tubes and beakers were salvaged from a lab! What creative repurposing!

Upcycled bar items - thediybungalow.com

I’m in love with these shelves. You know I have a thing for wood and metal industrial-style furniture.

steve mckenzie’s has beautiful fabric that Steve designs. This chair was recovered in his fabric. Isn’t it gorgeous? I love the bold, graphic pattern and bright color.

Chair with steve mckenzie's fabric - thediybungalow.com

They also have more rustic furniture, like this table and chairs:

Public school chairs with table with blue legs - thediybungalow.com

I love how the chairs are designed to look like old school chairs. And the blue table legs made me smile.

Bushel and a Peck Print - thediybungalow.com

I bought this print there; I sang this song to my kids when they were babies. The print is now hanging in their hallway.

Thanks to Steve and Jill for having me over!

Where do you set up a bar or beverage station in your home?

You might also like:

  • Industrial Kitchen Cart into Bar Cart
    Industrial Kitchen Cart into Bar Cart
  • How to Create a Coffee Bar
    How to Create a Coffee Bar
  • Vintage Coke Crate Spice Rack
    Vintage Coke Crate Spice Rack

Filed Under: Decorating Tagged With: Dining Rooms 4 Comments

About Karen Cooper

Hi! I'm Karen. I call myself a “recovering lawyer” - I traded in my power suits for power tools and a life of DIY adventures. Join me for DIY, home decorating, repurposing and upcycling, and organizing projects and tips as I transform a 1929 Tudor bungalow into our home. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home.

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Comments

  1. Jill McKenzie says

    April 3, 2015 at 9:45 am

    Thank you for including us in your entertaining post! Love your thrifted bar cart too. Happy Spring!

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      April 3, 2015 at 10:33 am

      Thanks, Jill! Thank you for showing me around your store. It’s gorgeous – so many cool finds! Happy Spring!!

      Reply
  2. Bluwatergal says

    April 3, 2015 at 10:47 am

    Great ideas for beverage set-ups! Love the cart and the crate. Always wonderful things at Steve McKenzie’s. Love that chair 🙂 Bwg ~~~

    Reply
    • Karen Cooper says

      April 3, 2015 at 11:21 am

      Thanks, BWG! Isn’t that chair awesome? I loved it, too! Have a great weekend!

      Reply

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Hi! I’m Karen. I call myself a “recovering lawyer,” because I turned in my power suits for power tools and a life of DIY. This blog is all about DIY, home decorating, repurposing and upcycling, and organization. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home.




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About Karen

A "recovering lawyer," I turned in my power suits for power tools and a life of DIY. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home. Read More…

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