It’s summertime, and you’re ready to host a get-together for your friends and family! But your patio bar isn’t exactly fitting the vibe you’re going for. So what do you do?
Patio bars are a fun way to spice up your backyard entertainment space, but sometimes they need a little something extra to make them party-ready! If you already have a patio bar or are thinking of installing one, we’ve got a whole list of ideas for you on how to create or spruce up the perfect patio bar for summer entertainment!
Effective Color Schemes
One of the ways you can refresh your patio bar is by adding a coat of fresh paint! The first step is choosing a color scheme. The colors you use will set the tone for the whole area, so depending on your goal, consider our paint ideas for a patio bar.
1. Be Inviting
White and other light colors are known for making a space seem big, open, and welcoming. It’s such a revitalizing sensation. Food and drinks already help people feel refreshed and at home, but if you want to amplify the effect, go for pure white paint or something close to it. Put it all over the walls, ceiling, and cabinetry.
2. Opt for Sophistication
Maybe you value elegance and refinement in everything that you do. To convey that, turn to the depth and richness of black or other dark colors. With a patio bar design like this, people will feel like they’re stepping into a lush and chic little corner of the world, inspiring awe and bringing out their own inner poshness as they satisfy their palates.
3. Promote Relaxation
If you just want a space where people can feel calm and peaceful, focus on patio bar ideas that nurture tranquility. Look at muted blues, grays, purples, and pastels in general, as they create a sense of serenity and harmony. Combined with food and drinks, it’s perfect for encouraging a peaceful environment where conversation flows easily, and people get along.
4. Perk Everyone Up
Sharing meals and drinks together should always feel like a special occasion, so why not go for a cheerful patio bar design? Get naturally bright and passionate paint colors, like yellow, red, pink, orange, or a vivid or neon shade of any other color. Hues like these help people feel happy and confident. Red can also increase hunger sensations, so all the food might taste even better than usual!
5. Mix It Up
Of course, you might favor patio bar ideas that involve some visual diversity. After all, using just one paint color might be either boring or overwhelming!
That’s why you should think about how to mix and match your paints. For a pleasant sense of organization, use colors with similar shades or psychological effects. For example, blue and purple pair well together, as do yellow and pink.
For a classy or dramatic look, go for sharp contrasts. Black and white schemes are always impressive. Yellow with blue is fun and bold, but maroon with peach is exquisite.
Remember that neutral colors like white, black, gray, and brown look lovely with any other color. They also make great third colors when used for accents or trim.
There are countless possibilities, so don’t rush your decision! Experiment with paint color swatches at your local hardware store until you find a combination that you love.
Aesthetic Themes
There are many interesting and beautiful items with which to stock and decorate your outdoor space. However, for the sake of cohesion, it’s a good idea to go with patio bar ideas that unite all your furnishings, supplies, and decor under the same aesthetic theme. Here are some fun ideas for creating the perfect aesthetic for your patio bar.
6. Turn Back Time
There’s plenty to celebrate about modernity, but past eras had some gorgeous and compelling aesthetics. If you’re attracted to vintage or retro architecture, decor, and furniture, only buy pieces and products that could be from the period you like most so that your patio bar feels like a time capsule. You could even create environments befitting medieval villages or ancient palaces if you’re determined enough to find the right items!
7. Make a Homestead
Farms are not only essential to human survival, but they do wonderfully at keeping people in touch with nature. If you find comfort in that, do a charming rustic or farm-themed patio bar design. Use as much wood as possible for the bar and furniture, along with plaid fabrics for your towels and tablecloths. You may also like to keep quilts available for use during cool nights.
8. Be Free
People who are unimpressed with social conventions often find that bohemian designs resonate with their free-spirited personalities. The style is frequently an appealing combination of looseness, elegance, and appreciation for nature. If you agree, think about patio bar ideas that incorporate wicker or rattan furniture, soft upholstery, flowy towels and tablecloths, themed with cosmic or nature-focused patterns and earthy colors.
9. Indulge Your Passions
Lots of people have interests or hobbies that are important or special to them. They could be books, movies, games, sports, animals, locations, professions, etc. Consider patio bar ideas inspired by something integral to your personality.
For example, are you fascinated with ships and sailing? Go for a nautical theme with decorative anchors and helms. Do you enjoy a certain show or comic book series? Put up posters and figurines showing off your favorite characters. Have a favorite sport or animal? Stock the bar with supplies themed after them. Have you frequently taken vacations to a particular part of the world that you love? Show off your souvenirs and make the bar look like one you’d find there.
Don’t worry about what anyone else would think. If you have a passion, lean into it!
Eco-Friendly Designs
Using eco-friendly patio bar ideas is better for the environment, but sometimes, it’s also more cost-efficient than other designs. Check out how you make less impact on both your surroundings and your wallet!
10. Upcycle
If you’ve done house renovations recently, you might have old countertops, bedroom doors, cabinets, tiles, or other materials to spare. Find ways to incorporate them into your patio bar design so that they don’t go to waste.
There may also be stores in your area that sell inexpensive items discarded from renovations, in addition to barrels, wood planks, and more. Stop by to see if they have anything that you could use.
11. Use Natural Items
Some construction materials are affordable but bad for the environment. Combat this as much as you can by using natural items for your patio bar design.
