How better to impress your family, friends and neighbors than to invite them out for a drink…at your privately owned casual bar or formal pub. They will enjoy your hospitality so much, not to mention your beer on tap and upper shelf offerings, that closing time might not come at the standard 2:00 a.m.
More recently, the demand for an extended area for entertaining has shifted into the sought-after finished lower level. Usually relegated as a recreation room for children to occupy themselves at will, that spread is now being used as adult spaces such as billiards rooms, media rooms and/or exercise facilities. To further add to the grown-up playroom atmosphere, those areas are also including fully furnished bars.
The smaller pub in the library gives the dwelling a much more sophisticated approach, like the days when men retired to the library for brandy and cigars. There is plenty of storage space in the pub for dozens of bottles, glassware and all the necessities, in a more scaled-down version than the lower-level bar.
Masculine and bold are words fit to describe these similar spaces, where it would not be out of place to watch a sporting event while downing pints of Guinness in the lower-level bar or toasting the New Year with Waterford champagne flutes in the library pub.
Dark stained wood cabinets with paneling, thick crown moulding and columns give the bars and pubs a furniture-like quality that complements their surroundings.
The heaviness of the pieces does not outweigh the rest of the room because of the various lighting placed in, under and over the cabinets to brighten the space. Neutral colored walls highlight the areas without overtaking the richness of the wood.
Inspiration for these spaces comes from centuries-old European pubs, so the natural materials, such as granite, tumbled stone, wood and glass, used to embellish them create a sophisticated look that is meant to stand the test of time. You can almost hear the boisterous sound of glasses clinking and traditional drinking songs being sung in German, English or Irish bars when visiting these modern-day entertainment spaces.
Wrought iron accents, such as chandeliers, doors and candleholders, blend seamlessly into the décor, as do warm hardwood or cool tile floors. But don’t expect peanut shells to find a home on the floor, because these spaces are much more luxurious than the local watering hole.
Even the bar stools have become more comfortable with padded leather seats and foot and armrests. These seats make sitting down for a cocktail or two feel like a luxury, unlike the seating at area bars with backless barstools.
Some of these custom creations include built-in, flat-screen televisions that give the exciting feeling of watching the Super Bowl at your favorite sports bar without the hassle of the large, rowdy crowd. Built-in microwaves, under counter beverage centers, icemakers, dishwashers and sinks round out the features that can also be seen.
This wet bar is connected to the kitchen and features the same sleek, dark stained cabinetry and gleaming white quartz countertops. The design and location make it the perfect place to mix up a few drinks without having to stray far from your company or cluttering up the kitchen counter.