Most of us have heard of wine racks but what exactly is wine furniture? That is a good question and one that fortunately can be answered fairly easily. Wine furniture refers to any type of furniture such as a dining table, cabinet or home bar that is designed to store and/or display wine in addition to its original purpose. With more and more people opting to stay home and entertain, wine furniture has become a popular and economical way to entertain in style while making the rooms of your home more practical and functional.

Since wine furniture comes in a wide variety of types, styles and materials, you are sure to find one that will complement your décor. While there are no set rules as to what can be used where, especially if it is the first time you are purchasing any type of wine furniture for your living space, it is good to have some idea what is available, how to integrate it seamlessly into a particular room’s décor and where in your home it will be most useful.

General Tips for Buying Wine Furniture

Identify the purpose and where you would like to put a spirits cabinet or even a home bar. Do you want a server or buffet for your dining room that will be a convenient place for you to store a choice selection of dinner wines? Or would you prefer an accent cabinet that is designed to hold spirits (upright storage) instead of wine (horizontal storage)?

You don’t want your wine cabinet or home bar to look out of place. To make it blend with the existing décor, select wine furniture that matches or complements the furniture already in the room.

Once you know where it will go, measure the space. You will want it to fit proportionately in the room and not overpower or be overpowered (appear too large or too small).

Especially if you plan on purchasing a wine cabinet, wine tower or home bar, don’t forget to take into account the height of the room’s ceiling.

If you are purchasing the wine furniture for your home that has doors, make sure you will be able to open and close them easily without any obstructions.

A typical bottle of wine weighs approximately three pounds. Check the manufacturer’s product information for the item’s weight capacity to ensure that it will safely hold the number of bottles it’s been designed for. It should be well-constructed, durable and stable.

Wine furniture such as a wine buffet, home bar or wine cart are available with a variety of features. Consider which specific features will be most useful to you before making a final purchase. A wine console or wine cabinet on casters allow you to move it easily from room to room. Storage options like a stemware rack or utility drawers increases they functionality of your unit.

Wine Furniture Typically used in the Living Room / Family Room

Wine towers such as the Winsome 18 Bottle Wine Tower are ideal for living rooms or family rooms because it allows you to keep a small selection of wines within reach, making entertaining simpler.

A wine cabinet like the Tresanti Rosemont Wine Bar in Empire Cherry is ideal for social environments like the living room or family room, because it is designed to hold both wine and spirits.

The home bar is generally one of the larger types of wine furniture, although both portable and compact versions are available. By adding some barstools to a home bar, you can create a “pub” atmosphere in your own home. When setting up your home bar, throw in an Irish pub or sports theme to create an instant party atmosphere.

Wine Furniture Typically used in the Dining Room

The American Drew Beacon Ridge Wine Credenza with Accent Mirror Wine credenza is essentially a wine cabinet, intended to be used like a sideboard or server and is designed specifically to make displaying and serving wine a celebration.

A wine buffet like the Pulaski Barolo Buffet with Hutch allows you to store tableware and glassware in addition to wine. A buffet makes a dining room more functional, neat and organized by providing a place for dishes, cutlery and a showcase for those special vintages you will be serving with dinner.

Dining tables with wine storage and counter-height dining table such as the Canterbury Home Furnishing Gramercy Park Counter Table are ideal for smaller living spaces. Multipurpose wine furniture can maximize available dining room floor space in a condominium, town house or apartment.

Versatile Wine Furniture

Wine carts take entertaining to the next level. Because they are on wheels, they are not restricted to one room. And since they are designed to be portable, wine carts are typically more compact than other kinds of wine furniture.

A wine console table is exceptionally versatile since it can be added to virtually any room in your home. If you don’t have space in the room itself, put a wine console in a hallway or niche near the dining room or kitchen or living room.

If you’re searching for a stylish wine storage solution for your home, look past the standard wine rack. Wine furniture comes in all shapes and sizes, so you can go as big or as compact as you need to. Wine furniture has the added benefit of being multipurpose and multifunctional, which is a plus when you’re entertaining friends and family.

Picking Home bar Furniture for your bar design is more complex than it sounds. A lot is demanded of the area it occupies. Fundamentally, you want it to be an inviting and relaxing place to socialize with your friends, hoping to avoid the feeling of just being in another section of the house. You want the atmosphere of a carefree bar that’s far away from the stresses of everyday life. This may sound like a tall order, but with a few guidelines you’d be surprised how much can be achieved.

