Great Bar Conversion Ideas

There is no substitute for having a bar in your home. It’s your bar away from your favorite bar. It’s the place you call home when you’re home. But, you don’t always have to go all out with brand new bar plans that you have to totally build yourself.

Converting furniture or accessories that have another purpose into a bar is actually fun when you put your mind to it. You don’t have as many supplies to get. Plus, you give unwanted or discarded accessories new life.

Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets can be the start of a great bar. I’ve been to a friend’s house where he just had the kitchen cabinets redone and he had the old ones in the garage. Those are perfect for starting a home bar.

We built him one right there in his garage. We told the wives what we were up to and they waved us on without a problem. So we went to town, and I mean we went to town.

We picked up some wood and finish, made a beer run while we were there. Then, we went to work on my friend’s new bar. It didn’t require much. We put on a countertop and connected the cabinets in the front of the bar so that there wasn’t any space.

We drilled a hole in the countertop and ran the make shit beer tap through it. The keg sat perfectly in the gap between the kitchen cabinets. A few weeks later, my friend had a kegerator and the bar looked great with bar stools, track lighting and even some beer signs around. It’s one of my favorite home bars to go to when I’m getting away from my own.

The Tall Dresser

Actually, this is one of the most unique conversions I have ever seen. This idea comes from another friend of mine who had a tall dresser with cabinet doors on the top half of the unit that swung open outward.

He took the bottom three drawers out of his dresser and removed the front of each dresser drawer. Then, he attached those pieces back to the front of the dresser. The space behind was enough for a keg when everything else was removed.

The beer tap extended above the bottom half of the dresser and he removed some of the shelves because there were shelves in the cabinet doors that swung open. It was a beautiful bar he placed in his backroom. You didn’t even know it was a bar until he swung open those cabinet drawers.

The Rock Bar

This bar was built purely out of frustration one day when a friend of mine had enough of his wife’s rock garden. She had finished her beautiful rock garden months ago. But, there was a pile of rocks, excess of the project. When he asked her what she planned on doing with them, she didn’t have an answer. So, he came up with one.

He actually built a bar from those rocks. He had to get a few more to finish the project. But, it came out really nice. He built a rock base with two outer rock walls and two inner rock walls to hold up the top. But, that’s where he got even more interesting. He made shelves along the way and he made the bar top with wood that he finished with lacquer.

He’s had it several years now and it has stood the test of time. He just treats the wood every once in awhile. A job he can do in about an hour while he’s sipping a beer. Can’t beat that!

So, before you throw anything away try to figure out what you can do with it. It doesn’t always have to be made into a bar. But, that’s the way I look at things.

The DIY Outdoor Bar

What a relaxing experience to sit by the pool and have a bar right there instead of running to the refrigerator in the kitchen. Of course if you don’t have a pool, that shouldn’t stop you from having a bar in your backyard, on your patio, or anywhere else you might want one outside. Enjoy the warmer weather that is coming with an outdoor bar you build yourself.

We have a unique way to design an outdoor bar that you will find absolutely easy and fun to put together. You won’t require much contractor experience. Of course, I will add a few details at the end you might want to consider. If you don’t have the expertise, you can hire someone for these final details.

Prefabricated Cabinets

The local hardware store will most likely have prefabricated cabinets that you can use as the base for the bar. Of course, you can always build your own structure. If you do so, at least use the prefabricated cabinet doors that the local hardware store has to offer.

Counter Top

While you’re at the local hardware store, look at the counter tops that they have. Make a nice fit with the base. But, make sure that they are durable for the outside. There are counter tops that are made for that specific purpose and I would suggest using one from that department.

Roof

Of course, a roof is totally an option. Consider a removable roof so that you can have the best of both worlds. Rollout awnings work great. When the sun is out, rollout the roof so that you can drink at the bar all day without getting burned. When you want the sun, roll the roof back up and enjoy. You can’t beat that!

Building a roof can be a little more difficult, unless you want it to stay all year around. You might want to install a sunroof. But, we’re getting into more extravagant additions now. A sunroof is a real eye-catching feature.

Sink

There are portable sinks that can be bought at the local hardware store. It would be easier to add if you decided you wanted an outside sink with your bar. But, you can also have electric and water run to your bar. You might want to run electric at least if you are going to follow through with any of the next ideas and make your bar really elaborate.

Refrigerator

You can use your outdoor bar with a cooler and just enough beer for the day. But, you can also step up how elaborate you make your outdoor bar by adding a refrigerator for beer. A small refrigerator under the counter works perfectly. But, don’t stop there!

Kegerator

A kegerator with a beer tap and a beer tap handle displaying your favorite beer is the best to top off an otherwise perfect bar. Think about all of your friends. Do they have an outdoor bar? If your answer was no, then you have to do this for yourself. They will love you for it.