For example, find tree stumps that just need a little sanding to become bar stools or tables. Use wood planks or poles for your countertops, frame, roof, and walls. If you want a fire pit in your bar, try building it with big rocks from your area.
12. Encourage Growth
If you have a green thumb and plants would fit with your preferred aesthetic, consider patio bar ideas that include gardens. It would look gorgeous, smell wonderful, and help clean the air by removing harmful gasses.
Picture climbing plants gracefully scaling poles with pots or boxes of flowers, vegetables, fruit, or herbs, which could also be used for seasoning your food. In fact, we have lots of ideas for small space gardening that would work for patio bar design!
Optimal Comfort
A comfortable patio bar is a usable patio bar! You’re more likely to spend and enjoy your time there if the bar is tailored to accommodate your every preference and help you relax.
13. Forego Bar Stools
Stools are standard furniture for bars, but maybe you’d like homier patio bar ideas. If so, skip the stools entirely and furnish your bar with something cushier, like sofas, rocking chairs, hammocks, or padded swings. Some furniture pieces come with consoles or drink holders so that you can still enjoy your food and drinks away from the countertops.
14. Make It Cozy
A great patio bar often feels like a second home within your home. Go with a patio bar design that helps the space feel cozy and livable. A full outdoor kitchen and grill would do the trick by themselves, but a fire pit would also be fantastic for gathering people around and sharing both food and conversations. Add a wireless radio to set the atmosphere with nice music. Maybe you’ll never want to go back inside your house!
15. Prioritize Shading
Chances are you’ll be using your bar during hot weather more than any other kind, so you need patio bar ideas that consider shading to prevent sunburn and heat exhaustion. A tall patio umbrella would suffice, but if you want something more permanent and durable, look for a gazebo or pergola. If you’re ambitious, construct a custom patio bar building with its own roof.
16. Protect Your Space
You’ll be most comfortable with a patio bar design that shields you from pests, dirt, rain, and nosy neighbors. To keep your bar clean, pleasant, and private, surround the patio with curtains, screens, and/or mesh netting. They can usually be attached to gazebos and pergolas if you add them for shade.
Practical Considerations
Patio bars are fun at first, but to remain that way, they require care and maintenance. Otherwise, you’ll feel too frustrated with the inevitable wear, tear, and messiness to keep using it! Think about these organizational patio bar ideas.
17. Minimize Clutter
It takes a lot of supplies to cook food and mix drinks, so clutter can sneak up on you. Follow a patio bar design plan that installs as many drawers, cabinets, and cupboards as possible. There should also be hooks and racks where you can hang pots, pans, oven mitts, and other tools. Even extra counter space is helpful for making the space function better simply because there are more places to set things aside in an orderly fashion.
18. Maximize Space
Choosing an efficient layout and storage solutions is more difficult if you only have a little space with which to work. Small patio bar ideas are all about maximizing what’s available, and the key is to think vertically, not horizontally. Stack cupboards, cabinets, drawers, and even ovens on top of each other. Store supplies beneath tables and countertops rather than somewhere to the side.
19. Simplify Cleanup
You might be tempted to use your whole patio and construction budget on the fun aspects of a bar, but save some of your space and money for tools that will help you stay clean. For example, make sure there’s a sink on one of the countertops, as well as a dishwasher if you can swing it financially.
There should also be a place to put a garbage can, broom, mop, bucket, soap, and washcloths or sponges. They could stay out in the open, but a dedicated storage closet or cabinet would be better for organization and sanitization.
20. Think Ahead
Weak materials are cheaper, but they also need to be replaced more frequently than more durable tables, no matter how well you maintain them. To spare you time, effort, and money in the long term, select only strong and long-lasting materials to bring your patio bar ideas to life. Stone, wood, steel, concrete, cement, and brick are often the toughest and most reliable.
Specialize in Fun
Eating and drinking aren’t the only things you can do outside. If you want to make fond and lasting memories, consider more fun ideas for patio bars.
21. Add Entertainment
If you have the room, make your patio bar into the hottest gaming center in the neighborhood! Set up a pool table, foosball table, air hockey table, pinball machine, or an entertainment system with a TV and your gaming console(s) of choice. You could also keep numerous board and card games on hand. With food and drinks to help your guests loosen up, playing together could be extra enjoyable!
22. Get Major Screen Time
Do you and your friends enjoy the same kinds of films, shows, or sports? In your patio bar design, leave one wall blank, or install a big white screen that you can roll up or down, and set up a projector directly across from it. With such a huge screen, you could invite your loved ones over for amazing movie nights, TV show premieres, or important games–all with snacks and drinks from your patio bar.
23. Light Your World
You may have so much fun that you’ll want to stay outside long into the night, so consider some lighting ideas for patio bars. For a whimsical ambiance, hook or tape stringed lights from one end to the other. Set up lamps or lanterns for a homier environment. Put floor lights around the perimeter not just to help you see where you’re walking but because they look stylish. Maybe add a disco ball or projector night light in the center just for kicks!
Experiment With Patio Bar Ideas!
Any of these patio bar ideas would help you create the ultimate getaway right in your own backyard, but they’re just a few of countless possibilities! Be as imaginative as you want in achieving your vision and fulfilling your own wishes.
There are still so many things you can do, and lots of them could affect your patio bar design, so we’d love to give you more advice about backyard living!