Since Jake and I moved in together, we’ve become so much more likely to drink at home than we are to go out to a bar, pub or club. For me, there’s something so much more satisfying about curling up on the sofa and enjoying a glass of whiskey than there is getting wasted in a sweaty nightclub and downing anything that’s wet. I’ve changed.
By drinking at home, we must have saved so much money. We don’t feel the need to buy new clothes all the time, we don’t have to fork out for taxis, we aren’t tempted to get a takeaway at the end of the night, and most importantly, we aren’t paying a tenner for each cocktail at the bar.
This got me thinking about how cool it would be to have our own home mini bar. If we had self control and weren’t guilty of devouring a bottle of whiskey between us every weekend, I’m confident it would be a good idea and cost effective compared to nights out.
Obviously there’s a social element to nights out, but considering booze and good company are the best components (or at least they are for me), there’s no reason why I can’t invite my friends round to get pissed at home on a budget.
Obsessed with the idea of one day having my own alcohol arsenal (and not depleting it within days), I’ve created this Pinterest board filled with awesome home mini bars. I used to associate home mini bars with drinks carts on wheels, but if there’s one thing Pinterest’s taught me, it’s that just about any piece of furniture can be used as a mini bar (except sofas, beds, and toilets perhaps).
Just look at how the team at Everygirl have styled this modern and simplistic shelving unit from Ikea. Just goes to show you don’t need something fancy for your home mini bar.
Even if you don’t already have a piece of furniture with mini bar potential, you don’t have to fork out mega bucks to find one. After spending this afternoon having a Preloved marathon, I’ve found plenty of second hand pieces of furniture that would double up as a mini bar.
If you like the idea of starting your own alcohol arsenal, here are just a few ideas…
I’ll start with my favourite of the bunch, this industrial metal storage unit might be a little bit on the bulky side, but I think it’d make a perfect mini bar/bookcase combo. Obviously it’s in need of some TLC but looking at this picture it’s nothing a bit of paint won’t fix. I’d love to paint it bright yellow or blue. This metal storage unit is currently up for sale in Hampshire.
This butcher’s trolley could also be ideal, particularly if you’re after something smaller. You’ve got plenty of space for your alcohol and mixers, a wine rack at the bottom, and drawers for all the essential tools such as corkscrews and bottle openers. This butcher’s trolley is going for £65 in London.
This old corner TV unit might not look particularly special, but it could make a great home mini bar. Personally, I’d give this a good sand down and paint it white before using it as a place to store my drinks. This corner TV unit is £15 in Shropshire.
If you’ve got plenty of space in your home and a flexible budget, something like this would be AMAZING. Filling something of this size with alcohol would obviously be pretty pricey, so you could use it as a bookcase or a place to display photos or art too. This is gorgeous solid oak dresser is going for £150 in Bourne, Lincolnshire.
If you’re into the shabby chic look, this dresser could be the perfect mini bar for you. Not only is this a great place to present your alcohol stash, the cupboards below are ideal for storing kitchen equipment. This shabby chic Mexican pine dresser is currently priced at £175 in Manchester.
If you’ve got the time, it might be more cost effective to get an old piece of furniture and do something like this yourself. Two words: Chalk paint.
At just 8 quid, this corner dresser is a great bargain for those with space for it. If you’re after a more modern look, this could be a great upcycling project. Personally, I think it could work fine just the way it is. If you’re near Boston in Lincolnshire, you can snap up this dark wood corner unit for just £8.
If you’d prefer something simple that lets the alcohol and accessories do the talking, a straight-forward modern shelving unit should do the trick. This sorta thing is perfect if you want to spend as little as possible on the mini bar itself and save your cash for booze and glassware. These shelves are £10 in Birmingham.
