Summer is the perfect time for gathering around the barbeque and sinking a few drinks with your friends. There’s something special about outdoor living, and an outdoor bar makes for a great communal center for parties; not to mention a good investment if your climate is unpredictable.
An outdoor bar can make for an excellent escape from the elements when the heavens decide to add a little too much atmosphere to your celebrations.
We love these great outdoor bar ideas, particularly because many of them are DIY solutions that won’t cost you the earth.
The Tin Shack
This super-simple celebration of wood and corrugated steel makes a wonderfully rustic outdoor bar area; oozing with the festival charm of the pop-up, with the satisfying permanence of a well-preserved outdoor structure. The simple wooden frame supports sheets of iron that will age and weather beautifully over time, morphing from this pristine array of reflective surfaces to an attractive, corroded finish that will blend in with the preserved woodwork. The highly lacquered bar surface transports you to holiday locations in the sun, while the string lighting lifts this ramshackle beach bar with attractive ambient luminescence, making this a super-cozy spot for evening entertaining.
Palettes Transformed
This ingenious up-cycling idea makes for a fun, less permanent solution to entertaining in the sun. Delivery palettes are robust by nature, making them an obvious choice for a rustic structure that will provide many hours of enjoyment on a tiny budget. Colored wood stain is used to excellent effect here – the contrasting denim blue against the deep cerise of the bar stools makes a potentially ugly pile of low-grade wood into a practical DIY bar that will undoubtedly get your guests in the party mood. The bar- and stool-tops are created from high-gloss rough-cuts, highlighting the wood’s natural imperfections. There’s no attempt to shield any of the bohemian charm with this resourceful cornucopia of the unwanted and discarded. Simple to create as a DIY project, and sure to be a hit at parties.
Summerhouse Of Fun
This unassuming, rather simple summerhouse hides an assortment of essentials for the self-respecting social space. The doors spring open to reveal a beautiful wood-plank floor-cladding; a comfy bucket sofa with matching coffee-table; and a cream-colored paint on rustic paneling – creating a homely welcome in this shed that might otherwise be relegated to storage. The jewel in the crown, however, is undoubtedly the well-crafted wooden bar, complete with stainless steel table-top, coupled with comfortable bar stools, and a miniature juke-box, framing this fabulous space as one that’s begging to be shared with envious friends. The wall-art solidifies this shed as a shrine to celebration. Expect many late nights in this night-out that’s just a stone’s throw away from a comfy bed.
The Murphy Bar
This fantastic fold-away bar idea is the perfect solution for maximizing occasional usage; making the most of a small patio. When not in use, this fabulous outdoor bar closes, using the bar top to hide away your array of alcoholic favorites, protecting them from the elements when not in use. There would be very few who would fail to be impressed, as this unassuming outdoor cupboard springs open into a bar space that will really get the party going. The wood works perfectly against the exposed brickwork, while the Aztec-inspired outdoor floor-tiling perfectly pin-points the position as a party zone. If your outdoor space is limited, this marvelous Murphy bar could stir-up your intimate gatherings, making impromptu events that will be hard to forget.
Bench Beer Bath
OK – maybe this isn’t a bar in the traditional sense, but if you’re holding a party, this beer-bath idea becomes a very welcoming invite for your guests just to help themselves. Fashioned from recessed planters, these ice-baths will keep your beer and wine bottles chilled so that you can spend the afternoon chatting and enjoying the company of friends, rather than trapping yourself with top-ups all day long. These bench tables are particularly inexpensive and can be brightened with a wide variety of finishes – here we have unfinished pine, a caramel wood stain, and a high-gloss varnish. But why confine yourself to a single color or finish? You could have great fun with color by using gloss paints and multi-colored wood-stains to get the party in full swing from the get-go.
Crates Of Fun
This is a great idea for storing your bottles in your outdoor bar area. Shelving can be a little boring (and rather obvious) but this great crate idea adds a little rustic, stylish charm to your shrine for celebration. There’s a selection of eclectic, electric lighting ideas here that would give this outdoor structure a real sense of coziness, with a combination of old-school gas lamp, and the clip-on spotlight. Warm lighting in a ramshackle bar can lift a blank canvas into a spot that’s likely to enjoy a great deal of use!
Dry-Stone Walls
This is a rather more permanent celebratory space; with the strength of the dry-stone wall, shiny marble surfaces, and durable, wooden canopy. There’s wonderful attention to texture in the choice of materials – from the rough of the higgledy-piggledy brickwork, to the sheen of the polished worktops, and the beauty of the exposed wood that brings an elemental balance to this aspirational outdoor space. The built-in barbeque and the wood-burning open-fire bring a homeliness to this charming design. The wide-screen TV and rattan furniture make this a great place for supporting your local team with friends and family.
Reclaiming The Space
Our final foray into friendly bar-spaces looks smart and welcoming while maintaining a DIY aesthetic that makes this fun design accessible to any budget. The corrugated steel is proudly framed with the underside of a delivery palette, presenting a modern, shiny aesthetic, and a stark contrast between the dull reflection of the metal and the deep black of the wood stain. This rather 80s combination of color and texture is finished with an attractive varnished wooden top that makes this a hospitable home for sinking a few stubbies. The variations of this simple idea make this simple design an attractive hangout for you and your homies.
So, what do you think? We love these friendly, accessible outdoor bar ideas that mostly demand a pretty modest budget. What do you think? Share some comments below, and don’t forget to share with your friends – you never know; you might get invited to the grand opening of their fabulous outdoor bar!
Bottoms up!
