YOUR BAR NECESSITIES

The space

Make sure your bar is a good size for your room; the right height (the standard height is 114cm); and near an electricity source. If you have room, instal a fridge with an ice compartment.

The surface

It needs to be smooth and easy to wipe down. Stainless steel, zinc or marble don’t need polishing and look better with age; copper or polished wood look spectacular, but need looking after.

Lighting

A small lamp on the bar makes it look both professional and inviting; you can get rechargeable ones that don’t need a cable. Downlighting built into the front adds glamour, as does lighting your bottles (but make sure they don’t get hot).

A sink

If you have a proper bar, make space for a sink, so you can rinse chopping boards, knives etc as you go.

Seating

If you go for bar stools, choose ones with backs and padded seats (Gubi’s velvet version is gorgeous), and instal a foot rail on the bar.

Clockwise from right

Interior designer Trevor Dykman has combined a Formica-topped bar with local touches at this home in Cape Town; this curved and polished wooden bar with shiny chrome and leather stools has a distinctly art-deco feel; a drinks tray in interior designer Hubert Zandberg’s Berlin apartment holds a collection of glassware; a beach bar on Harbour Island, Bahamas by India Hicks, with a counter and shelving made from varnished planks of wood, and an extensive rum selection