Do you entertain frequently during the holidays? The holiday season is a highly festive time of year when folks mix and mingle the most. A holiday festive bar styling creates a space that balances aesthetic appeal with functionality.
The bar’s style should reflect your personality and the vibe you want to create for guests. Whether it’s a cozy, laid-back lounge or a chic, modern space, the right design elements will set the mood and elevate your entertaining experience.
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Welcome to Styled 2 Ways – Bar Styling Ideas Edition
Styled 2 Ways is a collaboration between my blog, Master”pieces” of my Life, and a new blog on the scene, From the Bay to the Beach, created by Susan. Susan is an old friend of mine and recently started her blog, sharing life style posts about decor, travel, and more. Susan splits her time between the San Fransisco Bay Area and the San Diego beaches.
For the Styled 2 Ways series, two different point of views for a particular styling, project or concept are shared. Although Susan and I both like many of the same things, we both have unique styles of our own, and we want to share how the same idea can be expressed in different ways. Both ways are equally as fantastic, showing how unique takes on the same idea can expand our own personal style.
You can find Susan in her other spaces:
When you are done here, please hop over and visit Susan here {Cheers to the Holidays How to Set-up a Stylish Bar}. If you are here visiting from Susan’s place, welcome, I am so happy you are here. Leave me a comment down below; I would love to get to know you. Come on in, have a seat and enjoy!
Why a Festive Holiday Bar Styling
A pretty and stocked bar helps set the mood and prepare for party celebrations. Whether it’s a sophisticated cocktail or an innocent mocktail or an elegant glass of champagne, it’s a great idea to have a bar station set up in your home. A bar styling is fun, festive and functional.
A bar set-up facilitates the pop-in guests or provides a great opportunity to prepare for invited guests. Having everything at the ready provides comfort and minimizes stress, which puts the host at ease. If the host is at ease, then the guests immediately channel the same energy, creating a relaxed festive mood all around.
How to Set-up a Festive Holiday Bar Styling
A bar styling in your home should reflect you own personal style. There are many ways you can go with this including, classic and elegant to rustic farmhouse to art decor glam and more. You get the idea. Of course I always blur the lines between vintage and rustic and elegant and organic with maybe a touch of boho. I think it could be considered cottage core, but anyway, that’s my style and it fits my home. You do you.
Dedicated Space
It’s best if you can dedicate a given space for a bar set-up. Whether it’s a bar cart, built in bar unit or a simple sideboard as I use here. The trick is to stock it the way you live and entertain. You want to have the space to hold a variety of drinks, glasses, tools and personal details.
Our sideboard has a cabinet down below, providing additional storage space for more bottles, additional glassware, ice buckets, and more. The cabinet is also in the dining room, which is right next to the kitchen. This makes the refrigerator and sink accessible. It’s convenient to have your bar set-up in proximity to functionality.
Glassware
Ok, so I am a glassware snob. I’ll admit it. I believe a drink tastes differently or wrong if it’s served in the wrong vessel. I am very particular about what type of drink is served in what type of glass. That being said, use the glassware which you prefer. There is no right or wrong here, just simply preferences.
I know stemless glassware is super popular, but I’m not a big fan. Then my cousin mentions how my aunt prefers to use stemless wine glasses, providing a more comfortable grip because of her arthritis. This gave me pause and a new appreciation for stemless glassware.
Libations
Of course a bar styling requires drink offerings. Once again you should include the drinks you prefer and you know your guests will enjoy. I do recommend having a mixture of hard liquor, beer and wine and non-alcoholic beverages. This way there is something for everyone. Also if you know you will be preparing a certain cocktail make sure to have the proper mixers as well.
The French 75 is my jam and a vodka on the rocks, a little bit dirty, is Mr. M’s go to cocktail. Whatever your poison, make sure you have all the proper ingredients and elements on hand.
Tools
Along with the glassware you also want to have the proper tools to accommodate the beverages you will be offering. A shaker and | or strainer might be necessary for a mixed cocktail, while an opener is necessary for beer and wine. There are other details like beverage stirrers or straws or swizzle sticks or umbrellas, depending on the beverage options.
Garnishes
Once again the garnishes depends on your drink selections. It can be something as simple as ice cubes, lemon twists or lime wedges. There are so many things you can include like martini olives and onions or cocktail cherries or rimming salts and many other selections.
Our lemon tree is going gangbusters right now, which is perfect for the French 75 cocktail. Not only do I enjoy the tart lemon juice in my cocktail, but I love to use the lemons as decor as well, which brings us to the next point.
Personal Holiday Accents
Now that you have the function and festivity taken care of, it’s time to inject some fun. For the holidays it’s fun to inject some seasonal accents. The Merry Christmas sign with a festive bow crowns the bar styling, plus I also used Christmas dishes, ornaments and greenery.
A candle adds magic with the flickering flame. Fairy lights or a lighted garland could also create a magical scene for your bar styling.
A Champagne Station is the Perfect Bar Styling for New Years Eve
The culmination of the holiday season is the New Year’s Eve celebration where bubbles flow freely. A champagne bar is always super fun and festive. Personally I find a champagne bar perfect anytime of year, but it’s exceptionally brilliant for New Year’s Eve.
Beverage Charms
Drink charms are always a great idea when everyone is using similar glassware. I have different styles of champagne flutes and coupes, which provides some differentiation depending on the size of the soiree. It’s fun to mix and match the glassware.
Another great idea I shared awhile ago is to use mini ornaments and pretty ribbon to identify glassware. You could create your own theme depending on the ornaments you choose.
Champagne Cocktails
If you want to go beyond the bubbles you could always serve the classic champagne cocktail. This is an elegant drink, which is the perfect way to ring in the new year in style.
If you want to channel your inner child you can always use candy to flavor and color your champagne cocktails. Once again you can theme and coordinate the entire celebration.
Another fun one is to use cotton candy on your bubbles. Let your imagination guide you and have fun!
Closing Thoughts
I hope this post has put you in a party mood! This is the season to celebrate our good fortunes, family and friends. Having a bar styling at the ready helps facilitate any get together in your home, regardless of what you are serving.
Cheers and I hope everyone is enjoying this crazy (in a good way) time of year. Don ‘t forget to visit Susan and check out her bar styling inspiration. Thanks for stopping by and Salud!
Shopping the Bar Styling Look
- Classic Champagne | Wine Bucket
- Set Martini Glasses
- Plaid Double Old Fashioned Glasses
- Crystal Champagne Flutes
- Vintage Champagne Coupe Glasses
- Wine Charms
- Silver Tray
- Shaker and Mixologist Kit
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Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy.”
Frank Sinatra