Whether you are planning or adding a custom bar to your existing space or are designing a new space, like a game room, there are several essentials that will make your home bar the perfect spot for all of your friends and family to gather around.

One of the main features of your bar should be functionality, meaning, does it do what you want? Make sure you have added plenty of electrical outlets for a wine cooler, ice maker and any countertop blenders or small appliances that you might need. The hottest new trend are the countertop beer dispensers that hold a small keg but they also need to be plugged in.

Including a sink can also be a nice convenience if plumbing isn’t too much of an issue as it makes for easy clean up of your glass ware. Make sure you have comfortable bar stools because once your friends belly up to your new custom bar, they aren’t going to be leaving any time soon.

Something else to consider is that nothing says “authentic” like a personalized bar mirror and there are almost endless options when it comes to making it your own. Not only do bar mirrors add depth, light and dimension to the room, it also can make a statement. You can get your own custom etching permanently engraved into the mirror. Don’t forget to add an “Established in” year message to your bar mirror…this will be the kickoff of many great memories.

Plenty of storage is another consideration when planning and designing your custom bar. You need to be able to store enough wine glasses, beer mugs and highball glasses to keep a crowd happy. You should also factor in some drawers for storing napkins, stir sticks, wine charms and many of the other small bells and whistles that can cause clutter if left out in the open. Take some time to think about where the hard liquor and wine will be put. Are you going to keep it tucked away or in full view? Where will the condiments like limes and olives go?

All these factors go into designing the perfect custom bar. Put some time and thought into planning, stocking and decorating your bar and it will be a place where you and your friends will gather again and again. You don’t want to be spending too much time getting everything assembled to make a drink so make sure everything you need is at hand and ready to go. Most of all enjoy it. You most likely be getting a lot of use out of it so personalize it with your own personal touches and make the bar your own.

Most of us have been there…we see a beautifully designed and furnished room in a magazine or model home and say, “I want that look for my home!”. Unfortunately it is easier said than done, but there are some things you can do to create the design look you love in a way that suits the style of your home and your budget. Plus, you will be creating good design habits as you learn to decorate your home.

We’re going to focus primarily on the decision regarding your budget for the project. It is not the most exciting part of your home design project, but if you neglect to put the time into this decision up front, you may be disappointed and frustrated along the way. There are a number of other design decisions that you will make in addition to the budget, but this is where it all starts.

First, decide how much you can afford to spend, or want to spend, on this design project. Don’t do anything else, don’t go shopping, don’t make any decisions until you determine ‘The Number’. Then, write The Number down in a notebook, or something that you can easily carry with you when you’re shopping for your project. Be honest and realistic with your budget. You might not be able to purchase as much as you had hoped, but you need to be realistic. And that’s okay – you just need to make the decision now so you can plan accordingly. If you are looking for inexpensive home decorating, set the budget to match your checkbook!

After you have thoughtfully determined your budget for this project and written it down, the next decision you will make is what you want to accomplish. As with the first decision, there are other more fun and exciting things you could do next, like go shopping and buy things. But if you neglect the planning portion of your design project you could end up with the same frustration and incomplete space. So, no shopping just yet!

One of the keys to success with your home design project is to be able to take what you have seen in another home or magazine and incorporate that look into your own. You may already have some furnishings and/or accessories for this space that you are going to continue to utilize. So your next step is to carefully evaluate what you currently are using in this space and determine what you will add or take away to create the overall look you want.

You may decide that you don’t need to actually purchase big ticket items. Your design goals could be met with a relatively low budget. Sometimes moving furnishings around to a different place in your space, painting the walls, adding some accessories that are specific to the style you want to emulate, can all help to get the look you are striving to create.

By taking the time to determine how large or small your budget will be (and sticking with your decision!), and by carefully deciding what you will purchase for this project BEFORE you spend any time or money, you will be much more likely to be satisfied with the results of your home design project.

About the Author:
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Candi Randolph is a Design Consultant,
owner of Simply Designed…Decorating to Fit Your Budget &
author of ‘Ten Simple Steps to Design Success!’

For more information please visit:

http://www.MySimplyDesigned.com