Shaken or stirred? Get inspired with these ideas for home bar designs

There’s nothing more fun than a home bar. Who wouldn’t want to come home to their own after a long day? 

Yes, our juice flavours might be classics, but when it comes to cocktail hour, we’re not afraid to get a bit fancy. And it doesn’t just have to be for grown-ups, either. Mocktails need mixing too, and kids will love the excitement of a home bar. 

As it’s the right time to be thinking about a spring refresh of your living space, and a home bar is a bit of achievable luxury, here are our top tips for home bar designs… 

Choose your space wisely

No two living spaces are the same. But however much space you have, you can create a great home bar that ticks all your boxes, and combines style and practicality (as well as spirits and mixers). 

Location, location, location – hosting people is half the fun, so make sure you pick somewhere social to build your home bar, where it’ll get the most use. Kitchen, living room or hallway are all good shouts. Or, if you’ve got one of those awkward spaces under your stairs, then you could even put it there: it’s a great way to get creative with an under-used bit of space. 

Lighting – when it comes to lighting, the more ambient the better. Keep the brightness level low, and a backlit bar is perfect for that classy retro vibe. 

Go glam –  if you’re lucky enough to have a kitchen island or a dedicated alcove to play with, then you can go all out. Statement wallpaper or wall art is a great way to show off – or mirrors behind open shelves are super chic. Get some bar stools in there and you’re ready to go. 

… or keep it simple – if space is at a premium, or you’re after something more low-key, then a cabinet or bar cart is all you need. These have made a comeback, so you’re spoilt for choice: wooden or metal, two levels or three. And if you get bored of your bar cart living in one place, you can just wheel it into a new spot. A portable bar – perfect. 

Stay stocked up 

So, you’ve got your space sorted. Now it’s time to make your home bar come to life and get it ready for action. Here’s how to supply your bar the right way. 

Upgrade your equipment – a home bar is only as good as its tools. You’ll need a cocktail shaker and strainer, obviously. But it’s also worth getting an ice bucket or two. And accessorise! Don’t be afraid to have some fun when it comes to personalising your wine stoppers, stirrers and straws. These fruit-themed stoppers from Fruta are exactly what we mean – although we would say that… 

Glassware – this is where it gets a bit tricky. Sure, you want to match your cocktail to the right glass, but who’s got the space for twenty different glass shapes? Less is more: invest in a few versatile, classic glasses you can use for multiple drinks. Wine, coupe, martini and highball glasses are good ones to start with. 

Store it well – when it comes to spirits, storage is key. Keep yours away from light and heat to keep them tasting their best. A cupboard or cabinet would work perfectly. And on a practical level, draw dividers work well for those smaller bits like straws and bottle stoppers. 

Keep it stocked up – once you have everything in place, make sure to keep your home bar full, so there’s no chance of running out when you have people round. All the essential spirits, garnishes and mixers – including your favourite Eager juices… 

Eager juice: a home bar essential 

For years, people have been under the illusion that you have to store fruit juice in the fridge. But really, you can keep it anywhere you want. Now you can order Eager juice straight to your door, but we started life in pubs, bars and restaurants exactly for this reason: they had too many drinks already that needed to be kept cool, so our store-anywhere juice helped ease the fridge burden. 

Don’t fall for the myth of fresh juice – save the fridge for the things that really need it, and store your juice with all your other home bar essentials. And with the endless cocktails and mocktails you can make with juice, it definitely counts as one of those. 

Keep the juice flowing  

Once you’ve got your home bar setup sorted, it’s time to put it to good use. And whatever your favourite of our classic flavours, we’ve got a drink recipe for you. We love sharing our favourite fruity cocktails and mocktails (so watch this space for more). 

Order your Eager juice now to make sure you’ve always got enough. No one wants the bar to run dry…