Start off with the location. Are you fortunate enough to have an entire room dedicated to being a bar or will it be shared with the dining room table? The space you have available will depict what furniture you can buy. For a spacious room, you can consider a large bar, plenty of seating, and perhaps even a pool table. For smaller rooms, you have the option of having a compact unit, such as the Winsome Kingston Expandable Wine Bar. When it is opened out it becomes a useful counter to serve drinks, and has the added bonus of taking up very little room when closed.

Next, decide on the shape and style of the bar. There are five main options: a corner bar, a back bar, a straight bar, an L-shaped bar and a wrap around bar. The corner bar design is functional when designing for a smaller space. It comes with plenty of cabinets to hide away drinks and glasses. The back bar has more of a bookshelf feel to it. Fundamentally, it is one big storage system which displays all your bottles behind what is usually a glass cabinet door. The straight bar speaks for itself. It is usually placed against one of the walls with a row of bar stools in front of it. The L-shaped bar is not surprisingly L-shaped. It is common for the shorter side to have a sink fixed into it. Last, but not least, is the wrap around bar. It is basically the latter design, but with an extension on the other side making it more of a U shape.

After deciding on the bar shape and size, you can address the color of the walls. Painting the walls of your home bar will affect the overall ambience. Darker tones generate a modern mood accent with warmer colors, whereas lighter shades offer a more tranquil open air but bring a funky look with borders of fuchsia. neon green or cobalt blue. When you have decided on a color scheme, try and accessorize with matching coasters, and if it’s your thing, matching napkins.

But when planning the home bar design itself, an effective technique is to base it around a theme. There is such a wide variety of bar or pub furniture on the market today, that your bar can be everything you dreamt it could be and more. You can choose bars, tables and chairs of every shape, size and style. There is no look that is unachievable.

Let us start with the old classic – a sports bar! Purchase an ordinary wooden bar, such as the Hillsdale Large Oak Wrap Around Bar. The sturdy design has a very masculine quality to it, so it fits in well within the theme. The warm, bright oak is inviting and contentedly informal. This bar has an understated design, so you can easily dress it up with sports team merchandise. This can vary from wall clocks to beer glasses. Hang framed jersey tops and autographed memorabilia on the surrounding walls. Incorporate the team colors when painting or selecting the stools.

If ice hockey is your game and you can’t get enough of the Toronto Maple Leafs, feature royal blue and white. Perhaps mount hockey sticks against a bright white wall and have royal blue upholstery on the barstools. If basketball is more your sport and you love the Chicago Bulls, work with red, white and a touch of black. Also, if space is adequate, put down beanbags or a snug sofa for extra guests to be comfortable. If the budget allows, buy a television to watch the game on. It is important to note at this stage that available plug points are a necessity when choosing location.

If a traditional English pub is more your taste, think mahogany stained wood and shiny brass features. Framed beer advertisements and vintage posters on the wall create a homely yet authentic ambiance. Mirrors also tie in well with this theme, and by placing them at eye level a smaller space will appear visually larger. When selecting the bar stools, consider something like Home Styles Furniture 30 Inch Bar Stool with Vinyl Swivel Top in Cherry/Antique Brass. The cherry wood is warm and visually appealing, vividly contrasting against the antique brass foot rest and seat rim. The stool has real personality, and is ideal for an English pub reconstruction.

For a larger bar area, it is possible to obtain additional seating alongside small tables. Hillsdale Dynamic Designs 3 Piece Pub Table with Mansfield Stools is both casual and comfortable. But it is also very practical when you are entertaining several guests in an evening. It makes for a charming focal point, and offers an overall professional appearance to your bar. A dartboard would also make a fantastic accessory.

If a traditional home bar design does not appeal to you, perhaps contemplate a more cutting edge, contemporary design. Look at the Trica City Bar Three Modular Units to see how modern a home bar can really be. The frosted glass tops and brushed steel finish give it an edgy, sleek appeal. Understanding the need for storage with this theme, the Trica City Home Bar has a huge amount of rack and shelf space to hide all those bottles and glasses. The ‘less is more’ approach maximizes the bar’s potential. Think minimalism, monochrome, and geometric lines. Opt for chrome, glass and metal features.You could base your whole design around this barstool for a state of the art appearance.

Ever been to Vegas? You won’t have to now with the home bar design for this theme. It certainly requires a more dramatic approach, but the outcome is completely worth it. Wall color is a factor to consider, as a deep red hue inspires a more warm and inviting tone. Coupled with a few neon-lights and you have got yourself a transformed environment.

When it comes to the furniture, dark wood and black leather will work best, with black and white photographs framed on the walls. An item to think about is the American Drew Bob Mackie Signature Chocolate Brown Leather 30 Inch Barstool. It is both stylish and sophisticated, which are two factors you should strive to reflect in this home bar design. A stereo system is also ideal for the room, and maybe even a poker table. Or for more variety, get the Powell Woodland Oak Game Table Set. It has a reversible game surface to play chess, checkers and backgammon. Your friends will never want to leave!

