Everyone wants to have a local pub or bar to call their own, but the ultimate local is one that is built in your garden and set up exactly the way you want.
From the drinks to the decor, a home bar is a perfect place to socialise, unwind and spend time, and whilst arranging a space in a room your home to act as a bar can be somewhat limiting and limits what you can do with the bar, having it in the garden gives you enough space and versatility to make it a perfect hangout spot.
Everything revolves around what you want and what you enjoy most on a night out, so the actual design and amenities of your home bar may vary significantly depending on what you enjoy most.
However, here are some ideas of what to include in your garden room bar besides the bar, drinks and seats.
Pub Games
Something that is underappreciated about a traditional public house is that it was far more than a place that served drinks.
The reason why locals mattered so much is that they acted as community hubs, places for people to meet and discuss important matters in informal ways and places where people could play games and have fun.
This is one of the reasons why an entire genre of pub games became popular, with darts, pool, snooker and fruit machines becoming an important part of a pub’s ambience.
Darts, in particular, did not start in the hallowed halls of Alexandra Palace with audiences in the tens of thousands. The News of the World Championship took place between different pub teams.
Whilst you do not have to turn your garden room into a games room, it may be worth adding the space to include a pool table, especially since everyone in the household can enjoy it.
Even if you cannot necessarily find the space for a pool table, having a set of dominoes, a chess board and a backgammon set gives your home pub some extra fun and excitement.
Card Games Table
Board game bars and cafes have become increasingly popular in recent years, and everyone who has a collection of games also wishes they had enough space to play them whenever they want, for as long as they want.
Whilst you can have dedicated gaming tables complete with drink holders, storage for counters and dice, and suitable felt for playing any kind of card game comfortably, all you need to have a fantastic space to play poker is a long enough table, some comfortable chairs and the right ambience.
Given that you would want a dining table or table for drinks regardless, this is a great way to make the most of your space.
A Sign
Unlike a real public house, which has needed a sign outside the doors since the 14th century, you do not strictly need a sign outside of your garden bar, but it does make the place more fun and feel more like an authentic social hub.
If you are going to add a sign to your garden pub, go all out with it. Come up with a fun name and maybe even a pictograph or painting that fits the decor, shows off your personality and expresses your creativity.
If you are confident in your DIY skills, you can make one yourself, but many companies will make signage for you based on your ideas.
A TV Screen/Projector
Many pubs and bars have a TV screen or projector, and the best part of owning your own bar is that you get to control what goes on it.
You do not necessarily have to turn on the football or Formula One if you are not interested, but instead, you can have whatever you like on the screen whenever you want it.
Better yet, if you want to turn your bar into a games room or have special games nights, having a big screen is perfect for a social gaming experience.
Sound System
Whilst not every pub or bar has music, having the option of a proper sound system with multiple speakers and surround sound is perfect to create a nightclub ambience or just to watch films in a relaxing home cinema setting.
Whilst a smaller garden room can get away with a soundbar or the speakers on the TV itself, you will get a much better experience with a proper speaker set with a subwoofer, with clearer audio and better bass than you would otherwise get.