OUTDOOR BAR IDEAS

O ut do or BAR IDEAS

Looking for outdoor bar ideas? Get that holiday feel at home with these inspiring ways to party in the garden

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Woutdoor bar ideas you can create your very own bar in the garden this summer, and we think now is a good a time as any to make it a reality. There are looks to suit all styles and budgets, from DIY wooden bars to make you feel like your own bartender, to chic pieces of garden furniture for a more contemporary, Mediterranean vibe. There’s also plenty of options if you have a smaller garden too. So pour yourself a gin or a chilled glass of wine and have a look through our outdoor ideas to get inspired to create one for yourself.

Covert a shed into a garden bar

If you have got a summerhouse or shed that’s seen better days or one that you just don’t use that much anymore, give it a new lease of life and turn it into an outdoor bar. Give it a good clean, a new coat of paint and then just get decorating. You could remove a side window to create the bar opening and simply add a piece or timber or even a reclaimed scaffold plank to the side (painted to match the colour of the shed) to make the bar counter. Add some bar stool and accessories and your new party space is good to go.

Roll out a drinks trolley

Take your bar with you wherever you go in the garden, thanks to a drinks trolley. It saves you having to keep going into the house to top up drinks and looks very stylish too. This one is designed to be used outside so it won’t rust. It carries a lot too – pop your bottles and mixers on the bottom and then glasses and ice on the top. Great for small gardens too, and come winter just incorporate it into your living room or kitchen.

Create a handy grab-and-go drinks station

If you are after a place to keep your drinks cold and accessible outside, a simple metal trough filled with ice is an old-school trick. If you want to take it up a notch, however, opt for something like this high table. It comes with a specially designed central steel trough that can filled with ice and drinks for your garden parties. At other times, you can also fill it with flowers for a pretty display.

Create a tropical vibe

It will always feel like you’re on holiday at home with this set-up in your garden. If you’re handy at DIY, it would be simple to make a basic construction such as this. Tuck it into the corner of your garden and you’ll only need to add lower panels on two sides of the design too. Add vibrant pops of colour with fun furniture and drinks accessories in statement shades.

Lighten up

Lighting is an integral part of any outdoor bar experience, so give your alfresco space some instant ambience by adding some atmosphere after the sun has set with a mix of lighting. Fairy lights, festoons and lanterns are the easiest way to illuminate your space, and solar designs are perfect if you can’t connect to a mains power supply. Want to go further? Opt for furniture with built-in LED lighting, such as this contemporary table, and you’ll get to enjoy some added glow for cocktail hour.

Opt for spacesaving furniture

If you have a small garden, that doesn’t mean you can’t still jump on the garden bar bandwagon. Combine a table and ice bucket in one design and you have a compact bar that’s perfect for balconies and small patios. This clever design features a tabletop that be lifted up to reveal a built-in ice bucket underneath that’s perfect for chilling your beers and wine. There’s a handy drain at the bottom to make it easy to empty it once all the ice has melted too.

Use a high table and bar stools for a simple fix

A quick way to create an outdoor bar is to pick out some bar stools and a high table to pop on your patio or decking area. You can always bring them inside too during the winter for some extra surface space and seating in the kitchen. Very chic and simple. Opting for chairs in a classic rattan design that’s going to last you loads of summers is definitely worth the investment.

Buy a fully formed garden bar

If you don’t trust your DIY skills to make your own outdoor bar, why not invest in ready-made one instead? This design has definitely got a bit of tiki vibe but that’s fine in our book as it’s more of a classy, grown-up take on tiki. We love how it’s been styled here with plenty of neutrals tones, rattan accessories and festoon lights for an on-trend vibe – not a coconut cocktail in sight.