If Vegas is too much for you, maybe a Champagne style bar will suit you better. This theme can be used in both exterior and interior areas. Manufacturers are constantly producing sleek classy city-inspired designs, such as the Trica Citybar Home Bar & Champagne Swivel Stools Set. It includes a bar table that employs a glass with a brushed steel base, as well as two swivel stools. Expanding? These new Trica modern home bar sets are modular so you can easily expand for a larger bar.

For more seating, additional chairs can be purchased. For a less eccentric design, there are alternative options. Light wooden furniture is definitely the only choice, like the Winsome Basics 24 Inch Beechwood Swivel Barstool. It is made of a light, natural wood that could with the right bar create a great tropical theme, but a little more subtly. Make the most of tropical materials, grass cloth and bamboo. Serve Pina Coladas in colorful glasses with a little umbrella poking out of the top. Utilize coconuts, pineapples, driftwood and shells. A tropical bar theme is the ultimate way to have fun with your decorating ideas.

For a romantic ambience, perhaps consider a Tuscan theme home bar. Infuse natural, earthy tones and feature potted plants or faux vines. Your heart will get stolen by the Powell Tuscan Canopy Home Bar Set. Heavy rope detail is carved into the dark, mahogany wood, making a classically stunning work of art. It is fully roofed and contains an abundance of storage space. The curved design of the barstools is tastefully Mediterranean, with comfortable, light brown upholstered seating.

However, many families just want the bar to be an extension of their already established design approach. It may work better this way. After all, a bar’s main purpose is to be relaxing, and your home has also got to fall into this category. Even if your delegated bar space is in a room used for other things, items such as barstools and extra tables are often lightweight and easy to move out of the way.

There is such a magnitude of bar furniture available, that even the simplest and neutralist of designs can be materialized. Even if you just want somewhere stylish to display your wine, there are options! Concept Housewares Wall Mounted Glass and Bottle Wine Rack is chic and accommodating. It holds 21 glasses and eight bottles of wine. Its black finish makes it a visually stunning asset to any room.

Your home bar design preference completely depends on personality. A bachelor will more than likely opt for the contemporary bar idea, whereas the hockey enthusiast will opt for the sports one! There is a possibility for everybody, and the most important thing is to have as much fun as you can when creating it. Envision the kind of home bar atmosphere that makes you feel happy and stress-free, and inspire yourself from the image in your mind. This is a great opportunity to be inventive, and reflect the real you.

I would love to see your home bar or help you design one!

Nicolette Interior Design Diva

Spring & summer is the perfect time to design your games room for great fun after a BBQ or day out at the lake. If you are thinking of designing your own games room you need to consider what exactly it is going to be used for. Will you play cards or board games there? Will you use it for entertainment activities like electronic games such as Guitar Hero? Will you host frequent parties there and want to have a bar as well? Some people just want a games room to have a weekly poker party while others want to use it often with friends and family as a gathering place so you need to keep its functionality in mind when furnishing it.

Most people would start with a game table and chairs set for their games room design- that is generally round or octagonal with at least four chairs. Since comfort is a must many opt for an armed swivel chair that is usually found with a wooden set with either upholstered or leather seats. If you are really into poker or card games you can get one of those tops to put over a plain round table that is felt covered and has cup holders and is definitely geared for a serious game!

Another option that is becoming more and more popular is a bistro table with stools. Some of the tables are counter height while others are what you would find in a bar and are usually around 42” tall making it a more casual look but one that is fun and more versatile as it will fit into a smaller space. You can get stools with backs or without – again depending on the look you want and how comfortable you want everyone to get!

Games room design today often include an oversized wall mounted television complete with all the bells and whistles for a family entertainment center that includes interactive electronic games such as Guitar Hero or Wii. This allows friends and family to play in a band or try their hand at bowling or tennis – and it’s really all make believe – but lots of fun! Often there are comfortable sofas or chairs that are set in front of the television for sporting events like the Super Bowl or Kentucky Derby.

canopy home bar set

For those who like to play pool or snooker a pool table is always another crowd pleaser and an activity that can be played by the whole family. Space is again an issue because pool tables take up quite a bit of room but there are smaller versions that can be fun to play as well. A games room design is really up to the individual and the amount of space you have to work with – after that the ideas are endless – and all provides lots of entertainment.

Let me know how it goes, in this day and time you save a lot of money designing your own games room for friends and family instead of going to an expensive bar, games room or pub!

Nicolette Interior Design Diva